Top order batter Kusal Mendis scored a much needed century in the LPL having come under intense pressure for lack of runs in the tournament. Mendis had featured in all games of Jaffna Kings in the LPL, but had failed to score a half-century in nine innings. His Strike Rate was a bigger concern as Jaffna lost qualifier 1, but when it mattered most, with a place in the final at stake, Mendis delivered scoring 105 off 54 balls with 12 fours and five sixes.

What was special about the knock was Mendis finished with a strike rate of almost 200 and this proved to be key as Jaffna Kings overcame Kandy Falcons by just one run in a last ball thriller at RPS on Saturday night. The win helped Jaffna Kings to qualify for Sunday’s final with Galle Marvels. Fittingly, the league’s best two teams are meeting in the final.

The selectors decision to include Mendis in the Sri Lankan line up for the three match T-20 series against India had not gone down too well, but with runs to his name now pressure is off Mendis. Apparently, the selectors had wanted to give Mendis a break but retained him in the Sri Lankan side on the insistence of new captain Charith Asalanka. Incidentally, Asalanka is also the captain of Jaffna Kings.

While Mendis was unstoppable on Saturday, Jamaican left-arm spinner Fabian Allen also played a key role picking up four wickets.

Kandy had got off to a good start reaching 43 in 25 balls but Allen dismissed both openers Andre Fletcher and Dinesh Chandimal and then came back to claim the wickets of Angelo Mathews and Dasun Shanaka to seal the game for his side.

Young leg-spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth also had a good game finishing with three wickets.

Several young players made an impact during the LPL. Chamindu Wickramasinghe was picked to the senior side on back of his performance in the LPL while other established players like Kusal Perera and Avishka Fernando forced their way back into the squad following good returns in the LPL.Started in 2020, the Lanka Premier League is in its fifth season. The league has helped Sri Lanka’s selectors to identify several promising young talents.