By Fathima Zanaida
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (TheSportsNext) August 28, 2012: The Uva Next thwarted a late challenge by Pakistani all-rounder Azhar Mahmood to defeat title favorites Wayamba United by 20 runs to win the first semi-final of the Sri Lanka Premier League 2012 (SLPL 2012) at R Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday night.
Uva Next captain Thilian Kandamby won the toss and decided to bat first on a placid batting track and his batsmen answered the captain’s call.
Opener Bhanuka Rajapaksa (4 from 3) was undone by Isuru Udana on only the fourth ball of the innings but Dilshan Munaweera (23 from 17 – 5 fours) and skipper Thilina Kandamby (29 from 29 – 3 fours) stabilized the innings with a 41-run partnership for the second wicket.
With the pair started looking dangerous, veteran Pakistani all-rounder handed the Uva Next a double blow by getting rid of both batsmen and bowled a miser spell.
Australian all-rounder Andrew McDonald was stumped by Chandimal off Perera for a five-ball duck while Brad Hogg clean-bowled S Prasanna (9 from 7 – 1 six) to further dent the innings.
However, West Indian veteran batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul had enough experience to stable the dwindling ship and not only occupied one end but also provided New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram enough confidence and freedom to use the long handle as the international duo hit 56 runs for the sixth wicket from just 24 balls.
Jacob Oram (41 from 17 – 1 four, 5 sixes) was especially in a punishing mood as he blasted all bowlers out of the park consistently. Shivnarine Chanderpaul (50 not out from 41 – 5 fours, 1 six) hit an unbeaten half century to lift the Uva Next to a formidable total of 171 runs for six from their 20 overs.
Abdul Razzaq led the bowling department for Wayamba United as he grabbed two wickets for just 17 runs from his four overs. On the other hand, the other Pakistani all-rounder Azhar Mahmood (4-0-52-1) proved too expensive for Mahela Jayawardene’s side.
Despite of the late charge by Jacob Oram, 172-run target was pretty much on with Wayamba United having services of hard-hitters like Tamim Iqbal, Mahela Jayawardene, Abdul Razzaq, and Azhar Mahmood.
However, Man of the Match Jacob Oram also did the job with the ball as he removed three batsmen for just 16 runs while Sachithra Senanayake grabbed two wicket for two wickets as Wayamba United got off to a worst possible start to the run-chase.
Tamim Iqbal (11 from 9 – 2 fours), Diensh Chandimal (5 from 4 – 1 four), skipper Mahela Jayawardene (1 from 4), Shehan Jayasuriya (1 from 5), Abdul Razzaq (3 from 6), and Kaushalya Weeraratne (first-ball-duck) all perished in a flash.
However, Azhar Mahmood (75 not out from 47 – 8 fours, 4 sixes) kept his side in the business and in company of Isuru Udana (42 from 38 – 3 fours, 2 sixes) compiled 120 runs for the eighth wicket to resurrect the hopes of an unbelievable run chase.
It does take a lot of doing to take your side from position of 7/27 to 7/147 in a Twenty20 match and Azhar Mahmood beautifull anchored the innings. Wayamba United needed 34 from last two overs and they needed a big over but Umar Gul returned for his final over and used his experience to give away only eight runs to make it an impossible job to achieve the target.
In the end, Wayamba United fell 20 runs short of the target and hence Uva Next became the first team to reach Sri Lanka Premier League 2012 final to be played on August 31, 2012 at R Premadasa Stadium (RPS).
The other semi-final would be played between Nagenahira Nagas and Kandurata Warriors on August 29, 2012 at RPS.
