Galle vs Sixers, 16th Match at Colombo, LPL, Jul 14 2024 - Ball by Ball Commentary

6:55pm That will be all from us for this game. But don't go anywhere, there is more LPL action lined up, with the Colombo Strikers taking on the Jaffna Kings. Madushka Balasuriya will be your eyes and ears for that game, and do tune in. Until next time, this is goodbye from all of us!

Maheesh Theekshana, Player of the Match: (How he bowled the last and the Super Over) Think it is all about experience. I have played a lot of games and I know about the conditions. There was a little bit for the spinners. In the 16-17th over, I went for a six last ball, so I knew yorkers was not the only option, hence I went wider and tried to mix it up.

Niroshan Dickwella, Galle Marvels captain: We were always in the game. I want everyone to be in the game. The bowlers chipped in at the right moment. When we were batting, they bowled a lot of slower balls in the powerplay. We realised then that it was a turning wicket. The way Alex started, that was why we got to 148. Still felt we were ten runs short.

Mohammad Nabi, Dambulla Sixers captain: Overall, a good game of cricket. We tried our best to win. We threw that wicket (of Hendricks) in the last over, and with a new batter, it was difficult to hit from the first ball. We will try our best to win all our remaining games (and will be in the tournament if we do).

The Marvels, truth be told, did that at a canter. Hales was the star of their Super Over show - first, hitting a boundary through the off side and then finishing things off in style. Arachchige played his part too, picking up a single to bring Hales back on strike and this win will give Galle plenty of confidence as they head deeper into the tournament. Lots to ponder for the Sixers, meanwhile. They will feel this was a game that got away, especially after where they were when the 20th over began. Their Super Over then fell short of expectations, and they might now start looking nervously over their shoulders, hoping that the Kandy Falcons do not win their next game and leapfrog them in the table.

A quick turnaround, and Galle, at this stage, will feel they hold all the aces. Hales, unsurprisingly, is padding up and he has been a man in form all tournament, and he will be accompanied by Arachchige. Thushara, meanwhile, has the ball for the Sixers. A couple of sizzling yorkers, and who knows what could yet happen in this game

Not quite the Super Over the Sixers would have been after. Nabi could not get the ball away as well as he did during the normal game, with Theekshana intelligently keeping it outside his arc. Hendricks, too, failed to find the fence, and the Sixers now have it all to do with the ball.