2020 Lanka Premier League – Galle Gladiators vs Jaffna Stallions Preview & Prediction

Select the sports you want to hear about and TSZ will send the best previews, analysis and predictions straight to your inbox. Sign up today!

THE FACTS

When is Galle Gladiators vs Jaffna Stallions taking place? Thursday 3^rd December, 2020 – 10:00 (UK)

Where is Galle Gladiators vs Jaffna Stallions taking place? MRIC Stadium, Hambantota, Sri Lanka

Where can I get tickets for Galle Gladiators vs Jaffna Stallions? No tickets are available as this tournament is taking place without spectators

What channel is Galle Gladiators vs Jaffna Stallions on? This match will be televised live on Sky Sports Cricket

Where can I stream Galle Gladiators vs Jaffna Stallions? Sky Sports subscribers can stream the match live via the Sky Go app

THE LOWDOWN

GALLE GLADIATORS

• Three defeats from three for Galle has made qualification for the final stages extremely difficult if not already too much to ask and the pressure is on them to get a win here to break their duck.
• The impressive performances of Danushka Gunathilaka who has scored 150 runs in the three games so far is yet to have been backed up by the rest of the Gladiators’ batting line-up and they have received a blow by the news that Shahid Afridi has been forced to return home for personal reasons.
• The bowling unit featuring Mohammad Amir has not found any real form as yet and only Shahid Afridi (6.44) has an economy rate of less than 10 so that offers yet more evidence that the veteran Pakistani all-rounder is going to be sorely missed.

JAFFNA STALLIONS

• Jaffna’s impressive opening to the tournament continued last time out with a tremendous bowling performance against Kandy to bowl them out for 131 after posting an equally impressive 185/8 when batting first.
• The Stallions’ impressive depth in the bowling has been emphasised by a consistent sharing of wickets, particularly in their most recent matches as four different bowlers have taken five wickets or more.
• Their captain Thisara Perera has now hit scores of 97 not out and 68 off 25 to emphasise his quality and balance the side well in the number six role while Usman Shinwari has come into the side and added another dimension to the bowling attack.

THE PREDICTION

Jaffna’s balance in the batting is continuing to grow and become important as Avishka Fernando at the top, Dhananjaya De Silva through the middle and Thisara Perera towards the end is a line-up that is now looking to be capable of scoring consistently big scores. In contrast, Galle are looking to be comfortably the worst side in the competition and were on the losing side in the first game between these sides as Jaffna cruised to an eight-wicket victory. With captain and key all-rounder Shahid Afridi unavailable, a similarly comfortable Jaffna performance and victory is to be expected here.