HAMBANTOTA, Sri Lanka, CMC – West Indies opener Johnson Charles played only a cameo role but it helped lay the foundation for Jaffna Stallions to trounce Galle Gladiators by 53 runs and lift the Sri Lanka Premier League title here yesterday.
Playing in the final at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Stallions piled up a challenging 188 for six with Pakistan batting star Shoaib Malik top-scoring with 46 from 35 balls and Thisara Perera stroking an unbeaten 39 off 14 balls late on.
Dhananjaya de Silva chipped in with a busy 33 off 20 deliveries while opener Avishka Fernando struck 27 from 23 deliveries.
Charles blasted six fours in a 15-ball 26 at the top of the order, putting on a breezy 44 off 28 balls for the first wicket with Fernando, to provide the early momentum for Stallions after they opted to bat first.
The right-handed Charles showed intent from the opening over, gathering a couple of back-to-back boundaries off seamer Mohammad Amir before smashing pacer Nuwan Thushara for three straight fours off the last three legitimate deliveries of the second over.
He eventually perished in the fifth over to a stunning running catch at long on by Danushka Gunathilaka off seamer Dhananjaya Lakshan (3-36), after failing to middle a slower ball.
Charith Asalanka perished for 10 and Fernando clobbered a couple of sixes and a four before departing in the ninth over at 70 for three but a 69-run, fourth wicket stand between Shoaib and Dhananjaya put Stallions back on course for a strong total.
Shoaib struck three fours and a six while Dhananjaya belted a couple of fours and sixes before falling in the 16th over, leaving Perera to provide the late fireworks with five fours and two sixes.
In reply, Gladiators could only muster 135 for nine with Player-of-the-Match Shoaib snatching two for 13 off three miserly overs and Pakistan left-arm seamer Usman Shinwari claiming two for 20.
Captain Bhanuka Rajapaksa counter-attacked with a 17-ball 40, crunching three fours and four sixes after Gladiators slumped to seven for three in the second over.
He put on 56 for the fourth wicket with Shehan Jayasuriya (15) but once he fell to a catch at short third man off Shoaib in the ninth over, the run chase fizzled out.
