The four-time champions Jaffna Kings outplayed Kandy Royals by a massive margin of 93 runs to register their third win in Match 13 of the Lanka Premier League 2026 at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium.
Put in to bat first, the Jaffna Kings openers got their side off to a brilliant start, adding 64 runs in the first six overs. Avishka Fernando was the chief aggressor, racing to 45 off just 23 deliveries before becoming involved in an unfortunate incident. Three balls after the end of the Powerplay, Kamil Mishara drove the ball firmly back down the pitch off Wanindu Hasaranga. It deflected off Fernando’s bat at the non-striker’s end, allowing Hasaranga to collect the ball and dislodge the bails with Fernando out of his crease. However, in an exemplary display of sportsmanship, the Kandy Royals stand-in captain immediately called him back to continue his innings.
As a result, the opening stand was extended until the 13th over before Dushan Hemantha broke the partnership. Their 129-run stand was the first century opening partnership of the tournament. Avishka, who registered his maiden half-century of this LPL, scored 66 off 36 balls, including 10 fours and 2 sixes. The Royals pulled things back in the death overs, with Shaheen Shah Afridi claiming the wickets of three left-handers. He first dismissed the well-set Mishara for 78 off 53 balls, an innings featuring six fours and four sixes.
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Jaffna captain Bhanuka Rajapaksa then chopped on in the same over before Chamindu Wickramasinghe became Afridi’s third victim in his next over. The Pakistani left-arm pacer returned his best-ever LPL figures of 3 for 27. However, Towhid Hridoy, who joined the squad as a replacement for Taskin Ahmed, struck an unbeaten 35 off 21 balls, while Nuwan Thushara conceded 19 runs in the final over as the Kings posted a formidable 199 for 5.
Kandy Royals’ chase got off to a cautious start, with runs proving difficult to come by during the Powerplay. Mohamed Shiraz set the tone for Jaffna by dismissing Kusal Perera and Dale Phillips before the spinners tightened their grip through the middle overs as the Royals never looked likely to threaten the target.
Only Lahiru Udara offered meaningful resistance. The opener brought up his third half-century of the season before eventually falling to David Wiese. Apart from Udara and Afridi, no other Kandy Royals batter reached double figures as they were bundled out for 106 with 10 balls remaining, handing Jaffna Kings a net run-rate-boosting victory.
Mohamed Shiraz was the pick of the bowlers with outstanding figures of 3 for 18, while Dunith Wellalage also claimed 3 for 21.
Brief Scores:
Jaffna Kings – 199/4 (20) Kamil Mishara 78, Avishka Fernando 66, Towhid Hridoy 35*, Shaheen Shah Afridi 3/27, Dushan Hemantha 1/20
Kandy Royals – 106 (18.2) Lahiru Udara 54, Shaheen Shah Afridi 22, Mohamed Shiraz 3/18, Dunith Wellalage 3/21
Result – Jaffna Kings won by 93 runs.
