Dambulla Viiking will take on Galle Gladiators in the evening clash of the Lanka Premier League on Wednesday. A win for Viiking will see them go on top of the table with 11 points if Jaffna Stallions lose their afternoon clash against Kandy Tuskers.
Viiking are currently second on 9 points, same as Stallions, due to inferior net run-rate. Viiking are one of the favorites to win the inaugural Lanka Premier League.
Meanwhile, Galle Gladiators will be eyeing their second win of the season, after they posted their first win of 2020 LPL in 6 games in the clash against Colombo Kings on Monday. They must win the match against Viiking to stay in contention for the semi-finals. They face competition from Kandy Tuskers, who have also posted one win out of six games, for the fourth spot in the semi-finals. A loss would jeopardize Gladiators' chances of reaching the knockouts.
In the earlier clash between Viiking and Gladiators, Viiking had won a close, but high-scoring game by just 9 runs. Anwar Ali of Viiking was the man of the match for his 3/37.
With Gladiators finally notching a win in six games, they would look to turn the tables on Viiking in the return clash. Viiking would look to maintain their winning run, having won three games out of the last four, with one match producing no result.
Match Toss Time: 19:30 Local (19:30 IST)
Match Start Time: 20:00 Local (20:00 IST)
Match Venue: Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium, Hambantota
Weather Report
It's good news for LPL fans. Rain will stay away from the match, and it is going to be bright and sunny, with temperature hovering around 25 degrees Celsius to 31 degrees Celsius.
Pitch
The pitch should be good for batting as it has been throughout the tournament. Anything below 180 could be chased down as dew will be a factor in the evening clash. Hence, opting to field on winning the toss would be preferred.
Team News
Gladiators made a great comeback in the clash against Colombo Kings, posting an 8-wicket win, riding high on Mohammad Amir's 5/26 and Lakshan Sandakan's 3/33, after losing the first 5 games. Gladiators' top-order also fired in the win over Kings and that's welcome news for them. However, they would be without the services of Shahid Afridi who is in Pakistan to tend to a personal emergency.
Viiking are on a winning run and would look to continue the momentum. The good news for them is that their top-order comprising Upul Tharanga and Niroshan Dickweall are back among the runs, and they don't rely solely on their all-rounders Samit Patel and Dasun Shanaka. Their bowling too has been bang on, with Anwar Ali of Pakistan leading the pack with 7 wickets in 5 innings.
Probable Playing XI
Dambulla Viiking (DVK): S Samarawickrama, Niroshan Dickwella (keeper), AK Perera, Samit Patel, Dasun Shanaka (Captain), Anwar Ali, PM Pushpakumara, CAK Rajitha, Samiullah Shinwari, LD Madushanka, RTM Mendis
Galle Gladiators (GGD): Danushka Gunathilaka, Ahsan Ali, Bhanuka Rajapaksa (captain), Azam Khan (keeper), Chadwick Walton, Shehan Jayasuriya, Sahan Arachchinge, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Mohammad Amir, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Thushara.
DVK vs GGD Fantasy Team
Danushka Gunathilaka (GGD), Ahsan Ali (GGD), Bhanuka Rajapaksa (GGD), Upul Tharanga (DVK), Niroshan Dickwella (DVK), Samit Patel (DVK), Dasun Shanaka (DVK), Samiullah Shinwari (DVK), Mohammad Amir (GGD), Lakshan Sandakan (GGD), Anwar Ali (DVK)
Captain picks: Dasun Shanaka (DVK) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (GGD)
Vice-captain picks: Mohammad Amir (GGD), Samit Patel (DVK)
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