Liyanage and Neesham unite to produce a thrilling last over win for Colombo Kaps

Liyanage and Neesham stitched an unbeaten 115-run stand for fifth wicket to chase 180 in 19.4 overs against Royals after Binura Fernando (4/45), Hasan Mahmud (3-31) and Neesham shared nine wickets for Kaps

The duo posted the third-highest fifth-wicket stand and first century partnership of the LPL 2026

An unbeaten sixth-wicket partnership of 115 runs between James Neesham and Janith Liyanage guided Colombo Kaps to maiden victory in two games as they chased the 180-run target with two balls to spare after being 67-4 at the halfway mark against Kandy Royals.

Binura Fernando’s four-wicket haul, Hasan Mahmud’s three and Neesham’s two helped Kaps dismiss Kandy Royals for 179 in the second game of the Sunday double-header in the Lanka Premier League 2026 at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo.

Royals are now winless after two games as the action will now move to Dambulla from Colombo. Galle Gallants have been unbeaten, while Dambulla Sixers, Kaps and Jaffna Kings have won one game each.

Neesham and Liyanage got together after Kaps’ top three returned for single-digit figures, Kamindu Mendis (26 off 23) and Impact sub Ben McDermott (22 off 14) fell to Wanindu Hasaranga.

Kaps needed 116 off the last 60 balls as Liyanage struck unbeaten 53 off 32 balls blasting six fours and one six, while Neesham punched 48 not out off 36 balls hitting five fours and two sixes.

The duo went all guns blazing in the 13th, 14th and 15th overs, collecting 13, 14 and 25 runs, respectively with Garuka Sanketh feeling the heat in the 15th when he was hit for two sixes and as many fours. His second over – the 18th of the innings – also turned out to be disastrous as he bowled 11 balls to get through it and gave away 15 runs.
The 17 required off the last two overs were brushed off in 10 balls as Sanketh couldn’t defend nine in the 20th over as Neesham struck him for back-to-back fours on third and fourth balls condemning him to figures of none for 51 in two overs.

Earlier, Kaps’ decision to bowl first paid dividends with Fernando taking out Kusal Perera for 11 off six in a leg-before decision, which the ball tracking later showed to be missing. Hasan then struck twice in fourth over to dismiss Sediqullah Atal and Dale Phillips with Royals 31-3 in 3.5 overs.

Royals’ top-scorer Lahiru Udara then formed a 51-run stand with Angelo Matthews, who scored 41 off 45 balls with the help of two fours and two sixes and at times batted with a strike rate below 100. Udara was pinned leg-before by Neesham for 53 off 36 balls including eight fours and one six.

It was Moeen Ali’s stunning 17-ball 41-run cameo with the help of four sixes and a four and a brisk 65-run stand with Matthews which changed the complexion of Royals’ innings.

After Moeen’s departure in the 17th over, Royals could only gather 32 off the last 21 balls in their innings as Vijay Shankar scored 15 off nine hitting one four and one six.

Brief Scores

Kandy Royals: 179/10 (20)
Lahiru Udara: 53 (36)
Angelo Mathews: 45 (41)
Moeen Ali: 41 (17)

Binura Fernando: 4/45 (4)
Hasan Mahmud: 3/31 (4)

Colombo Kaps: 182/4 (19.4)
Janith Liyanage: 53* (32)
James Neesham: 48* (36)
Kamindu Mendis 26 (23)

Wanindu Hasaranga: 2/29 (4)

Player of the match – Janith Liyanage