LPL 2024 | Twitter reacts to Hales-Dickwella pepper Jaffna in nail-biting thriller

Fortune favoured Jaffna Kings captain Charith Asalnka during the toss and he elected to bat first in their first game of the 2024 LPL. Despite losing Kusal Mendis early, Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando mixed caution with aggression to post a 43-run powerplay. The duo consolidated an 81-run stand before Dwaine Pretorius outsmarted him in the 13th over. Eight balls later, Rilee Rossouw followed suit leaving the Kings at 112/3 in 15 overs. The Galle bowler conceded just 16 runs in the next couple of Power Blast overs with four fielders outside the 30-yard circle. However, the lower middle order produced 49 runs in the last three overs with Isuru Udana finishing with shambolic figures of 2/60 in four overs to steer the Kings to 177/7 in 20 overs.
In reply, Niroshan Dickwella and Alex Hales got off to a flying start against the new ball, wrapping up a 53-run powerplay score. The former attacked initially while the latter played second fiddle before Dhananjaya de Silva removed Dickwella for 47 in the eighth over. Subsequently, Hales switched gears with Tim Seifert assisting in a 54-run second-wicket partnership before Fabien Allen cleaned the Kiwi in the 13th over. With a couple of wickets to follow in the next 26 balls, the contest hung in the balance with the Marvels requiring 19 to win from the last two overs. What could’ve turned out to be a brilliant 19th over from Jason Behrendorff was spoilt by a six on the over’s last ball. With eight required off the last over, the match went down to the wire with Sahan Arachchige’s last ball four helping Marvels sneak past the finishing line.