![Gossip - Lanka News [English]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMdjdmkZNNmQMdiyVyjHG0DAsid1JQzX2Wn_k0MMWpx93YaFp4Hv9rnCw1uuJZY1H60dquhLJCfg_uJg-gEz_FRlG07NUtWUslmZMhWhnOnm3dUim4hjUuNto_KPJrByj4iyXdSXuctY/s1600-r/GOSSIP-LANKA+LOGO.png)
-tas-3.jpg)
All-rounder Sachith Pathirana grabbed three wickets in four balls, as Udarata Rulers lost four batsmen in a dramatic last over, to fall five runs short of the target of 162 in the final of the UltraTech Super 4’s T20 tournament played against Southern Express at SSC, Colombo yesterday. Southern Express, under Sri Lanka T20 Captain Lasith Malinga, thus won the title.
Rulers needed eight runs going into the final over with five wickets in hand, but Pathirana conceded only three, one of them from a wide. The wide was the first delivery of the over. Milinda Siriwardana was caught by Jehan Mubarak for a duck next ball. Asela Gunaratne was stumped off the second ball before Nuwan Kulasekara managed to get a single off the third. Pathirana struck once more off the fourth ball, having Dilhara Lokuhettige caught for another golden duck. Kulasekara could squeeze only a single off the penultimate delivery. With a four needed off the final ball, Kulasekara was run out.
A day ago, Pathirana had
Rulers appeared to be running away with the match when Shehan Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga rustled up 95 at the top of the order in just over ten overs. Jayasuriya made 51 off 37 while Tharanga cracked 62 off 37. Rulers needed 67 from 59 when the latter fell to Danushka Gunathilaka.
Kumar Sangakkara could not do much but when he departed, Rulers needed 34 off 36 and still had Jayasuriya. Lasith Malinga gave away just two in the 15th, and Jayasuriya fell to Dilruwan Perera off the first ball of the 16th.
Chamara Silva hit Kasun Madushanka for six off the last ball of the 18th to bring it down to 11 needed off 12. But Malinga bowled another tight over, which went for only three, and Pathirana stepped up after that.
Express’ total of 161 for 8 was set up by contributions from the top order before Gunathilaka and Pathirana took 28 off the last two overs. Gunaratne and Ajantha Mendis took three wickets each.
(Courtesy Cricinfo)
Scores:
Southern Express 161 for 8 wkts in 20 overs (Jehan Mubarak 34, Dilruwan Perera 28, Niroshan Dickwella 26, Yashodha Lanka 24; Sela Gunaratne 3-19, Ajantha Mendis 3-27)
Udarata Rulers 157 for 9 wkts in 20 overs (Upul Tharanga 62, Shehan Jayasuriya 51, Chamara Silva 17, Kumar Sangakkara 16; Sachith Pathirana 3-27).
INDIVIUAL AWARDS
Player of the match – Sachith Pathirana (Southern Express)
Player of the series - Seekkuge Prasanna (Southern Express)
Batsman of the series - Upul Tharanga (Udarata Rulers)
Bowler of the series - AAS Silva.
-tas-3.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)