Hendricks blazes 87, Gulbadin 46 as Dambulla Sixers start LPL 2026 with a win

Hendricks and Gulbadin registered the highest seventh-wicket partnership in the history of LPL

Dambulla Sixers got the better of Kandy Royals by 18 runs in second successive high-scoring game of the Lanka Premier League 2026 at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo.

It was also the first double-header day in the tournament as Sixers defended their 205-run score by restricting Kandy Royals to 187-6 in 20 overs. The match of the day will be between Galle Gallants and Colombo Kaps.

Kandy Royals were kept in the hunt by Dale Phillips’ half-century, Lahiru Udara’s 28-ball 44, Vijay Shankar’s unbeaten 41 and Wanindu Hasaranga’s 10-ball 21 but none of it proved enough as they couldn’t overhaul 51 off the last three overs.

Shankar threatened with his 18-ball blitzy knock by hitting three fours and as many sixes after walking in to bat at 122-5 in 14.3 overs but he was kept in check. He shared a 34-run stand with Phillips and then a 31-run with Dushan Hemantha.

Phillips batted at four and managed 52 off 39 balls that included five fours and two sixes but during his stay the required rate kept on creeping up and went beyond 10 runs an over. He walked in at 22-2 in 2.4 overs after their opening batters Kusal Perera and Vishen Halambage had been dismissed for single digit scores.

The New Zealander first gathered 52 runs with Lahiru Udara, who batted at a brisk pace as he smashed five fours and two sixes and added 44 off 28 to the total. After Hasaranga’s one four and two sixes-laden cameo ended, Shankar took it upon himself to chase the target but couldn’t find support from the other end.

Gulbadin Naib backed up his match-turning knock of 46 not out off 23 balls with the wickets of Udara and Angelo Matthews, while Mohammad Wasim struck at both ends of the innings to dismiss Halambage and Phillips. Theekshana and Chameera had one each to their name.

At the beginning, Dambulla Sixers’ bid to bat first after winning the toss paid dividends as they posted the second total of LPL 2026 beyond 200-run mark with Hendricks and Gulbadin firing on all cylinders in the last 7.2 overs of the innings.

Though they stuttered earlier on with their innings reeling at 111-6 in 12.5 overs when Hendricks and Gulbadin managing a tournament-record seventh wicket unbeaten stand of 94.

Hendricks – batting at 4 – walked in the third over after Shaheen Shah Afridi had struck on the first ball of his spell to remove Niroshan Dickwella. Sixers’ overseas import Sahibzada Farhan could only add 13-ball 23 striking four fours.

Sixers finished the powerplay with 68 runs on the board for three wickets but then lost Pavan Rathnayake, Marques Ackermann and Dhananjaya Lakshan in the next 6.5 overs.

Gulbadin hit two fours and four sixes in his outing and took strong liking to Wanindu Hasaranga as he hit him for a six and two fours in the 18th over.

Hendricks, who had completed his fifty off 33 balls, finished the innings in a destructive manner as he went 4, 6, 4, 6, 4 against Asith Fernando on the last five balls of the 20th over as he finished with 11 fours and two sixes.

Dushan Hemantha and Nuwan Thushara picked up two wickets each, while Afridi and Fernando took one each.

Brief scores

Dambulla Sixers: 205/6 (20)
Reeza Hendricks 87* (50)
Gulbadin Naib 46* (23)

Dushan Hemantha 2/26 (4)
Nuwan Thushara 2/35 (4)

Kandy Royals: 187/6 (20)
Dale Phillips: 52 (39)
Lahiru Udara: 44
Vijay Shankar: 41* (18)

Gulbadin Naib: 2-19 (2)
Mohammad Wasim: 2-39 (4)

Player of the match – Reeza Hendricks