10:45pm: Heartbreaking news for Dambulla Sixers. With no signs of the rain relenting and its stop-start nature dragging the evening deep into the night, the umpires have finally been forced to surrender to the forces of nature. The game has been called off. Oh, how dearly we wished for a full contest and a fair chance for both sides to compete but this is part and parcel of the game. Sometimes the weather has the final say. As the last group-stage fixture ends with rain emerging triumphant, Kandy Royals advance to the playoffs, sealing the final spot in the Eliminator. For Dambulla Sixers, it's a cruel end to a campaign that will leave them wondering what might have been

10:34pm: It's a game of cat and mouse between the rain and the ground staff. Just when it seemed things were improving, the rain has returned with ferocity, much to the dismay of Dambulla, who will be desperate to get back on the field. Every passing minute brings them closer to seeing their playoff hopes washed away

10:28pm: The pitch covers remain firmly in place but there's plenty of activity out in the middle. The Super Sopper continues to make lap after lap around the boundary, soaking up as much moisture as possible. Meanwhile, the ground staff are carefully lifting and shaking the covers over the pitch and the adjoining square to ensure that the accumulated rainwater doesn't spill. A rope has now been attached to the Super Sopper and a group of ground staff are pulling it across the outfield to speed up the drying process

10:10pm: Well, the good news is that the blue covers are coming off and the ground staff - the famous Sri Lankan ground staff - are working swiftly to get the ground ready for action. The pitch and the adjoining square remain covered for now but there's plenty of activity out in the middle

9:45pm: The pitch, adjoining areas and the entire ground remain submerged under covers as the rain continues to fall incessantly. The players looked keen to get back on the field but for now they remain confined to the dressing rooms. Dambulla need a win to book a place in the playoffs so every passing minute of rain adds to the tension

A thoroughly entertaining innings despite the challenging conditions. The fielders were outstanding on a wet outfield while the batters were hell-bent on posting an imposing total. We saw good use of the slower balls from Zahoor while Wellalage was such a joy to watch--an incredible talent who picked up three wickets with his subtle variations. Dilshan Madushanka was phenomenal with his cutters and finished with three scalps after maintaining excellent control throughout. Dinesh Chandimal set the tone with a brisk 44, Rathnayake slammed 47 and Gulbadin Naib chipped in with a crucial 20. Dambulla found another gear at the death, amassing 50 runs from the final five overs