Ruhunu send Leicestershire packing

Ruhunu pulled off a nervy 4-run victory over their English rivals, scoring 160 for six and then restricting Leicestershire to 156 for eight. Debjeet Kundu reports.

If unfamiliar team names and players weren't bad enough in the Champions League T20, identifying one from the other in the qualifiers amidst a host of similar looking jerseys has proved equally difficult. Only a patch of black on their red jerseys separated the Ruhunu Eleven from Trinidad & Tabago on Monday.

Ruhunu-Eleven-bowler-Alankara-celebrates-with-teammates-the-wicket-of-Leicestershire-Foxes-batsman-Jefferson-during-the-Champions-League-T20-match-between-Leicestershire-Foxes-and-Ruhunu-Eleven-at-Rajiv-Gandhi-International-Cricket-stadium-at-Hyderabad

On Wednesday, even that was gone when Leicestershire Foxes came out in their black and red outfits. The ability to hold on to their nerves was what eventually separated the two as Ruhuna pulled off a nervy 4-run victory over their English rivals, scoring 160 for six and then restricting Leicestershire to 156 for eight.

The Saviour

Sanath Jayasuriya’s explosive batting once again did not help Ruhunu. Dinesh Chandimal hit a 51-ball 62 to help Lankan team reach a healthy total. Later, All-rounder Abdul Razzaq took two wickets and then hammered a 42-ball 68 as opener. But he too couldn’t save English side from being eliminated.