LPL 2024: All four teams for the playoffs of the Lanka Premier League 2024 have been confirmed after Dambulla Sixers defeated Colombo Strikers in the last group match of the tournament on Tuesday, July 16.
Mohammad Nabi's Dambulla have settled for a wooden spoon after beating Thisara Prera-led Colombo in their final group game of the tournament. They were hanging by a thin thread to make it to the playoffs, needing a win of 76 runs or more. Dambulla made only 123 on this tricky pitch and even gave a shot with the ball to restrict the opposition to 47 but that was always going to be a hard task.
Dambulla sent both the openers - Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Angelo Perera for duck and got Colombo 16/3 to bring hope into the camp. But a few handy cameos from Glenn Phillips (15) and Dunith Wellalage (11) took them past 47.
Colombo had already qualified for the playoffs but had a chance to finish in the top two and play the Qualifier 1 if they would have won this game. Thisara Perera and Isitha Wijesundera gave hope for a 124-run chase but Dushan Hemantha got the latter batter on his first ball and then Perera perished. Dambulla won the game by 28 runs and defended their lowest total.
Earlier, captain Nabi made 40, while Chamindu Wickramasinghe scored 26 to take their team to over 120.
LPL playoffs confirmed
The playoff scenario is now set and all the four teams have been confirmed. As Dambulla could not win by 76 runs, Kandy Falcons stay ahead in the five-team points table and have made it to the playoffs.
Colombo could not win and they remain in third as two-time Champions Jaffna Kings held onto the second place, behind leaders Galle Marvels.
Galle and Jaffna will now meet in Qualifier 1 and like in IPL, will have an extra chance to reach the finals with the loser playing in Qualifier 2 against the winner of Colombo Strikers and Kandy Falcons.
The Qualifier 1 and Eliminator will take place on the same day July 18. Galle Marvels and Jaffna Kings will face each other in Qualifier 1 in the afternoon, while Colombo Strikers and Kandy Falcons will meet in Eliminator in the evening game. The Qualifier 2 will take place on July 20, followed by the final on July 21.
