The Colombo Kings came back from nowhere to stun Kandy Tuskers in the opening match of the Lanka Premier League, LPL 2020, at Hambantota on Thursday (26).

Isuru Udana’s brilliant unbeaten cameo of 34 from 12 balls lifted Colombo Kings to the Super Over in a tough chase of 220 in the first game of LPL 2020. However, the Kandy Tuskers failed to chase the target of 17 set by the Colombo Kings in the Super Over.

Here is a look at why Kandy Tuskers lost the nail biter;

1. Poor fielding : 2 costly misses

The Kandy Tuskers dropped several crucial catches last night which were proven very costly. Firstly, Naveen-Ul-Haq dropped Man of the match Dinesh Chandimal very early in his match winning 80 runs. Secondly, Kusal Mendis dropped Isuru Udana at the latter part of match which proved very costly. Udana smashed 34* off 14 balls to get his team to a Super Over.

2. Umpiring error

“Can’t help feeling that Tuskers will feel screwed over by the umpire’s refusal to call wide on a very obvious wide. However, it was a rough call in a Super Over situation,” this is how Cricinfo reported umpire Hannibal’s crucial call when Tuskers needed 7 from 3 in the Super Over. Many including Commentator Russel Arnold felt that it should have been a wide.

3. Irfan Pathan’s injury

Irfan Pathan only bowled 11 balls in his spell before walking off the field after pulling up with an apparent hamstring injury. He should have had a wicket in his first ball but Chandimal was dropped. If Pathan was there he could have bowled the last over which was bowled by Asela Gunaratne.

4. Lasith Embuldeniya – forgotten?

Lasith Embuldeniya is Sri Lanka’s number 01 left arm spinner and surprisingly he was not given the ball during Colombo Kings chase.

5. Captaincy decisions

It is the first time Sri Lanka fans saw Kusal Janith Perera leading a team. While he single- handedly took his team to a formidable score, some of his decisions in the field were questionable. Not utilizing 7 overs of spin from Embuldeniya & Seekuge Prasanna, and No ball called for only having 3 fielders in the circle during the crucial penultimate over, are among some of those questionable decisions.

Following the opening match of the LPL 2020, which was a nail biter, the Galle Gladiators will take on the Jaffna Stallions in the second match of the Lanka Premier League 2020 cricket tournament in Hambantota today