29/07Result
16th Match (D/N), Lanka Premier League at Kandy, Jul 29 2026
Royals won by 6 wkts (7b rem)
Player of the Match
Lahiru UdaraKandy Royals
29/07Result
16th Match (D/N), Lanka Premier League at Kandy, Jul 29 2026
Royals won by 6 wkts (7b rem)
Player of the Match
Lahiru UdaraKandy Royals

Well, that's all from today's first match, folks. Thank you for tuning in! Do join Rvel Zahid for the second LPL game of the day, kicking off at the same venue in just half an hour. Until then, this is Rashad Mahbub signing off on behalf of Chetan Kumar. Goodbye!

Angelo Matthews: "[Was it a good toss to lose?] Well, to be honest, I can't win a toss! Yeah, I was disappointed because we wanted to bat first as well. The bowlers were under pressure on a very good wicket. At the halfway mark, I thought they were 20 to 30 runs above an average score, so it was a real tough chase for us. But kudos to Lahiru Udara - that innings was one of the best I've ever seen. [Losing momentum with the mini collapse] No, I thought we did well in patches, and the bowlers did well in patches. They tried, but their batting line-up is such that you can't really keep them quiet in every single over. Unfortunately, we missed our lines and lengths in a few overs, but our batting compensated for it."

Player of the Match: Lahiru Udara

Shadow-Shell: "What a one man show from Igalagamage! With the highest score in LPL"

Zain: "Absolute gem of an innings!! those dropped catches by Karun though - "catches win matches""

6:47 pm It was the Lahiru Udara show, and we were all just along for the ride. Udara came out with all guns blazing, smashing three boundaries in the very first over, and never looked back. He was dropped on 40 by Chamika Karunaratne at deep square leg, a mistake that proved immensely costly. The opening batter stormed to his fifty off just 21 balls, driving the Royals to 83 runs in the powerplay, with 68 of those coming off his own bat. The opening stand yielded 103 runs before Sandesh was caught at deep midwicket off Colombage in the eighth over. At the 10-over mark, the Kandy Royals were cruising at 124 for 1, with Udara continuing his dominance. However, the Gallants found a way back: Hasaranga was caught at deep midwicket, and Colombage struck twice in an over to dismiss Moeen and then Phillips for a duck, temporarily dragging down the run rate. As wickets fell at the other end, the pressure began to build and Udara's scoring rate slowed, but a crucial partnership with skipper Mathews put the chase back on track. Udara eventually reached his maiden T20 century off 54 balls, reaching the milestone with back to back boundaries off Ratnayake. To cap off a nightmare fielding display for the Gallants, Karunaratne put him down yet again, this time on 101 at deep cover. Poor bowling discipline and sloppy fielding gave the Gallants no chance of defending the total. Udara remained unbeaten on 132 off 63 balls, sealing the victory in grand style with a flat six over long on to reclaim the orange cap and keep his team's tournament alive.

Kandy Royals won by 6 wickets

18.5
6
Akif Javed to Igalagamage, SIX, Kandy Royals keep their playoff hopes alive, beating the table-toppers for the second time this season, and doing it in style right in front of their home crowd! Take a bow, Lahiru Udara. What a remarkable innings from him, dragging his side back from the brink to take them over the line. What a special moment for the home team and their fans! Javed bowls a full and overpitched ball in the slot, Udara casually gets underneath the line of the ball and chips this one over the long on ropes, timed it beautifully and finishes the game in style.
18.5
1w
Akif Javed to Igalagamage, 1 wide, Scores Level! Short and over the batter's head, left alone to the keeper
18.4
6
Akif Javed to Igalagamage, SIX, Scoops it away! Low full toss ball darted outside off, premeditates across the line and nails the lap scoop stroke, connects it cleanly and swipes it over fine leg
18.3
1
Akif Javed to Shankar, 1 run, low full toss ball knocks it to the mid-off fielder and rotates the strike

Sahan: "What a find Lahiru is for both Kandy and SLC"

18.2
4
Akif Javed to Shankar, FOUR, Short of a length ball around off, stands tall inside the crease and swings it away towards the vacant deep midwicket area. 200 up for the Royals!

Free Hit

18.2
3nb
Akif Javed to Shankar, (no ball) 2 runs, pace off fuller length ball around off, shovels it across the line to deep midwicket and completes the double. And the siren goes off, Akif Javed has overstepped!
18.2
2w
Akif Javed to Igalagamage, 2 wides, bowls a loose full toss ball wide outside off, lands in front of Harper and the keeper fails to gather it cleanly
18.1
6
Akif Javed to Igalagamage, SIX, Smacked over long on! Length ball around off, clears the front leg and heaves it away, doesn't time it well enough but still manages to deposit it on the boundary cushion

24 runs needed off 12 balls. Akif Javed to bowl the penultimate over.

END OF OVER:
18 | 10 Runs | KAR: 185/4 (24 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 10.27, RRR: 12.00)

  • Lahiru Udara114 (60b)
  • Eshan Malinga3-0-37-1
  • Akif Javed3-0-37-0
17.6
W
Malinga to Igalagamage, 1 run, yorker ball on the stumps, digs it out to deep square leg for a single. Mathews is retired hurt now, struggling to walk back to the dugout. Vijay Shankar walks in as the new batter.

AD Mathews retired hurt 14 (28m 12b 1x4 0x6) SR: 116.66

Physio is in to attend Matthews' hamstring issue. Plenty of crepe bandage being wrapped around Mathews' right hamstring now.

17.5
4
Malinga to Igalagamage, FOUR, Edged and put down by Harper! Bowls a widish fuller length ball and Udara throws the kitchen sink at it, gets the thickish outside edge and Harper dives to his left side, tried to grab it with his right hand and only managed to get a few fingertips on it, trickles away to third man ropes. Tough chance though.
17.4
1
Malinga to Mathews, 1 run, low full toss ball flicked away to deep midwicket sweeper fielder, Matthews is hobbling, looks like he has hurt his hamstring again
17.3
1
Malinga to Igalagamage, 1 run, fuller length ball clobbers it aerially to long off, doesn't carry to the fielde there
17.2
1
Malinga to Mathews, 1 run, slower bouncer ball wide outside off, pulled away to deep midwicket
17.1
2
Malinga to Mathews, 2 runs, pace off length ball drags it down to midwicket for a couple of runs

Here's Malinga. 34 runs needed off 18 balls.

END OF OVER:
17 | 14 Runs | KAR: 175/4 (34 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 10.29, RRR: 11.33)

  • Lahiru Udara108 (57b)
  • Angelo Mathews10 (9b)
  • Akif Javed3-0-37-0
  • Tharindu Ratnayake4-0-45-0
16.6
0
Akif Javed to Igalagamage, no run, shortish length ball outside off, tries to slash it hard over point, swing and a miss. Udara is furious at himself for missing out on that one!
16.5
6
Akif Javed to Igalagamage, SIX, Slammed over extra cover! Pace on fuller length ball angling away, extends his arms and flays this one high over the cover region
16.4
1
Akif Javed to Mathews, 1 run, full and width on offer outside off, hoicks it across the line and inside edges onto the pad
16.3
4
Akif Javed to Mathews, FOUR, Hammered! Full and overpitched outside off, walks across and blasts this one over the mid-off infield
16.3
1w
Akif Javed to Mathews, 1 wide, sprays it wide outside the off-side tramline
16.2
1
Akif Javed to Igalagamage, 1 run, Dropped by Karunaratne again! Fuller length ball angling away outside off, slices it with the toe-end of the bat, hits it hard and flat to deep cover. Karunaratne rushes in and fails to hold on to it. Shanaka can't believe it.
16.1
1
Akif Javed to Mathews, 1 run, starts with a widish yorker ball outside off, shovels it away to cover point

Akif Javed to bowl now

Royals 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st103LU IgalagamagePawan Sandesh
2nd22LU IgalagamagePW Hasaranga
3rd10MM AliLU Igalagamage
4th2LU IgalagamageDN Phillips
5th48AD MathewsLU Igalagamage
5th29V ShankarLU Igalagamage