The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
That is all we have from Sportskeeda's coverage for the Qualifier 2 clash of the Lanka Premier League. Do join us for the final tomorrow and keep following Sportskeeda for all the latest sporting updates. Till the next time from our side, it's goodbye from me (Arya Sekhar Chakraborty) and my fellow commentator and good mate Pradeep. Goodnight, Cheers!!!
Angelo Mathews (Colombo Stars captain): Absolutely it is mighty pleasing. Credit should go to the whole team. It was physically challenging. Wonderful to play in front of this crowd. Looking forward to getting some more support in the final. I didn’t know what to do after winning the toss but we decided to have a bowl. The wicket was very good today, and settled on nicely. Little bit of rain as well, today I thought Rajitha started off brilliantly which made a huge impact in the game. Whenever you get two wickets in the first over, the opposition is under pressure. The rest of the bowlers were also brilliant. No I mean, Brathwaite is still having a niggle but he is a very important player for us. Special mention to Charith and Dinesh which gave me and Ravi the platform to finish it off. All in all, it was a fantastic all-round effort by the whole team.
Wanindu Hasaranga (Kandy Falcons captain): Lost wickets in the powerplay, we were bad in the field, can't drop catches like that and let the opposition come back into the game, that cost us the game. Toss is not the vital factor, 160+ is a good score on this wicket, we just couldn't defend it. Came in at number 3 and looked to take the attack. I'm alright from that last game 100%.
Kasun Rajitha is the Player of the Match! Here's what he has to say (spoke in Sinhalese and translated by Roshan Abeysinghe): He's done nothing special, he's pleased the way he's bowled in the tournament and what he's achieved so far.
Colombo Stars won by 6 wickets (with 7 deliveries remaining)
It was a steep run chase for the Colombo Stars and they needed a brisk start to get themselves going. Nishan Madushka who struggled during the eliminator clash came out all guns blazing and tried to take the attack to the Kandy Falcons bowlers. It was one shot too many as Madushka was holed out trying to clear the infield.
Charith Asalanka and Dinesh Chandimal then forged a game-turning partnership and found the boundaries on a consistent basis. They never really allowed the required rate to creep up. Asalanka in particular looked in tremendous touch and played all around the ground during a whirlwind display of batsmanship.
Chandimal was dismissed after scoring 38 off 33 deliveries by the ambidextrous bowler Kamindu Mendis. He turned the game with a couple of crucial wickets. Asalanka raced off to 64 off just 40 deliveries and looked set to take the Colombo Stars over the line when a terrible mix-up cost him his wicket.
Some tight overs from Hasaranga and Kamindu Mendis followed which made the equation tricky for the Colombo Stars. However, the duo of Ravi Bopara and Angelo Mathews had other ideas. They smashed Wanindu Hasaranga for 20 runs in the 18th game to bring the equation down within touching distance. Bopara then finished off the match with a couple of boundaries of Fabian Allen.
Earlier in the day, the Kandy Falcons made a remarkable comeback after losing two wickets in the very first over. Led by a fantastic knock from their skipper Wanindu Hasaranga who remained unbeaten on 77 off 34 deliveries, the Falcons posted a more than competitive score of 168.
Ashen Bandara gave him good support with a 42 ball 40. For the Stars, Kasun Rajitha was the pick of the bowlers, with figures of 4/20 in his 4-over spell. Eventually it didn't prove to be enough as the Colombo Stars chased it down in the penultimate over.
That's the end of the game and Bopara and Mathews just eased through the target in the end. Some massive blows in the last two overs which seals the deal for the Colombo Stars. Sets up a final date with the defending champions Jaffna Kings.
18.5 Fabian Allen to Ravi Bopara, FOUR! GAME, SET AND MATCH! COLOMBO STARS STORM INTO THE FINALS! Falcons have been thrashed here in the Qualifier 2. Was short on the off-stump, Bopara made room and smashes it over extra-cover, goes one bounce into the fence to seal the deal. Spare a thought for Hasaranga, his sensational innings goes in vain!
18.4 Fabian Allen to Angelo Mathews, drops it short, tossed it up as Mathews on the backfoot punches it to sweeper cover for just one.
18.3 Fabian Allen to Ravi Bopara, short on the fourth stump, Bopara on the backfoot slaps it to sweeper cover for just one.
18.2 Fabian Allen to Ravi Bopara, EDGED BUT SAFE! Short on the off-stump, Bopara made room to cut but takes a thick outside edge to short third-man.