By Chandrika Fernando, Daily News
The Stallions took control of the game from the start and went on to outplay their opponents in all departments to seal a comfortable win in the end. They wrapped up the final as early as in the second over of the Gladiators’ innings by claiming three quick wickets for a mere seven runs during a sensational opening burst.
Dhananjaya de Silva, Suranga Lakmal, and Shoaib Malik did the early damage before Usman Shinwari and Wanindu Hasaranga polished off the tail.
The Gladiators never recovered from that early setback and eventually settled for 135 for nine in 20 overs with Skipper Bhanuka Rajapaksa providing the only resistance.
Earlier, the Stallions won the toss and put up a match-winning total on the board thanks to some valuable contributions from their more experienced top-order batsmen.
Openers Johnson Charles and Avishka Fernando once again laid the foundation for a good total, while putting up a stand of 44 runs in under five overs.
Wicket-keeper and batsman Charles, fresh after his Man-of-the-Match performance in the semi-finals, was the more aggressive as he struck half-a-dozen boundaries for his 15-ball 26.
The Stallions suffered a mini-collapse with two wickets going down in the space of eight deliveries while losing both Charith Asalanka and Fernando. However, they produced their best batting performance thereafter, with Shoaib Malik and Dhananjaya de Silva adding 69 runs for the fourth-wicket.
CHIEF SCORES:
JAFFNA STALLIONS 188/6 (20 Overs) RR: 9.40
(Shoaib Malik 46, Thisara Perera n.o. 39, Dhananjaya de Silva 33, Avishka Fernando 27,Johnson Charles 26, Dhananjaya Lakshan 3/36, Mohammad Amir 1/36, Sahan Arachchige 1/36, Lakshan Sandakan 1/41)
GALLE GLADIATORS 135/9 (20 Overs) RR: 6.75
(Bhanuka Rajapaksa 40, Azam Khan 36, Sahan Arachchige 17, Shehan Jayasuriya 17, Lakshan Sandakan n.o. 9, Nuwan Thushara n.o. 0, Shoaib Malik 2/13, Usman Shinwari 2/20, Wanidu Hasaranga 1/18, Suranga Lakmal 1/12, Dhananjaya de Silva 1/31)