All-round Shakib and Hridoy’s impactful knocks power Jaffna to victory over Kandy

Jaffna Kings maintained their strong momentum in the Lanka Premier League with another convincing win. In a high-scoring contest at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, they overcame Kandy Royals by 21 runs. Bangladesh duo Shakib Al Hasan and Towhid Hridoy made significant contributions as Jaffna secured another valuable victory.

Put in to bat after losing the toss, Jaffna produced an imposing 221 for 6 from their 20 overs. Kamil Mishara’s 49 and Avishka Fernando’s 36 gave the innings a steady platform early on. Towhid Hridoy and Shakib Al Hasan then added impetus through the middle phase. Hridoy, coming in at No. 4, struck 21 from 16 deliveries, with a boundary and a six coming at a strike rate of 131.25.

Shakib followed with a controlled unbeaten knock of 22 from 16 balls. His innings featured one four and one six, while Chamindu Wickramasinghe provided the late fireworks with a remarkable 43 off only 15 deliveries. His explosive finish helped Jaffna push their total beyond the 200-run barrier and set Kandy a target of 222.

Kandy Royals began the chase with determination, but Shakib repeatedly struck at crucial stages to put the pressure back on the opposition. He removed opener Lahiru Udara for 30, wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Perera for 16 and captain Wanindu Hasaranga for 24, leaving Kandy’s chase in serious trouble.

Shakib ended his spell with impressive figures of 3 wickets for 43 runs from four overs. Spinner Dunith Wellalage was equally effective, conceding just 11 runs while claiming three wickets. Kandy eventually ran out of answers and were dismissed for 200 at the end of their allotted 20 overs.

Shakib’s unbeaten 22 with the bat followed by three important wickets made him one of the central figures in Jaffna’s victory. Hridoy, meanwhile, supplied valuable acceleration during the middle overs. The combined impact of the two Bangladeshi stars played a major part in helping Jaffna Kings add another important win to their Lanka Premier League campaign.