that's the game, and a fitting end, with Gunaratne hitting the winning runs in emphatic fashion. It's an offcutter from Olivier, but Asela has run down the pitch at him and turned this length ball into a half volley. He opens his shoulders and launches the ball high over cow corner for six.
Stallions are trying out various combinations, but you still have to say this was a bit of an upset. Their batting just never got moving today, despite a half century from Shoaib Malik. Tuskers bowlers kept making breakthroughs and kept a lid on the scoring.
That's it from our coverage of this match. Join us for the Dambulla Viiking v Galle Gladiators match that's due to start shortly.
***
Gunaratne is man of the match: "I'm really happy that this kind of tournament happened with everything that is happening in the country. I was bowling well but I hadn't batted well before today, so I'm glad I was able to do that."
Kusal Perera: "We didn't have to take too many risks, and because we were only four wickets down, I was confident. Asela and Irfan did well. We're not thinking about winning or losing tomorrow. We'll come to try to do our best."
Thisara Perera: "We are trying to bat first because we were chasing really easily. It was an experiment. We were 15-20 runs short today."
***
Gunaratne was immense with bat and ball this match. His spell of 21 for 2 kept the Stallions pinned during the middle overs, with Dilruwan Perera bowling nicely at the other end as well. Then with the bat, he came in with three wickets having fallen in the Powerplay, put on a measured fifty-plus stand with Kusal Perera, then made sure he stuck around to usher Tuskers past Stallions' modest total. The game-clinching six also took him past fifty.
It's a vital win for Tuskers who are of course in that neck-and-neck battle for the fourth semi-final position with Galle Gladiators, whom they play tomorrow. That will be Tuskers' last league game, but a win here means that even if they lose tomorrow, they are not necessarily out, as long as Gladiators lose their last game by a substantial margin (Gladiators' NRR is not as bad as Tuskers). If they win tomorrow, though, Tuskers are definitely through to the semi-finals.
low full toss wide of off stump, carved powerfully over cover, to get a boundary to end the over. That should make the last over a lot more manageable
bouncer, which Pathan has a swipe at but misses. I think that's a little over head high actually. Probably should have been a wide
length ball outside off stump, Pathan tries to launch that down the ground but mis-hits the slower ball. Gets it off the toe of the bat and hits it on the bounce to long on
they've had no luck here. Four overthrows off a deflection off Gunaratne's bat. Gunaratne digs this out and it goes to short third man, where Hasaranga picks up and aims a throw at the non-striker's stumps. He would have been out if it was a direct hit, and the deflection means the ball doesn't go to the fielder backing up. Stallions ask if Gunaratne was obstructing the field there, and actually, they have half a case. Gunaratne did stick his bat out to ground it a little bit early. But you probably can't give that out
yorker on leg stump to start. There's a half-appeal but that's going down leg. Asela tries to scramble a single but is turned back. Shinwari runs forward to get the ball and throw at the stumps but doesn't collect cleanly.
Shinwari to bowl the 19th.
bouncer at Pathan's throat. He tries to swipe this away through the legside, but doesn't connect.
gets the dab right this time - it's a pace-on length ball outside off, and an easy single
slower one outside off again, Gunaratne tries to dab it again, but doesn't connect that well. It dribbles off the the keeper
slower length ball outside off stump. Gunaratne tries to guide it fine but misses
too full on the legs and that's flicked easily, over short fine leg for four. The fielder there couldn't quite climb high enough pull that in
short of a length ball, outside off stump. Slapped away to sweeper cover
Duanne Olivier in to bowl the 18th.
shorter in length, and pushed through. Pathan goes back and pulls it to deep square leg
tossed up on the stumps, whipped away to deep midwicket for a single
tossed up and legsideish, swept fine, and it runs away off an inside edge for a boundary
ooof, that was inches from nicking the top of middle stump. Gunaratne makes room and tries to slap this through off, but misses completely, and it passes just over the stump
Gunaratne will try to target him
slightly shorter, and another legbreak. Pathan goes back and cuts this to deep point for one
slow, loopy legbreak to start. Pathan tries to prod this away on the offside. Nor un
Viyaskanth in to bowl a pressure over here. Stallions need wickets.
flat and fast again, and worked to the legside for a single to finish. Good over for Tuskers
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Sooriyawewa, Hambantota | |
Toss | Jaffna Stallions, elected to bat first |
Series | |
Season | 2020/21 |
Player Of The Match | |
Match days | 9 December 2020 - daynight (20-over match) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee | |
Points | Kandy Tuskers 2, Jaffna Stallions 0 |
Over 20 • KT 151/4
Tuskers won by 6 wickets (with 5 balls remaining)