The Sri Lanka Lawyers’ cricket team became the Champions of the inaugural Independence Cup Professional T12 tournament held in Bangalore, India as eight teams contested.
The Sri Lankan Lawyers was the only team based outside India and they won five of the seven matches they played that placed them second in the first round.
In the semi final the Sri Lankan Lawyers took on Ashwasurya Riders, a team representing the real estate sector in Bengaluru. Winning the toss skipper, Kasun Hettiarachchi elected to bowl first and the Sri Lankan Lawyers kept the Ashwasurya Riders to a below par score of 69 all out in 11.5 overs.
The pick of the bowlers was Thusith Paliwatte who ended up taking four wickets and the Sri Lankan Lawyers were able to chase down the target in 8.4 overs with Akila Jayasundara and Randeepa Wijesooriya scoring 31 and 21 respectively.
The final pitted the Sri Lankan Lawyers against the GLR Warriors, a team representing the cinema industry of Karnataka. Winning the toss the Sri Lankans invited the GLR Warriors to bat under lights.
The GLR Warriors managed to score 78 for the loss of five wickets as Shanmugampillai Jetharshan picked up two wickets for 14 runs and was the chief destroyer.
It was not a cakewalk for the Sri Lankan Lawyers as the match went down to the wire. Chasing the target Randeepa Wijesooriya scored a quick-fire 23 and when he was dismissed with the score at 54, the game turned towards the GLR Warriors with light rain assisting their bowlers.
When play was stopped, the Sri Lankan Lawyers needed nine runs with 12 balls remaining. It was in the third ball of the last over the Sri Lankan Lawyers were able to clinch the victory with seven wickets down. With the last winning boundary scored it was a fitting end to a successful tour for the Sri Lankan Lawyers.
Shanmugampillai Jetharshan was adjudged the Man of the Final for his all-round performance. Kulunu Rodrigo was able to bowl him through for the Purple Cap ending the tournament with 13 wickets.
Akila Jayasundara was adjudged as the Player of the Series for his all-round performance with the bat and ball scoring 233 runs and picking up 11 wickets in the tournament while Randeepa Wijesooriya was adjudged as the Best Wicket Keeper with 13 dismissals.
Results:
Fashion Mavericks: 83/6 (Anjanan Tharmagulasingam 3/5, Thusith Paliwatta 2/10)
Sri Lankan Lawyers: 88/4 (Akkila Jayasundara 55)
Sri Lanka Lawyers Cricket :121/5 (Akkila Jayasundara 43, Sisuru Samarasinghe 31)
SO Mutthanna Team Media: 120/6 (Kulunu Rodrigo 3/29, Anjanan Tharmagulasingam 1/6)
Biotop Life Saviours: 77 (Sachitra Tennakoon 3/14, Akkila Jayasundara 2/12, Kulunu Rodrigo 1/13)
Sri Lanka Lawyers Cricket: 78/1 (Thusith Paliwatta 34, Sisuru Samarasinghe 19)
Sri Lanka Lawyers Cricket: 80/7 (Kulunu Rodrigo 28, Sisuru Samarasinghe 17)
Team Lawyers: (India) 81/2 (Kulunu Rodrigo 1/29, Akkila Jayasundara 1/20)
Sri Lanka Lawyers Cricket: 115/4 (Akkila Jayasundara 38, Kulunu Rodrigo 22, Shanmugampilla Jetharshan 17)
Bulls Squad: 75/4 (Kulunu Rodrigo 2/7, Shanmugampilla Jetharshan 1/11)
Ashwasurya Riders: 88/7 (Kulunu Rodrigo 3/11, Sachitra Tennakoon 2/14, Akkila Jayasundara 1/19)
Sri Lanka Lawyers Cricket: 87/5 (Akkila Jayasundara 35, Kasun Hettiarachchi 27)
GLR Warriros: 71/9 (Shanmugampilla Jetharshan 3/16, Thusith Paliwatta 2/10, Anjanan Tharmagulasingam 2/8)
Sri Lanka Lawyers Cricket: 72/1 (Sisuru Samarasinghe 37, Thusith Paliwatta 13)
Semi Final:
Ashwasurya Riders: 69/10 (Thusith Paliwatta 4/7, Akkila Jayasundara 3/4)
Sri Lanka Lawyers Cricket: 70/2 (Akkila Jayasundara 31, Randeepa Wijesooriya 27)
Final:
GLR Warriors: 78/5 (Shanmugampilla Jetharshan 2/14, Akkila Jayasundara 2/14, Kulunu Rodrigo 1/15)
Sri Lanka Lawyers Cricket: 82/7 (Randeepa Wijesooriya 23, Shanmugampilla Jetharshan 15)
