Thursday Jul 30, 2026
Thursday Jul 30, 2026
Monday, 20 July 2026 03:18 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Sa’adi Thawfeeq
A brilliant unbroken 115-run partnership for the fifth wicket off 60 balls between Janith Liyanage (53* off 32 balls, 6 fours, 1 six) and James Neesham (48* off 36 balls, 5 fours, 2 sixes) saw Colombo Kaps turn the game on its head and beat Kandy Falcons by six wickets to record their first win in the second LPL match played for the day under lights at the SSC grounds yesterday.
Chasing a target of 180, Kandy Falcons seemed to have the game well under control when they captured four wickets for 67 at the halfway stage of the innings with Wanindu Hasaranga choking them taking two quick wickets. Colombo needed 104 off the last eight overs and it was then that Player of the Match Liyanage and Neesham decided to change gears and to get Colombo over the line.
Although Neesham missed out on his fifty by two runs, his knock nevertheless was no less crucial than Liyanage’s unbeaten 53. The turning point was the 15th over by Garuka Sanketh, which saw a chance dropped over the boundary rope for six, followed by two no-balls, including one on a ball where Sanketh thought he had Neesham out. The over cost 25 runs and the runs then just kept coming for Colombo.
A disappointed Kandy Falcons captain Angelo Mathews said: “If not for our kiddish mistakes, we kept repeating dropped catches at crucial times and no-ball after no-ball, you can’t be doing those things in a professional game. This was a terrible game, one of the worst I’ve ever played. It was just about silly mistakes yesterday and we repeated the same. We can’t go a long way in the tournament if we keep doing this.”
Colombo Kaps lost their skipper Kusal Mendis who retired hurt early through an injury, but the win was all the sweeter. Even with the ball, they were largely impressive, with Binura Fernando and Hasan Mahmud sharing seven wickets.
Lahiru Udara held the early part of the innings with a half-century – 53 off 36 balls (8 fours, 1 six) and Mathews (45 off 42 balls, 2 fours, 2 sixes) and Moeen Ali (41 off 17 balls, 1 four, 4 sixes) helped Kandy Royals get to 179 with a stand of 65 off 36 balls.
Scores:
Kandy Royals 179 (20) (Lahiru Udara 53, Angelo Mathews 45, Moeen Ali 41, Binura Fernando 4/45, Hasan Mahmud 3/31)
Colombo Kaps 182-4 (19.4) (Kamindu Mendis 26, Ben McDermott 22, Janith Liyanage 53*, James Neesham 48*, W Hasaranga 2/29)
