Warriors vs Stars, 15th Match at Colombo, LPL, Dec 14 2021 - Ball by Ball Commentary

7pm So then with that the Kandy Warriors remain rooted to the bottom of the table on 2 points, Colombo are now in third place on 6 points, while the Galle Gladiators are fourth on 5 points. With two games remaining for each side, Kandy's fate is no longer in their own hands.

Galle are in action against the Dambulla Giants in a bit, you can catch all the action from that over here. But that's all from me!

Colombo Stars skipper Angelo Mathews: "He [Seekkuge] was just fantastic. We always thought we had a chance, we have the firepower. We didn't start off really well, but we knew once the seams got a little bit older, we could up the scoring rate."

Kandy Warriors captain Angelo Perera, meanwhile spoke about his decision to bowl Kumara in that final over: "He's the only bowler who had his overs left. But we've got to execute our yorkers and wide yorkers better. He's one of the main bowlers in the Sri Lankan lineup, and he's one of the best bowlers we have. I would always give him the ball."

On Seekkuge he adds: "That is the knock of the LPL so far."

Seekkuge Prasanna is unsurprisingly name Player of the Match. Asked about his knock, he keeps it short and sweet: "I'm really happy about my performance. It was do or die, and I always back myself."

Dinuk: "I wonder when lahiru will understand that pace doesn't do everything" Even with his pace, think it's the lengths that were more damaging. Certainly should have been trying to get those yorkers in.

Adarsh: "This evokes memories of Stokes-Brathwaithe in the 2016 T20 World Cup Final. Prasanna - remember the name!"

Lasi: "Feel sorry for Lahiru. He might be recalling the SA match in the WT20. This will yield good experience for him and bring the best mindset to ball in the depth. On the other hand Chandi and Seekku! Bravo!!!"

6.35pm Well, what a finish and the Stars have absolutely stolen it at the end! Lahiru Kumara is inconsolable, but it's hard to blame him. Pace-off is what worked all match, and Kandy skipper Angelo Perera for some reason felt the last over was the time to bring on Sri Lanka's fastest bowler. Of course it might have worked, but in Seekkuge Prasanna the Stars had just the man to capitalise. Five of the six balls he faced were dispatched for 6, on his way to 32. It's a knock neither he nor Kumara will likely ever forget.

The Warriors though, as has been a theme throughout this tournament, will feel like they've thrown things away. Here, they were cruising at 77 for no loss after 8 overs, but then capitulated to 146 for 9 - that too thanks to a 14-run final over. Then their spinners absolutely squeezed the Colombo batters throughout the chase, giving away just 28 runs in the powerplay and then reduced the equation to 31 off 12 at the death. But they ran out of frontline spinners, and then Angelo gave the ball to Kumara, who hadn't touched the ball all match. And the rest is history.

3 from 3 now.

Around the wicket.

9 needed from 4.

Lahiru Kumara in for his first over of the match!

16 needed off the final over. Seekkuge has looked dangerous but it's Rutherford on strike.

25 from 10.

Pressure is on Binura here.

31 off 12.

last of the frontline spinners, Colombage into the attack.

47 needed from 18. Required rate is now at 15.66.

Binura returns.

So as the strategic timeout is taken, it's the Warriors edging things at the moment. 54 from 24 would be tough in most cases, but on this pitch it's going to need something special from the Stars. Can Chandimal conjure up something special here?