By Srian Obeyesekere
Century heroism by Jaffna Kings Kusal Mendis prevailed in a last over dramatic win of the Qualifier 2 against Kandy Falcons in last night’s Qualifier 2 of the 2024 Lanka Premier League to setting up a final against Galle Marvels tonight, but the contest wasn’t without the valiant that goes to make great finishes with Kandy’s Ramesh Mendis winning a great share of a loser who ended a game loser pulled off a dramatic win by one run over Kandy Falcons in a breathtaking decider from the Qualifier 2 that went to the last ball with opening batsman Kusal Mendis an unbeaten ton up Player of the Match hero in the Qualifier 2 night to But with a lusty hitting Ramesh Mendis fronting 12 off the last 3 balls going valiant – 2, 6, to ending up a game loser by a last ditch unbeaten 30 off 11 balls when he and Pavan Rathnayake came together in a ninth-wicket fronting with the side in the hopelessness of 144 for 8 after 17.3 overs and requiring 34 to win off the last 15 deliveries. The last gasp over left Kandy needing 17 off the last over by Asitha Fernando when Pavan Rathnayake palmed the strike to Mendis with a run. It could not have been more breathtaking as Mendis, having conceded a dot ball, smashed the next one straight down for 4, 2 off the next a telling yorker to going over the over the top to the next straight driving for 6. Fernando’s last ball low full toss on to his pads was to contain Mendis to 2 as Jaffna Kings emerged winners by a single digit. But the year-old right-hander had brought T20 cricket t its feet.
On a day the two Mendis’ shone, Jaffna Kings Kusal Mendis did rise to the big occasion in king sized measure in coming to the big show party when it mattered unleashing a 54-ballunbeaten 105 decked with 5 sixes and 12 boundaries that proved to be the defining line to the Kings going through in the nerve tingling in a final total of 187 for 7 after 20 as the right-hander shrugged off a form rut to going the very distance to the last ball of the innings. The next best contribution of 26 by Azmatullah Omarzai did signify to what extent Mendis’s value input measured to putting his side into the finals on a day Kandy Falcons bowlers did put the brakes on the rest with Ramesh Mendis excelling with the ball as well with 2 for 10 and Chathuranga de Silva and Mohammad Hasnain too cashing in with 2 wickets apiece.
Kandy Falcons run chase was on the high of 62 for 2 maximized in the 6-over powerplay when Andre Fletcher was bowled by Fabian Allen for 38 having put on 48 for the first-wicket with Dinesh Chandimal who was Allen’s first victim also clean bowled for 11 as the West Indian went on to wreak havoc by a 4-wicket take for 24 with Vijayakanth Viyaskanth next accounting for Mohammad Haris with Allen joining in by catching out the batsman for 26. Viyakanth went on to send back Kandy’s skipper Wanindu Hasaranga for 13 12 balls later with Allen again the catcher as the Jaffna discovery decimated Kandy to 126 for 5 after 14.5 when he had Kamindu Mendis caught by Dhananjaya de Silva for 32 (23b, 2×4, 1×6).
Kandy’s cave in continued with Dasun Shanaka gone for 3 bowled by Fabian Allen that followed Chathuranga de Silva being run out for 1 by a throw by Pathum Nissanka, and when Angelo Mathews fell for a run a ball 18 conspicuously becoming Allen’s fourth bowled victim Kandy was in deep trouble on 8 for 144 after 17.3 when Ramesh Mendis came to the fore n a lost cause.
CHIEF SCORES:
Jaffna Kings 187/7 (20 Overs) (Kusal Mendis n.o. 105, Azmatullah Omarzai 26, Pathum Nissanka 18, Avishka Fernando 11, Ramesh Menis 2/10, Chathuranga de Silva 2/22, Mohammad Haris 2/48, Wanindu Hasaranga 1/41)
Kandy Falcons 186/8 (20 Overs) (Andre Fletcher 38, Kamindu Mendis 30, Ramesh Mendis n.o. 30, Mohammad Haris 26, Angelo Mathews 18, Dinesh Chandimal 11, Wanindu Hasaranga 13, Fabian Allen 4/24, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth 3/30)
