Get Ball by Ball Commentary of Galle Gallants vs Jaffna Kings, Lanka Premier League 2026, 1st Match

11:58pm That will be all from us for tonight. We hope you enjoyed our coverage and we will be back with more cricket soon. Until then, from all of us here at Cricinfo, it is goodbye!

Charith Asalanka, Player of the Match: We got a good start. Sam batted really well. After fourth over, we had a tough period of play. After that, Sahan and me could manage the innings. Very exciting tournament for us as locals. Very exciting for us.

Dasun Shanaka, Galle Gallants captain: (On the finish to their batting innings) It was very crucial. The partnership (between Asalanka and Arachchige) in the middle phase - they batted to the conditions and that set us up for the finishing touches. (On their targeted score) Initially, we were looking at 180. But after 15-16th over, we realized we could go for the 200-mark. Today, it worked for me and Nawaz. Very excited for the sixth edition. I am happy with my team - looking forward to the rest of the tournament.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Jaffna Kings captain: Quite unfortunate that we could not chase - the wicket behaved well. The decision to bowl first was not wrong. (On the last five overs of their bowling innings) We were trying to execute our plans. But sometimes, it happens. Good that it happened in the first game. Last five overs cost us the game.

11:41pm Well, the result seemed a bit of a foregone conclusion, especially once Wickramasinghe was halted in his tracks (by some friendly fire). Prior to that, and right at the start, the Kings did threaten to give it a rattle. But they kept losing wickets through the middle, which allowed Galle to keep things tight and ultimately coast past the finish line.

Malinga was the undisputed star for Galle and it was fitting he finished things off, en route a four-wicket haul. Javed was not shabby either, with Asalanka prising out Rajapaksa just as essential. A good bowling display in general by the Gallants, and they will be pleased with how this game panned out.

19.4

Malinga to Mathew, OUT, Malinga seals the deal! Beautiful dipping yorker on off. Mathew has no clue about it and plays way too early. The ball squirms under the toe-end of his bat and thuds into off stump. A convincing victory in the end, and the Galle Gallants have been full value for it!

T Mathew b Malinga 6 (12m 7b 1x4 0x6) SR: 85.71

19.3

Malinga to Mathew, FOUR, low full toss on the stumps, and Mathew gets it away. A bit of a slice but these could be handy runs in the NRR context (later in the tournament, of course)!

19.2

Malinga to Mathew, no run, banged in short outside off. Mathew has another wild swish and misses again

19.1

Malinga to Mathew, no run, zinged into the blockhole on middle and off. Mathew jams it out into the off side

19.1

Malinga to Mathew, 1 wide, hung up on a length wide outside off. Mathew swishes and misses, and then sees the umpire stretch out his arms

Malinga to bowl the 20th. Galle have incurred the slow over-rate penalty. One fewer fielder outside the ring now

END OF OVER:
19 | 4 Runs 1 Wkt | JK: 172/9 (42 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 9.05, RRR: 42.00)

Lizaad Williams0 (2b)
Traveen Mathew2 (3b)

Akif Javed4-0-31-2
Dasun Shanaka3-0-28-1

18.6

Akif Javed to Williams, no run, back of a length on leg. Williams backs away and swings for the hills, only to swipe at fresh air

Jaffna INNINGS		R	B
WIA Fernando	caught	34	21
K Mishara	caught	28	14
Ibrahim Zadran	caught	2	3
MNK Fernando	caught	4	10
PBB Rajapaksa	caught	2	5
DN Wellalage	caught	40	24
D Wiese	caught	15	19
C Wickramasinghe	run out	24	10
PP Chawla	caught	7	5
T Mathew	bowled	6	7
LB Williams	not out	0	2
EXTRAS	(b 1, lb 1, w 11, nb 2)
TOTAL	177 (all out; 19.4 ovs)

Gallants BOWLING	O	R	W	Econ
Mehidy Hasan Miraz	2.0	29	0	14.5
MD Shanaka	3.0	28	1	9.33	(1w)
Mohammad Nawaz (3)	1.0	5	0	5
Akif Javed	4.0	31	2	7.75	(1nb, 4w)
E Malinga	3.4	26	4	7.09	(2w)
KIC Asalanka	1.0	4	1	4	(1w)
C Karunaratne	2.0	20	0	10	(2w)
V Viyaskanth	3.0	32	1	10.66	(1nb, 1w)

Wkt	Runs	Players
1st	63	WIA Fernando	K Mishara
2nd	2	Ibrahim Zadran	K Mishara
3rd	3	MNK Fernando	K Mishara
4th	4	PBB Rajapaksa	MNK Fernando
5th	12	MNK Fernando	DN Wellalage
6th	42	D Wiese	DN Wellalage
7th	27	D Wiese	C Wickramasinghe
8th	14	PP Chawla	D Wiese
9th	5	D Wiese	T Mathew
10th	5	LB Williams	T Mathew

Team	M	W	L	PT	NRR
GAG	6	4	2	8	0.848
CLK	5	3	2	6	0.371
JK	5	3	2	6	0.133
DAT	6	2	4	4	-0.556
KAR	6	2	4	4	-0.717

END OF OVER:19 | 4 Runs 1 Wkt | JK: 172/9 (42 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 9.05, RRR: 42.00)

END OF OVER:
19 | 4 Runs 1 Wkt | JK: 172/9 (42 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 9.05, RRR: 42.00)