Dambulla Sixers powered by an all-round performance from Marques Ackerman [2-27 and 35]  and an unbeaten 64 off 37 balls from Reeza Hendricks handed the Galle Gallants their first defeat in LPL 2026. The match, the 8th game in LPL 2026 was played on Wednesday [22nd July] at Dambulla. The Gallants used nine bowlers but were unable to restraint the Dambulla batsmen who won with six wickets in hand 23 balls remaining.

Scores:
Galle Gallants 178/8 in 20 overs [Lasith Croospulle 12, Sam Harper 40, Charith Asalanka 25, Chamika Karunarathne 45, Dasun Shanaka 20, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 16; Vishwa Lahiru 1-20, Fazalhaq Farooki 3-39, Maheesh Theekshan 1-29, Gulbadin Naib 1-23, Marques Ackerman 2-27]
Dambulla Sixers 180/4 in 16.1 overs [Niroshan Dickwella 14, Shaibzada Farhan 13, Reeza Hendricks 64*, Pavan Rathnayake 29, Marqes Ackerman 35, Gulbadin Naib 20*; Dasun Shanaka 1-18, Mohammad Nawaz 1-40, Eshan Malinga 1-35, Chamika karunarathne 1-07]

Jaffna Kings defended 179 runs to defeat Colombo Kaps by five runs in the 7th Match of the Lanka Premier League played on Wednesday [22nd July]  at Dambulla.

Chamindu Wickremasinghe was named player of the match for his 22 ball 43 while Lizaad Williams  captured three wickets for  the Kings.

Scores
Jaffna Kings 179/6 in 20 overs [Avishka Fernando 34, Kamil Mishara 39, Chamindu Wickremasinghe 43, Ibrahim Zadran 19, Dunith Wellalage 19, Shakib Al Hasan 10*; Mujeeb Ur Rahman 2-33, Shahnawaz Dehani 2-25, Milan Rathnayake 1-40, Wanuja Sahan 1-10]
Colombo Kaps 174/9 in 20 overs [Kamindu Mendis 58, Sharujan Shanmuganathan 26, Milan Rathnayake 15, Wanuja Sahan 34*; Dilshan Madushanka 2-12, Traveen Mathew 2-21, Lizaad Williams 3-29, Shakib Al Hasan 1-19, Dunith Wellalage 1-33]

by Reemus Fernando

‎

Rumesh Tharanga’s rise to the pinnacle of world javelin throwing has given Sri Lanka unprecedented confidence of securing a track and field medal at the Commonwealth Games, which gets underway on July 23 in Glasgow, Scotland.

‎For the first time in the nation’s athletics history, a Sri Lankan heads into a major multi-sport event as the world’s leading performer in his discipline. Neither at previous Commonwealth Games nor at any stage in more than a century of Sri Lankan athletics has the country entered such a competition with an athlete holding this distinction.

‎When Duncan White won Sri Lanka’s first Commonwealth Games athletics gold medal in Auckland in 1950, there were no world rankings or detailed seasonal performance lists comparable to today’s system. White had already announced himself on the world stage by winning the Olympic silver medal in 1948 before claiming Commonwealth glory.

‎Tharanga has now gone a step further by becoming the world’s season leader in the men’s javelin throw while also climbing to second in the World Athletics rankings. He (1347) trails world No. 1 Julian Webber (1348) by just a single ranking point , underlining his consistency at the highest level.

‎No Sri Lankan athlete has previously reached such heights in world athletics. Tharanga is also the country’s only athlete to have won top honours on the prestigious World Athletics Diamond League circuit, further cementing his status among the world’s elite.

‎His remarkable build-up to the Commonwealth Games has raised expectations that he could emulate Duncan White, who remains Sri Lanka’s only Commonwealth Games athletics gold medallist. Even Olympic silver medallist Susanthika Jayasinghe, arguably the country’s greatest female sprinter, was unable to reach the podium at the Commonwealth Games. Sugath Thilakarathne and Sriyani Kulawansa won bronzes.

‎Tharanga will be joined in the men’s javelin by Olympian Sumedha Ranasinghe, with both expected to face several athletes currently ranked among the world’s top ten.

‎Sri Lanka’s 20-member athletics team begins its campaign on Monday, with several competitors aiming to make their mark in field events. Pole vaulter Arunthavarasa Puvitharan, triple jumper Yeshan Wishmitha and high jumper S.A. Tharindu Dasun are among those expected to challenge for honours.

‎National record holder Ayomal Akalanka and Asitha Rathnasena will contest the men’s 400 metres hurdles, while Roshan Ranatunga will compete in the 110 metres hurdles.

‎Chamod Yodhasinghe and Induwara Weerarathne face a stern challenge in the men’s 100 metres. It was in this event that Sri Lanka won its only athletics medal at the previous Commonwealth Games through Yupun Abeykoon, who announced his premature retirement from competitive athletics earlier this week.

‎The men’s squad also includes Kalinga Kumarage (400m and mixed 4x400m relay), Kalhara Idupa Silva (400m and mixed relay), Aruna Dharshana (mixed relay), Harsha Karunarathna (800m) and Malith Thamel (200m).

‎In the women’s category, javelin thrower Dilhani Lekamge and Madushani Herath, who will compete in both the long jump and triple jump, are Sri Lanka’s only entrants in individual events.

‎Jithma Wijethunga, Lakshima Mendis and Araliya Sathsarani complete the women’s contingent as members of the mixed 4×400 metres relay pool, where Sri Lanka will also be hoping for a competitive performance.‎