Colombo Kaps make light work of Kandy Royals in 68-run win to book Qualifier 2 berth

• Colombo Kaps’ Wanuja Sahan bowls the joint-second most economical four-over spell in LPL history to spin his team to victory
• LPL 2026 returns to Colombo with an eventful Playoffs double-header on Wednesday

Colombo Kaps secured a comfortable 68-run win in over Kandy Royals in the Eliminator of the Lanka Premier League to set up their Qualifier 2 face-off with Galle Gallants on 7 August at the same venue R Premadasa in Colombo.

In reply to Kaps’ solid total of 203-7, Kandy Royals folded for a mere 135 all out with eight balls unused and no batter crossing the 21-run mark except opener Lahiru Udara’s lone effort of exactly 50 runs.

Kaps’ 23-year-old left-arm spinner was awarded player of the match award for his clinical spell of two for eight – the joint-second most economical four-over spell in LPL history. He drew the first blood in fifth over by castling Pawan Sandesh and then got the dangerous Kusal Perera stumped in the 9th over.

Kandy Royals combusted quickly after their openers had put on 44 runs in 4.1 overs. From there they lost all 10 wickets for 91 runs in 86 balls. Only Udara waged a lost battle but became Malsha Tharupathi’s one of the two preys after hitting five fours and two sixes in a 36-ball fifty.

Apart from Tharupathi and Sahan, Shahnawaz Dahani, Mujeeb Ur Rehman and Milan Rathnayaka picked up two wickets each.

Earlier, Kaps’ no.3 to no.6 fired to give them a healthy total after the openers Rubin Hermann and Sadeera Samarawickrama were dismissed with only 13 runs on the board.

No.3 Ben McDermott anchored the innings with a spicy 71 off 39 balls hitting seven sixes and only one four. He shared a 24-ball 45-run stand with Kamindu Mendis (28 off 16, 5 fours), 57-run stand with Janith Liyanage (32 off 19, 1 four, 3 sixes) and a 58-run partnership with James Neesham (42* off 23, six fours, 1 six).

Neesham provided impetus towards the end of the innings as he hit a six and a four in the 20th over. For Royals, Shaheen Afridi, Nuwan Thushara and Zahir Khan picked up two wickets each.
Brief Scores

Colombo Kaps won by 68 runs

Colombo Kaps 203/7 (20)

Ben McDermott 71 (39)
James Neesham 42* (23)
Janith Liyanage 32 (19)
Kamindu Mendis 28 (16)

Zahir Khan 2/32 (4)
Nuwan Thushara 2/31 (4)
Shaheen Shah Afridi 2/39 (4)

Kandy Royals 135/10 (18.4)

Lahiru Udara 50 (36)

Wanuja Sahan 2/8 (4)
Shahnawaz Dahani 2/16 (2.4)
Malsha Tharupathi 2/23 (3)
Milan Rathnayaka 2/23 (3)
Mujeeb Ur Rehman 2/41 (4)

Player of the match – Wanuja Sahan