Bhanuka Rajapaksa leads from front as Jaffna Kings bag their first win

Jaffna skipper scored a gritty unbeaten half-century in a tricky 131-run chase to grab first win for his team after they lost to Gallants by 36 runs yesterday

Off-spinner Traveen Matthew and Lizaad Williams took three wickets each to strangulate Dambulla Sixers

Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s unbeaten 61 batting at no.5 took Jaffna Kings over the line against Dinesh Chandima’s Dambulla Sixers in a 131-run chase with six balls to spare on a testing Sinhalese Sports Club wicket in first game of the Sunday double-header.

No other batter from either side crossed the 27-run mark in the first low-scoring game of the Lanka Premier League 2026 as Sixers threw away their momentum from 18-run win their opening game on Saturday.

Dambulla Sixers were restricted to 130 all out in 19.2 overs as Jaffna spinner Traveen Matthew, incoming Shakib Al Hasan and Dunith Wellalage shared six wickets between them. Traveen in partuclar proved menacing as he picked up three for 19 in three overs.

The off-spinner set the tone with the ball taking all his three wickets after Sahibzada Farhan had become Lizaad Williams first prey in fifth over for 11 runs. Traveen then removed Chandimal in sixth over and Niroshan Dickwella and Marques Ackerman in a double-strike inn 10th over to leave Sixers 69-4 at the halfway mark.

Sixers managed to add 61 runs in the next 9.3 overs losing the remaining six wickets as only two batters crossed the 20-run mark for them. Pavan Rathnayake, who made way for Akila Dananjaya later, top scored with 27 off 16 hitting five fours at no.6, while Dickwella hit three fours in a 16-ball 23.

Dushmantha Chameera’s late surge of 18 off 11 balls comprising four valuable fours gave Sixers a competitive total, which they came close to defending if it wasn’t for Rajapaksa’s heroics off 37 balls.

For Kings, Williams finished with three for 14 in his 2.3 overs of right-arm pace, while Traveen’s three came for 19 runs in three. Wellalage got rid for Gulbadin Naib, while Shakib accounted for the dangerous Reeza Hendricks and Ramesha Mendis bowling an impressive spell of 4-1-12-2.

In the chase, Kings stuttered at the beginning due to tight bowling from Dushmantha Chameera, Vishwa Lahiru and Maheesh Theekshana as they were reduced to 35-3 in 6.3 overs. It was from this moment onwards when skipper took hold of the chase and first laid the foundation with a 35-ball 47-run stand with Ibrahim Zadran, who had replaced Williams as Impact sub.

Zadran’s laboured outing was cut short at 21 off 25 including one six when he became Chameera’s second victim of the game and 11 runs later David Wiese was run out with Sixers 93-5 in 14.4 overs requiring 38 off 32 balls.

Rajapaksa then partnered with Wellalage to produce a match-winning brisk stand of 40 off 26 balls as the duo hit at least a boundary in from 16th to 19th over and made lightwork of the 27 needed in last four overs.

Rajapaksa’s fifty came off 33 balls and he finished the game with a four as he collected four fours and as many sixes. Wellalage remained unbeaten on 11 off 13 balls hitting one four.

Brief scores

Dambulla Sixers: 130/10 (19.3)
Pavan Rathnayake 27
Niroshan Dickwella 23

Lizaad Williams 3/14 (2.3)
Traveen Matthew 3/19 (3)
Shakib Al Hasan 2/12 (4)

Jaffna Kings: 133/5 (19)
Bhanuka Rajapaksa 61* (37)
Ibrahim Zadran 21 (25)

Dushmantha Chameera 2/29 (4)

Player of the match – Bhanuka Rajapaksa