Pakistan’s fast bowler Hasan Ali bowled up to perfection and made sure that Shoaib Malik’s knock goes to waste during the match between Dambulla Aura (DA) and Jaffna Kings (JK) in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) in Pallekele on Monday.
Batting first, DA batters could not stand against JK’s bowling attack as only three of their batters managed to score in double digits,
They posted a total of 134 in 20 overs.
Malik bowled exceptionally well and took two important wickets while conceding just 13 runs in four overs.
JK continued their chase by losing three important wickets for just ten runs, with Hasan removing both openers for just three and five runs.
Wickets kept falling for JK, and only Malik and Dunith Wellalage scored in double digits for their team.
Malik remained not out till the end, he scored 74 runs off 53 balls with 11 boundaries in total, proving he still got it at the age of 41.
Kings could only score 125 in 20 overs and ended up losing the game by nine runs.
Hasan Ali was declared the Player of the Game for his outstanding display with the ball.
Monday belonged to Pakistani players in the LPL as earlier today, Pakistani skipper Babar Azam scored an exceptional century while representing Colombo Strikers against Galle Titans.
He reached his ton with eight fours and five sixes and scored a total of 104 runs on just 59 deliveries.
The Pakistani captain was awarded the Player of the Match award for his heroics, taking his T20s Player of the Match awards tally to 21.
Azam scored his tenth century in T20 cricket and became the first Asian batter to achieve the feat. He is now only behind Chris Gayle in most T20 centuries.
Though it was Babar who laid the foundation of the Strikers’ excellent inning, it was Pakistan’s Mohammad Nawaz who finished the game for his side with a fantastic display in the last over.
Nawaz came to bat when his team needed 14 off five balls, at one point it seemed over for Strikers but the left-handed batter proved his worth and scored 14 runs off just four deliveries with two boundaries and two doubles.