Shoaib Malik's heroics not enough as Hasan Ali steers Dambulla to win

Shoaib Malik's standout all­-round performance was overshadowed by Hasan Ali's match-winning efforts as Dambulla Aura beat Jaffna Kings by nine runs in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) in Pallekele on Monday.

Dambulla's batting struggled to find its footing against Jaffna's formidable bowling attack, with only three players reaching double-digit scores. Their innings culminated at a modest 134 runs in 20 overs. Amidst this challenging situation, Shoaib Malik emerged as a force to be reckoned with, both with bat and ball. He showcased his prowess as a bowler by snaring two crucial wickets, conceding a mere 13 runs in his quota of four overs.

Jaffna's chase encountered turbulence right from the outset, losing key wickets with the scoreboard reading a meager ten runs. At the forefront of this onslaught was Hasan Ali, who removed both opening batsmen to set the tone for a dominant bowling display. Despite intermittent resistance from Malik and Dunith Wellalage, Jaffna struggled to sustain partnerships and found runs hard to come by.

While Malik's valiant knock of an unbeaten 74 off 53 balls, embellished with 11 boundaries, seemed poised to elevate Jaffna Kings to a triumphant response, it was Hasan Ali's relentless pressure that ultimately turned the tide. With wickets tumbling at regular intervals, the Kings could only muster a total of 125 runs in their allotted 20 overs, falling short by nine runs.

Hasan Ali, with his impactful contributions, earned the prestigious accolade of player of the match.