In a high-scoring Lanka Premier League thriller at the Pallekele International
Cricket Stadium, Sri Lankan pacer Dilshan Madushanka produced a death-bowling
masterclass to seal a 21-run victory for Jaffna Kings over Kandy Royals. Tasked
with defending 21 runs in the final over as Kandy chased a target of 222,
Madushanka delivered a flawless 20th-over wicket maiden to wrap up the match.
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| Image Credits: Circle of Cricket |
With Indian all-rounder Vijay Shankar set at the crease, Madushanka executed his plans with surgical precision. The left-arm fast bowler starved Shankar of scoring opportunities, mixing sharp changes of pace with tight stump-to-stump lines to string together five consecutive dot balls (19.1 to 19.5).
Under intense pressure on the sixth and final delivery of
the innings (19.6), Shankar attempted to break the lock with a pull shot off a
back-of-a-length ball. However, he miscued the strike straight to Towhid Hridoy
at deep square leg. Shankar was dismissed for 25 off 21 balls, and as he was
the final batsman, the wicket closed out Kandy Royals' innings at 200 all out.
The 19.6 dismissal sealed a pristine 20th-over wicket maiden, a rare and remarkable feat in T20 death bowling. Madushanka finished with impressive overall figures of 2 for 36, cementing a memorable victory for Jaffna Kings in front of a roaring Pallekele crowd.
