Lanka Premier League 2023: Award Winners and Stats as B-Love Kandy Clinch LPL Season 4 Title

Stand-in captain Angelo Mathews guided B-Love Kandy to their maiden Lanka Premier League 2023 title with a thrilling five-wicket final-over win over Dambulla Aura in front of a packed house at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium on Sunday (August 20).

Chasing the target of 148, B-Love Kandy got over the victory line with a ball to spare thanks to Mathews' unbeaten 25 off 21 balls and cameo from Asif Ali of 19 off 10 balls.

Lanka Premier League 2023 Award Winners and Stats

In the absence of LPL 2023's highest wicket-taker, highest run-getter and captain Wanindu Hasaranga, who was out due to a hamstring injury, veteran Mathews played a crucial role to ensure the team walks away with the crown in the fourth edition of the LPL.

Opting to bat, Dambulla Aura managed two 50-run partnerships. The Kandy bowlers, however, restricted the Dambulla side to score 147 runs for four wickets in the allotted 20 overs.

Kandy's opening pair of Kamindu Mendis (44) and Mohammad Haris (26) got the team to score 47 runs in the powerplay without losing a wicket. Wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal then fired a 22-ball 24 to keep up the momentum till he was dismissed by Binura Fernando.

Kandy were 95-2 when Angelo walked into bat in the 13th over. Experienced Mathews stood his ground under pressure in front of a sold out stadium, when Kandy slipped from 94-1 to 107 for 4 in 21 deliveries.

His 25 runs were laced with three boundaries and refused to take the ariel route till the team reached the target in 19.5 overs. Noor Ahmed's 3 for 27 for Dambulla Aura wasn't good enough to see them claim victory.

Commenting on the final victory, Mathews said, "I had to use all my experience from the past 15 years. I had to keep calm. We knew the wicket was good and the total was chaseable.

"Asif Ali and Lahiru Madushanka were brilliant towards the end. God has been kind to us, we did it even with so many injuries. Last three games were back-to-back for us and physically draining."

Hasaranga, who collected the trophy and a cheque of $100,000 from Sri Lanka Cricket President Shammi Silva, was also adjudged Player Of The Serie and also ended as the leading run-scorer and wicket-taker in LPL 2023. The skipper was elated with his contribution.

"I am very happy because I contributed with bat. I tried to do my best be it with the bat or with the ball. Whenever I play, I try to do my best whether I am captaining or not. I was the Player of the Tournament in the first edition as well. This is more pleasing as I contributed with the bat," Hasaranga said.