Colombo Kaps responded strongly after their close loss against Jaffna Kings, securing a convincing 23 run success over Kandy Royals in the ninth match of the Lanka Premier League 2026 at Dambulla. The result moved Colombo to first place in the tournament standings, while Kandy dropped to the bottom following their third loss.
Kandy captain Angelo Mathews won the toss and invited Colombo to bat. Rubin Hermann, who had struggled in his previous three appearances, rediscovered his rhythm with his first half century of the competition. The South African left hander provided much needed momentum, although wickets continued to fall around him.
When Hermann departed, Colombo were under pressure at 102 for 5. Janith Liyanage then took control of the innings with a vital unbeaten 52 from 33 deliveries. Late contributions from James Neesham and Binura Fernando helped Colombo finish with a challenging 192 for 9 from their 20 overs.
Dushan Hemantha, Moeen Ali and Shaheen Afridi each collected two wickets for Kandy.
The Royals made a difficult start to their pursuit as Colombo’s bowlers struck frequently. Mujeeb Ur Rahman caused major damage during the opening half of the chase, taking three wickets as Kandy collapsed to 77 for 5 within 10 overs.
Dale Phillips offered resistance with 38 before being removed by his New Zealand teammate Neesham. His departure left the Royals struggling at 95 for 7.
Vijay Shankar and Mathews briefly revived Kandy’s chances through a 49 run stand. Shankar contributed 30 from 23 balls, while Mathews, batting at number nine after leaving the field with discomfort, remained unbeaten on 39 from 24 deliveries.
Their effort was not enough, however, as Colombo protected their total and completed another important LPL victory.
