CLS vs KDW 18th Match Prediction

CLS vs KDW Team Previews

Colombo Stars

For most of the tournament, Colombo Strikers were sitting pretty in the top half of the ladder but a couple of poor losses of late has pushed them at the brink of the elimination. They are sitting at the bottom of the points table with a poor net run-rate of -0.864. They just have four points to their name and even a win here would lift them to as high as fourth spot on the ladder, provided Galle Titans lose their match. They have been guilty of being a bit too over-reliant on Babar Azam at the top and unless they can correct that or Babar Azam plays a wonderfully good knock, Colombo Titans will have their work cut out.

 

 

On Saturday, Colombo Strikers faced a harsh reception upon their return to their home ground, experiencing a discouraging defeat at the hands of Dambulla Aura. The Strikers were thoroughly dominated by Dambulla Aura, who secured a commanding victory with a 50-run margin. Chasing a target of 167 runs for victory, Colombo's hopes were shattered by the loss of early wickets. Within the powerplay, they lost three wickets, and their situation worsened, resulting in a score of 74/5. With the required run rate escalating, Colombo was compelled to play aggressively, leading to an inevitable outcome - they fell significantly short and were eventually bowled out for a mere 116 runs.

 

All in all, Colombo Strikers have a decent side but they just have not been able to make their mark in the tournament. They sparked a bit with Babar Azam scoring a century but that has been it. They will need to come together and come hard in this game and if they are able to do that, they will be a hard team to get past.

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Kandy Warriors

Just when B-Love Kandy appeared to be down and out, they scripted some excellent performances to bounce back in the tournament. They are not only in the competition but are also one of the frontrunners in the race for the title. They are second on the ladder with eight points to their name and an excellent net run-rate. While s win is not going to have any impact on their standings, they would want to go into the playoffs with a win behind them.

 

B-Love Kandy emerged triumphant from a hard-fought contest against the reigning champions, Jaffna Kings, in the Lanka Premier League. This victory marked their fourth consecutive win, propelling them to the top of the table with eight points. The team's remarkable performance has positioned them favorably, and they now aim to secure a spot in the first qualifier. In their latest victory, Kandy successfully defended a total of 178/8. Angelo Matthews demonstrated his prowess with the ball, taking three wickets while conceding only ten runs across his three overs.

 

On paper, B-Love Kandy are an immaculately balanced side. They seem to be peaking just at the right time with most of their clicking when needed. If they can continue doing that, it should be an easy outing against an out of form Colombo Stikers unit.