Galle Marvels registered a convincing win

In a highly anticipated match in the Lanka Premier League (LPL), Galle Marvels defeated Shoriful and his Kandy Falcons by 6 wickets. Despite Shoriful Islam taking two wickets in each of the two consecutive matches, Kandy Falcons faced defeat in both games. With three consecutive losses, Kandy stands fourth in the points table. Shoriful was the most economical bowler for his team, delivering the highest number of dot balls, 11, in his 4 overs.

In the 2024 LPL, playing his second match, Shoriful Islam performed well with the ball. Although he took two wickets in the previous match, he was expensive. Today, he completed his 4-over spell conceding 32 runs and taking two wickets. In the first over, he dismissed Galle's opener Niroshan Dickwella. Later, Shoriful shattered the stumps of Bhanuka Rajapaksa.

Winning the toss and opting to bat first, Kandy Falcons scored 175 runs for 7 wickets in 20 overs. They lost two wickets for just 3 runs and another two by the team score of 32. However, Andre Fletcher continued to fight single-handedly, supported intermittently by Kamindu Mendis and Angelo Mathews.

After scoring a fifty off 34 balls, Fletcher couldn't add any more runs. Towards the end, captain Wanindu Hasaranga carried the team’s score forward. Hasaranga's unbeaten 65-run innings helped Kandy reach a total of 175 runs.

Shoriful Islam was brought into the attack to put the opponents under pressure from the start. He conceded three boundaries in the first five deliveries of his opening over but dismissed Niroshan Dickwella with the last ball. Alex Hales was then joined by Tim Seifert, who came in at number three. This partnership put Kandy out of the match, contributing a 79-run stand before Hales was dismissed for 38.

In the powerplay of 6 overs, Hales and Seifert's onslaught helped Galle Marvels score 89 runs. Though Hales was dismissed, Seifert continued his explosive innings, ensuring the team's victory. Shoriful took the wicket of Bhanuka Rajapaksa, his fourth in this LPL. Seifert remained unbeaten at 82 runs off 25 balls, hitting fifty in 25 balls. Consequently, Galle Marvels secured a significant 6-wicket win with 17 balls to spare.