Aura vs Jaffna, 11th Match at Kandy, LPL, Aug 07 2023 - Ball by Ball Commentary

And on that note, it's a wrap from us. Be sure to join us again tomorrow as the last of the matches in Kandy take place. But until then, on behalf of Fidel, this is Madushka saying goodnight!

Dambulla Aura skipper Kusal Mendis: "We were looking to bat first actually, but we weren't happy with the score despite it being a pretty good wicket. We thought we could have gotten about 170. I was very happy with the bowlers, defending such a score in T20s is very difficult."

Jaffna Kings skipper Thisara Perera: "As a bowling unit we can't expect more than this, but as a batting unit we can definitely expect more. Last two games we haven't been in the right path, but we need to come back stronger. [Under pressure?] Not yet, not yet."

Shoaib Malik gets the award for Striker of the Match

Okay time for the presentations...first up, the Player of the Match award goes to Hasan Ali: "We were thinking of putting up 160+ but as a bowling unit we thought if we believed in ourselves we could win this game. Just focused on bowling on a hard length. We had plans, luckily we got some early wickets and put them under pressure. The surface wasn't that easy though, ball wasn't coming on to the bat. Credit to Shoaib Malik though, he always makes it look easy. Unfortunately for him, they couldn't win."

Tauqeer: "S Malik is one of the best batter against spin even today and it's a pity that he is not part of international team , especially when the WC in India"

Anvith: "Wellalege's poor shot against Hasan Ali sealed this defeat. I wonder if Malik told him to see him out and go after someone else the following over. That ill judgement made things go from possible to nearly impossible. Hope he gets a stern talking too." --- Think there were far more things wrong with that innings than just Wellalage, Anvith.

Ifhaam: "Malik be like: I tried so hard and got so so far, but in the end, it doesn't even matter.... "

11.10pm So Shoaib Malik ends not out on a 53-ball 74, to go along with his 2 wickets earlier in the evening, but somehow Jaffna still failed to hunt down a target of 135. Aside from Malik, only Dunith Wellalage with 16 got into double digits. Hasan Ali was the pick of the bowlers for Dambulla with 3 for 20. The story of the game though was a combination of poor batting and quality fielding. Both sides in fact excelled in the field, with Dambulla probably edging affairs. And in the end this will now go down as the joint-second lowest total defended in the LPL. We will have the post-match presentation for you in a bit.

Goes over the wicket

Noor to bowl the last over, as Dambulla are penalised for a slow over rate. Only four men allowed out now.

34 needed from 6. It's now in miracle territory.

What an effort from Ali. 4-0-20-3

Hasan Ali to bowl out

50 from 18 needed. We're now into Shanaka vs Australia territory.