Sri Lankan Lokuhettige returns to form in KPL Dubai

Space-CSS Allepey Ripples kept alive their hopes of a semifinal berth in the Kerala Premier League Season 2 by defeating Phoenix Medicine Kolam Kernals by 30 runs.

Waynad Highlanders beat Globe Link weststar Pathanamthitta Rajas by 36 runs in another match.
 
The tournament is organised by KPL Organising Committee and conducted under the auspices of the Dubai Cricket Council. Danube Buildmart are the sponsors for cash awards for best performers while Debonairs Pizza and Roti Mum are the food sponsors.

Former Sri Lankan international Dilhara Lokuhettige struck form scoring a rapid fire knock of 52 runs in 35 balls in which he hit six fours and two sixes to give Space-Allepey a good start.
Baber Malik continued his good form by blasting four huge sixes and five boundaries to make an unbeaten 54 off 30 balls.

He was well supported by Irfan Haji who played a blinder slamming six sixes and four boundaries in his knock of 60 runs in 21 balls which saw Allepey makep 193 runs in their 20 overs.

Kollam Kernals lost an early wicket of Zeeshan Jameel but Mohammad Qasim and Hafiz Kaleem then put on 55 runs in five overs to give them a blazing start.

Hafiz was out for 31 runs in which he hit four sixes and one four.

Left arm spinner Fayyaz Ahmed then bowled a match winning spell first picking up the middle order wickets of Ayoub Inayat and Saqlain Haider who made a quick fire 34 runs.

Later he ran through the lower order bagging the wickets of Asif Mumtaz, Bijay Raj and Abdullah to skittle Kollam Kernals for 163 runs to hand them their first defeat.

Fayyaz finished with figures of five for 14.

Space-Allepey now have to beat Dunes Cuisine Kannur Veerans in their last league game on Thursday to get back into contention for a semi-final spot.

In the second game Waynad Highlanders piled on 200 runs in their twenty overs as Afghanistan players Mohammad Shehzad and Samiullah Shenwari dazzled with excellent batting performances.

Opener Shahzad struck eight boundaries in his knock of 40 in 21 balls to give them a superb start. Down the order Shinwari then cut loose to slam four sixes and six fours to notch up 53 runs in 15 balls.

Pathanamthitta started off well with Hemin Desai making a quick 19 runs while young under 22 player Aqib Malik hit a solid 79 with three sixes and six boundaries.

Ramesh Chinnan bowled a tight length to prise out three wickets while Shenwari rounded off a good day picking up two wickets to restrict Rajas to 164.

Brief scores:

Space-CSS Allepey Ripples beat Phoenix Medicine Kollam Kernals by 30 runs:
Space-CSS Allepey 193 for 4 in 20 overs (Dilhara Lokuhettige 52, Baber Malik 54no, Irfan Haji 60no, Asif Mumtaz 2-38) Phoenix Kollam Kernals  163 for 9 in 20 overs (M. Qasim 38, Hafiz Kaleem 31, Saqlain Haider 34, Adil Mirza 14no, Fayyaz Ahmed 5-14)
Danube Buildmart Man of the match: Baber Malik and Fayyaz Ahmed of CSS Allepey ripples.

Trotters Waynad beat Globe Link Patanamthitta Rajas by 36 runs:
Waynad 200 for 6 in 20 overs (Mohammad Shehzad 40, Raziq Khan 19, Rifatullah 28, Rizwan Amanat 24, Samiullah Shenwari 53*, Zaheer 2 for 38, Aqib Malik 2 for 19)
Pathanamthitta Rajas 164 for 8 in 20 overs ( Hemin Desai 19, Aqib Malik 79, Laxman 15, Vilas 17, Ramesh Chinan 3 for 26, Samiullah Shenwari 2 for 34)
Danube Buildmart man of the match: Samiullah Shenwari of Trotters Waynad Highlanders.

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