When these two teams last faced each other in the ongoing Lanka Premier League, Dambulla Aura defeated Jaffna Kings by eight wickets, and they will aim to repeat something similar. Avishka Fernando was sensational with the bat, while Binura Fernando and Dhananjaya de Silva were terrific with the ball, and thus, they will back themselves again to get the job done.
Three-time champions Jaffna Kings meanwhile need their middle-order batters to step up. Charith Asalanka managed to score a half-century, but his strike rate remains a problem. Towhid Hridoy, the Player of the Match of the first game, struggled to get going, and thus, there is some room for improvement.
Match Details:
Tournament: Lanka Premier League 2023
Match: Dambulla Aura vs Jaffna Kings – 7th Match
Venue: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele
Date & Time: Friday, August 4
Where to Watch Live: Star Sports and FanCode
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Pitch Report
The surface at Pallekele will be a balanced one. The skipper winning the toss should elect to bowl first, and anything over 160 will be a good total on this surface.
Probable Playing XIs:
Dambulla Aura (DA)
Kusal Mendis (c/wk), Avishka Fernando, Kusal Perera, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dhananjaya de Silva, Alex Ross, Hayden Kerr, Binura Fernando, Shahnawaz Dahani, Ravindu Fernando, Noor Ahmad
Jaffna Kings (JK)
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Charith Asalanka, Towhid Hridoy, Priyamal Perera, David Miller, Dunith Wellalage, Thisara Perera (c), Maheesh Theekshana, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Dilshan Madushanka, Hardus Viljoen
Head-to-Head
Overall
Played – 09, Dambulla Aura – 01, Jaffna Kings – 07, NR- 1
Probable Best Batter of the Match
Avishka Fernando – Dambulla Aura
Opener Avishka Fernando managed to give an excellent start to Dambulla in the last match. The 25-year-old hit 52 runs off 32 deliveries and will be hoping to continue similarly to strengthen Dambulla’s position on the points table.
Probable Best Bowler of the Match
Noor Ahmad – Dambulla Aura
Youngster Noor Ahmad wreaked havoc in the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League and has started well in Sri Lanka so far. He has been economical and also has a knack for picking crucial wickets. Hence, he is going to be extremely crucial for the team going forward.