Galle Titans (GT) will face B-Love Kandy (BLK) in their Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2023 qualifier match 2 at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Saturday (19 August).

Galle Titans and B-Love Kandy will face off in Qualifier 2 of LPL 2023 on Saturday 19th August at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

The Titans, led by Dasun Shanaka, staged an incredible comeback to finish second in the points table after threatening to be eliminated. However, they stuttered against the Dambulla Aura in Qualifier 1 and lost by six wickets.

After being used to bat first, the Titans were thrown out for 146 in 20 overs. Opening batsman Lasith Croopulle scored 80 from 61 with seven fours but received no assistance from others. The Aura tracked the target with two deliveries remaining.

Kandy, on the other hand, lost two games in a row at the end of the league stage. However, they were back in top form in the eliminator against Thisara Perera's Jaffna Kings. They won by 61 runs, demonstrating their authority to the opposition.

Once again Captain Wanindu Hasaranga led from the front and won the Player of the Match award. He hit 19 of 11 balls with two sixes and finished the game with an incredible record of 3.2-0-9-6 as Kandy beat the Kings for 127 in 17.2 overs.

Match Preview

Galle Titans (GT) and B-Love Kandy (BLK) will clash in Lanka Premier League T20 Qualifying Match 2 on August 19 at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Galle Titans suffered a loss to Dambulla Aura in Qualifier 1 B-Love Kandy emerged victorious in the Eliminator match against the Jaffna Kings.

In their last game against Dambulla Aura, the Galle Titans suffered a six-wicket loss. Lasith Croopulle put on an impressive performance with 80 runs on 61 balls, helped by Shakib Al Hasan's 19 runs on 17 balls. Seekkuge Prasanna, Tabraiz Shamsi, Shakib Al Hasan and Dasun Shanaka each contributed a wicket in the bowling division.

B-Love Kandy secured a dominant 61 run win over the Jaffna Kings in their last game. Mohammad Haris' remarkable 79 runs with 49 balls and Dinesh Chandimal's contribution of 41 runs with 24 balls stood out in their batting performance. Captain Wanindu Hasaranga led the bowling attack with an impressive six wickets, while Mujeeb ur Rahman, Sehan Arachchige and Nuwan Pradeep captured one wicket each.

Pitch Report

The pitch at R-Premadasa Stadium in Colombo is good for hitting and the pacesetters will get more help initially and the spinners will come into play later in the game. This interface gives batters rewards for their shorts. Because of the rope, batting will be easy in the second inning. The captain who wins the toss should choose to bowl first and go for the target in the second inning of that game.

Weather Report

There's a 50 percent chance of rain, which could lead to delays and interruptions. The temperature should be around 27 degrees Celsius.

Toss Prediction

The captain who wins the toss would try to bowl first as the Colombo pursuit isn't easy, especially given that both teams have a spin-heavy attack.

Venue Details

The R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo is known for being one of the best playing fields in the world. The fast outfield and flat surface have always given the batsmen an advantage. Fast bowlers generally struggle at this venue, while spinners are wicket-assisted and have good records.

Match Prediction

Kandy will be full of confidence after knocking the defending champion out of contention. They go into qualifying 2 as favorites.

Prediction: B-Love Kandy will win.

Head to Head

There is very little to choose between the two teams in LPL history.

Betting Tips

It goes without saying that this is a KO game that is of the utmost importance. Both sides would do their best and the team that can handle the pressure is likely to emerge victorious. Considering how the two teams have been doing lately and what their paper combinations are, a bet on B-Love Kandy should be the way to go here.

Probable Playing XI

Galle Titans

Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Lasith Croospulle, Liton Das (wk), Shakib Al Hasan, Dasun Shanaka (c), Najibullah Zadran, Lahiru Samarakoon, Seekkuge Prasanna, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha, Tabraiz Shamsi

B-Love Kandy

Mohammad Haris, Fakhar Zaman, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Kamindu Mendis, Asif Ali, Angelo Mathews, Sahan Arachchige, Isuru Udana, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Nuwan Pradeep

Top Fantasy Picks Dream11 Prediction

Galle Titans Key Players

Lasith Croospulle Croospulle played a brilliant 80-run shot against Dambulla Aura. The hitter has been a regular hitter for the team this season. He has 218 runs to his tally in the 2023 LPL.

Shakib Al Hasan - There is no greater match winner on the Titans team than Shakib Al Hasan. He's underperformed in the tournament so far, but big players do well in big games. Shakib was not among the wickets but he was very frugal.

Seekkuge Prasanna could be the game changer for the Galle Titans. The spinners are a real threat on this pitch and Prasanna has been bowling well for the past few games. He has the necessary momentum with him, so a game-winning performance cannot be ruled out.

B-Love Kandy Key Players

Dinesh Chandimal scored 50 points against Dambulla Aura. He then backed that up with another 41-run shot against the Jaffna Kings. Chandimal seems set for a big hit soon.

Wanindu Hasaranga was great in the tournament with both racquet and ball. He scored 231 runs in the tournament and also won 17 wickets. He is the tournament's leading wicket-taker, scoring a six-wicket win against Jaffna.

Angelo Matthews also offers the team a good all-around option. He's made some decent contributions to the team with bat and ball.