Viiking vs Gladiators, 12th Match at Hambantota, LPL, Dec 05 2020 - Match Result

That's it from us on the live coverage of this one. The Colombo Kings v Kandy Tuskers game is only 15 mins from starting though, so join us over on that page.

It's been a bit of a rollercoaster match. Gladiators were listless with the ball and in the field, letting Viiking almost meander to a total of 207. Then they were terrific with the bat, Azam Khan hitting an outstanding 55 off 24, while Gunathilaka stroked his way to his third LPL fifty, and finished on 78 off 52.Viiking dropped a lot of catches, but their bowlers never let the game slip completely out of reach. And Anwar Ali's death bowling was the decisive phase of the game.

Anwar Ali is deserved player of the match for his death bowling: "I just stuck to my basics. Bowl the wide yorkers and use the variations. I just wanted to bowl the slower ones and the slower bouncer."

Dasun Shanaka, Viiking captain: "Our bowlers were bowling loose balls so I was worried, but I knew we had some death bowlers. We could have batted better in the middle period as well, when we didn't increase the run rate."

Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Gladiators captain: "We gave 20 extra runs, and the extras didn't help. We had the match in control but lost it somewhere in the last four overs. Danushka was trying to play some paddle shots and it might have been better if he went for the big shots and tried to hit sixes."

Anwar Ali was immense at the death. He took two wickets in the 17th over despite being hit for four first ball. The dangerous Chadwick Walton was his first victim, before Shehan Jayasuriya was removed with a superb bouncer. Then he bowled one of the overs of the tournament to the Gladiators' best batsman and the top runscorer of the LPL. Gunathilaka could only get two runs off the bat off Anwar's first five balls. Even those two runs were taken while a catch was being dropped. He was caught at long off, and that was essentially the game. It was always going to be difficult to get 18 off the last seven balls, with two new batsmen at the crease.

Earlier, the 94-run partnership between Azam and Gunathilaka had breathed life into the chase, which always seemed steep.

Oh man, what a clutch over that was from Anwar Ali. Has changed the match completely. Galle need a small miracle from here. Here's Mohammad Amir, the new man at the crease.

Dhananjaya Lakshan to face his first ball.

Here's Rajitha to bowl the last over.

WHat an over from Anwar. Only three runs have come off it, one of which was a legbye. And they got the crucial wicket of Gunathilaka.

Dinuk: "Dasun Shanaka should bowl more often and work on it - that way it'll help his chances in becoming a regular in the limited overs sides based on the reasons that were given for not picking him for the team for the last few limited over assignments. He's too good to be on the bench."

Ramesh Mendis to bowl the 18th. This is a bit of a risk from Shanaka. Two lefties at the crease, so that's why.