Sangakkara with another superb innings leads team to maiden final for GGL
If anybody thought this was just another T20 tournament for the legendary Kumar Sangakkara they were left in doubt that Sangakkara is keen as mustard to lead this Galaxy Gladiators Lantau team one step further to a maiden Blitz title – in what is likely to be the penultimate tournament of his illustrious career.
On the fifth ball of the eighteenth over with only nine runs remaining he sliced a ball from opposing skipper Emrit toward the fielder on the cover boundary. Anshuman Rath dived forward to attempt to take the catch. Even replays were inconclusive as to whether he took it cleanly or not however Sangakkara was in no rush to leave the field. The on-field umpires (with no third umpire available) decided it was not out.
The broadcast picked up a very animated conversation between Ravi Bopara and Sanga who described it as merely a “conversation” as to whether the catch was taken or not but what it did show the viewers and those watching the big screen this tournament is not hit and giggle for the players.
Meanwhile, another commanding performance from the Gladiators has taken them into their inaugural Blitz final with another commanding performance set up by a great bowling performance finished off with another Sangakkara.
City Kaitak’s innings struggled to get going as Sangakkara’s perseverance with his reliance on the local Hong Kong players paying off again with Dan Pascoe opening the bowling finishing with 2 for 25 off his spell. Imran Arif tore the heart out of the Kaitak batting order with 3 for 20 from his three overs.
Being interviewed after the game Pascoe explained his now signature celebration being an homage to Ice Cube’s line “Gangsta Rap made me do it” with his twin hand canon shots in to the air.
As a late call up to replace Mohammad Awais he has figures of 2/25 (4), 1/9 (1), 0/16 (2) emerging as the event has progressed as a key powerplay bowlers for the Gladiators.
Despite a few fits & bursts, on the back of a sublime 94* (56), the Gladiators chased the total of 137 down on the second ball of the nineteenth over completed an impressive roud robin for the team from Lantau Island.
