After IPL and World Cup, another T20 tournament has ended with a bang. Jaffna Kings have once again won the title in the Lanka Premier League being played in Sri Lanka. In the final played in Colombo, Jaffna Kings defeated Galle Marvels by 9 wickets in a one-sided fashion and won the title for the fourth time. This was only the fifth season of the tournament and Jaffna won the championship for the fourth time. The star of Jaffna's victory was left-handed explosive batsman Riley Russo, who scored a tremendous century by raining fours and sixes and took the team to the target of 185 runs 23 balls earlier.

This was Russo's second century in this season and he became the first batsman to score 2 centuries in an LPL season.

Bhanuka's attacking style

In this final held on Sunday 21 July, Galle batted first and scored a strong score of 184 runs. For them, Bhanuka Rajapaksa played an amazing innings. This left-handed batsman played an explosive innings of 82 runs in just 34 balls. Bhanuka, who is a part of Punjab Kings in IPL, also hit 8 fours and 6 tremendous sixes during his innings. Apart from him, Tim Seifert also played an innings of 47 runs. Asitha Fernando took 3 wickets for Jaffna, while Jason Behrendorff also took 2 wickets.

After Bhanuka, it was the turn of his Punjab Kings teammate Riley Russo. However, there was some drama before that.

Wicket fell on the first ball

Galle Marvels was hoping to win their first title by reaching this final and the batsmen had also prepared such a platform for them. After this, it was the turn of the bowlers and their dream seemed to be coming true on the very first ball. Pacer Dwayne Pretorius created a stir by sending Pathum Nissanka, who was in great form, back to the pavilion on the very first ball of the innings.

In such a situation, Jaffna needed to do something amazing, while Galle had a good chance.

Riley Russo lashed out again

Eventually, Jaffna, which won the title 3 times in a row, used its experience of success in the final and dashed Galle's hopes with every over. South African batsman Russo, who, like Bhanuka, was a part of Punjab Kings in the IPL, played an important role in this. He also showed his flair and thrashed the Galle bowlers. Russo created history by scoring an explosive century in just 50 balls. He became the first batsman to score two centuries in a season.

He along with Kusal Mendis made an unbeaten partnership of 185 runs to take the team to the title for the fourth time. Russo scored 106 runs (9 fours, 7 sixes) in 53 balls and Mendis scored 70 runs (8 fours, 2 sixes) in 40 balls.

He along with Kusal Mendis made an unbeaten partnership of 185 runs to take the team to the title for the fourth time. Russo scored 106 runs (9 fours, 7 sixes) in 53 balls and Mendis scored 70 runs (8 fours, 2 sixes) in 40 balls.