Pawan Rathnayake 62 leads run charge; Sonal Dinusha 3/33 & 45 n.o. Player of the Final

By Srian Obeyesekere

Dambulla defeated Jaffna by 5 wickets in the final to emerge champions of the Sri Lanka Cricket National Super League Limited Overs Tournament 2023 yesterday at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium.

Having dismissed Jaffna for 160, Dambulla made light of the target making 163 for 5 despite losing two early wickets with opening batsman Pawan Rathnayake leading the run charge with a fluent 62 off 80 balls inclusive of 6 boundaries and a six. Sonal Dinusha capped a fine all-round performance scoring an unbeaten 45 off 52 containing 4 boundaries to go with his 3 for 33 take to take the Player of the Final award.

Upfront, Ashan Priyanjan joined Rartnnayake in steadying the innings with a sedate 33 off 64 with 4 boundaries after the side had suffered two early blows. Dambulla had another feather in the cap in Lahiru Samarakoon being adjudged Best Bowler of the Tournament.

Jaffna’s innings revolved around opening batsman Navod Paranavithana’s top score of 51 off 72 hitting 6 boundaries, but lacked substantial contributions down the line with the next best score coming from the bat of Jeffrey Vandersay who made 26 off 45. Colombo’s Ashen Bandara was adjudged the Player of the Tournament while Galle’s Pasindu
Sooriyabandara was the Best Batsman.

CHIEF SCORES:

Jaffna 160 (47.3 Overs) (Navod Paranavithana 51 (72) 6, Jeffrey Vandersay 26 45, Dilum Sudeera 23
68, 1, Kasun Abeyratne 17, Janith Liyanage 16, Dushan Hemantha 3/22, Lakshan Sandakan 3/22, Sonal Dinusha 3/33, Asitha Fernando 1/19)

Dambulla 163/5 (39 Overs) (Pawan Rathnayake 62 80 6 1, Sonal Dinusha n.o. 45 52 4, Ashan Priyanjan 33 (64) 4, Dushan Hemantha 15,
Ranitha Liyanarachchi n.o. 2, Binura Fernando 2/17, Jeffrey Vandersay 2/48)Dilum Sudeera 1/40)