Angelo Mathews sizzles as B-Love Kandy clinch Lanka Premier League 2023 title

B-Love Kandy’s stand-in captain and Player Of The Match Angelo Mathews guided his team to their maiden Lanka Premier League 2023 title with a thrilling five-wicket final-over win over Dambulla Aura in front of a packed house at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Chasing the target of 148, B-Love Kandy got over the victory line with a ball to spare. In the absence of LPL 2023’s highest wicket-taker, highest run-getter and captain Wanindu Hasaranga, who was out due to a hamstring injury, veteran Mathews cracked an unbeaten 25 in 21 balls to ensure the team walks away with the crown in the fourth edition which was witnessed by Srilanka President His Excellency, Ranil Wickremesinghe. Opting to bat, Dambulla Aura managed two 50-run partnerships. The Kandy bowlers, however, restricted the Dambulla side to score 147 runs for four wickets in the allotted 20 overs. Kandy’s opening pair of Kamindu Mendis (44) and Mohammad Haris (26) got the team to score 47 runs in the powerplay without losing a wicket. Wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal then fired a 22-ball 24 to keep up the momentum till he was dismissed by Binura Fernando. Kandy were 95-2 when Angelo walked into bat in the 13th over. Experienced Mathews stood his ground under pressure in front of a sold out stadium, when Kandy slipped from 94-1 to 107 for 4 in 21 deliveries. His 25 runs were laced with three boundaries and refused to take the ariel route till the team reached the target in 19.5 overs. Noor Ahmed’s 3 for 27 for Dambulla Aura wasn’t good enough to see them claim victory. Commenting on the final victory, Mathews said, “I had to use all my experience from the past 15 years. I had to keep calm. We knew the wicket was good and the total was chaseable. Asif Ali and Lahiru Madushanka were brilliant towards the end. God has been kind to us, we did it even with so many injuries. Last three games were back-to-back for us and physically draining.” Hasaranga, who collected the trophy and a cheque of $100,000 from Sri Lanka Cricket President Shammi Silva was also adjudged Player Of The Series. An elated Hasaranga said after the final, “I am very happy because I contributed with bat. I tried to do my best be it with the bat or with the ball. Whenever I play, I try to do my best whether I am captaining or not. I was the Player of the Tournament in the first edition as well. This is more pleasing as I contributed with the bat.” Individual Awards: Safest Hands: David Miller Emerging Player of the Season: Lasith Croospulle Maximum sixes in the tournament: Wanindu Hasaranga Highest wicket-taker of the tournament: Wanindu Hasaranga Highest run-getter of the tournament: Wanindu Hasaranga