Jaffna Kings delivered one of the most dominant displays of the Lanka Premier League 2026, defeating Kandy Royals by 93 runs in Match 13 at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium.
Asked to bat first, Jaffna raced away through Kamil Mishara and Avishka Fernando, who added 64 runs during the opening six overs. Fernando was initially run out after a Mishara drive deflected from his bat at the non striker’s end, but Kandy’s acting captain Wanindu Hasaranga withdrew the appeal and invited him to resume his innings.
The pair made full use of that decision, building the first hundred run opening partnership of the season. Their stand reached 129 before Dushan Hemantha removed Fernando in the 13th over. Fernando struck 66 from 36 balls, featuring 10 boundaries and two sixes, while Mishara continued to anchor the innings.
Shaheen Shah Afridi helped Kandy regain some control late in the innings. He dismissed Mishara for 78 from 53 deliveries, then removed Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Chamindu Wickramasinghe to complete his best LPL return of 3 for 27.
Towhid Hridoy, drafted in as Taskin Ahmed’s replacement, added valuable late momentum with an unbeaten 35 from 21 balls. Jaffna finished strongly, collecting 19 runs from Nuwan Thushara’s final over to reach 199 for 5.
Kandy’s reply never gathered pace. Mohamed Shiraz removed Kusal Perera and Dale Phillips early, before Jaffna’s slow bowlers controlled the middle phase.
Lahiru Udara provided the only serious resistance, recording his third fifty of the campaign before falling to David Wiese. Apart from Udara and Afridi, every other Kandy batter was dismissed for a single digit score.
The Royals were bowled out for 106 with 10 balls unused. Shiraz finished with 3 for 18, while Dunith Wellalage claimed 3 for 21 as Jaffna secured a valuable net run rate lift decisively.
