PALLEKELE: Ibrahim Zadran starred as Jaffna Kings beat Colombo Kaps by 19 runs in the 15th match of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
Set a daunting 203, Colombo Kaps were reduced to 183-9 in 20 overs.
Rubin Hermann was cleaned up by Dilshan Madushanka in the second over before Sadeera Samarawickrama and Ashen Bandara steadied the innings with a 50-run partnership. Bandara made 15.
The scorecard read 58-2 in seven overs when skipper Kamindu Mendis joined Sadeera Samarawickrama. The duo stitched a 39-run partnership to take the total near the 100-run mark.
Jaffna Kings struck back with back-to-back wickets to jolt Caps’ progress. Consequently, they were 97-3. The lower-order kept Caps in the hunt, but with the asking rate soaring, it was an uphill task.
For Jaffna Kings, Dilshan Madushanka scalped three wickets.
Earlier, Shahnawaz Dahani bowled a forgettable four-over spell as Jaffna Kings exploded in the final over to post a big total.
Put into bat first, Kings finished their innings on 202-5 in 20 overs, largely due to Ibrahim Zadran’s gutsy knock and Towhid Hridoy’s take down of Dahani in the last over.
After losing Avishka Fernando in the second over, Kamil Mishara and Ibrahim Zadran raised a half-century stand to end the powerplay on a strong note.
Mishara hit two sixes and five fours in his 44 from 19 balls.
King’s scorecard read 68-2 in 7.1 overs when Dunith Wellalage joined Zadran at the crease. The pair added a 61-run partnership for the third wicket. Zadran scored the bulk of the runs while Wellalage contributed only 17.
Ibrahim Zadran was run out in the penultimate over after scoring 95 from 65 deliveries peppered with three sixes and 12 fours.
Towhid Hridoy injected late momentum into the innings, scoring a quick-fire 31* on just nine balls, including 31 runs off Dahani’s final over. The right-hander tonked the pacer for three consecutive sixes and another maximum on the final ball to take the total over the 200-run mark.
For Colombo Kaps, James Neesham picked up two wickets while Shahnawaz Dahani gave 71 runs in his quota of four overs.
