Match Details
CK vs KR, Eliminator 1 T20, LPL 2026 live
Colombo Kaps
Kandy Royals
Commentary
6:29 PM IST and Local Time: Hello and a very warm welcome to all of you for the live coverage of the Eliminator match of the Lanka Premier League 2026 between Colombo Kaps and Kandy Royals.
I am Saptak Sanyal and I will be joined by my co-commentator Ninaad Dixit and the scorer/analyst of the match Yogesh Kumar to take you through all the live details of the match.
I am Saptak Sanyal and I will be joined by my co-commentator Ninaad Dixit and the scorer/analyst of the match Yogesh Kumar to take you through all the live details of the match.
Colombo Kaps (Probable XI): Rubin Hermann, Ashen Bandara, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Jimmy Neesham, Janith Liyanage, Wanuja Sahan, Kamindu Mendis (c), Malsha Tharupathi, Milan Rathnayake, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ripon Mondol
Kandy Royals (Probable XI): Lahiru Udara (wk), Dale Phillips, Pawan Sandesh, Angelo Mathews (c), Vijay Shankar/Daniel Sams, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushan Hemantha, Shaheen Afridi, Nuwan Thushara, Asitha Fernando, Zahir Khan
SQUAD UPDATE OF KANDY ROYALS: Star all-rounder Moeen Ali (The Hundred call-up from Southern Brave), Sediqullah Atal (national duty) and Brandon McMullen (national duty) have departed from the LPL. But the big news from the squad is the arrival of speedster Shaheen Afridi, who rejoins the Royals for the playoff leg, with Khushdil Shah and Hasan Nawaz chipping in as replacements.
Preview by Abhishek Sharma
The Lanka Premier League 2026 playoffs kick off with a doubleheader as the action moves to Colombo, featuring an exciting Eliminator match. This second game of the day will see the third-placed Colombo Kaps face off against the fourth-ranked Kandy Royals at R. Premadasa Stadium this Wednesday, August 5th.
The Colombo Kaps have experienced a rollercoaster season so far, finishing with an even 4-4 record. In contrast, the Kandy Royals were quite fortunate to clinch a playoff spot, ending with 3 wins in 8 matches. Their luck turned just in time, thanks to the Dambulla Sixers' final league game being washed out by rain.
The Colombo Kaps hold a clear psychological edge, having defeated the Royals in both their previous encounters this season. In their first meeting, a half-century from Lahiru Udara (53) and contributions from skipper Angelo Mathews (45) and Moeen Ali (41) helped the Royals post a competitive 179/10. For the Kaps, Binura Fernando was the standout with four wickets, while Hasan Mahmud claimed three. During the chase, the Royals' top order stumbled to 56/4, but an unbroken century stand between Jimmy Neesham (48*) and Janith Liyanage (53*) turned the tide, securing a win with two balls to spare; Wanindu Hasaranga was the pick of the bowlers for the Royals.
Their second clash saw the Kaps secure a more comfortable 23-run victory. Batting first, half-centuries from Rubin Hermann (53) and Janith Liyanage (52) propelled them to 192/9, with Shaheen Afridi, Moeen Ali, and Dushan Hemantha taking two wickets apiece for the Royals. In reply, the Royals could only manage 169/8. Despite contributions from Dale Phillips (38) and Vijay Shankar (30), and a late unbeaten 39 from Angelo Mathews, they fell short. Mujeeb Ur Rahman starred for the Kaps, finishing with three wickets to seal the win.
The Colombo Kaps head into this upcoming challenge looking to bounce back from a tough loss against the Galle Gallants. In that recent encounter, the opposition set a daunting target of 201/6, largely driven by Charith Asalanka’s 58 and Sahan Arachchige’s 43. Wanuja Sahan was the standout bowler for the Kaps, picking up two valuable wickets.
Tasked with a steep chase, the Kaps started well as Sadeera Samarawickrama (37) and Ben McDermott (38) built a solid foundation at the top of the order. However, middle-order pressure stalled their progress, causing the required run rate to climb. Though Malsha Tharupathi (36) and Milan Rathnayake (21) offered late resistance with a gritty 52-run partnership for the eighth wicket, the target proved just out of reach. The Kaps were ultimately bowled out for 188 with two balls to spare, undone by a disciplined bowling effort led by Mohammad Nawaz, who claimed three wickets, alongside Akif Javed and Eshan Malinga, who picked up two wickets apiece.
The Kandy Royals also head into this knockout clash aiming to bounce back from a hard-fought 21-run defeat to the SC Jaffna Kings in their final league encounter. Facing a daunting target of 222, the Royals were kept in the contest by a disciplined effort from skipper Wanindu Hasaranga and Moeen Ali, who each claimed two wickets, while the Kings' innings was defined by Kamil Mishara (49), Avishka Fernando (36), and a late surge from Chamindu Wickramasinghe (43).
The Kandy Royals’ pursuit began with promise, as Lahiru Udara (30) and Pawan Sandesh (48) established a solid foundation. However, the Royals struggled to maintain that rhythm in the middle overs, with experienced campaigners Kusal Perera and Moeen Ali unable to capitalise. Despite a spirited late-innings burst from Shaheen Afridi (24) and skipper Wanindu Hasaranga (24), the team could not bridge the gap. Ultimately, the Kandy Royals fell 21 runs short, thwarted by a disciplined spin performance from SC Jaffna Kings’ duo Shakib Al Hasan and Dunith Wellalage, who claimed three wickets apiece.
Skipper Angelo Mathews is expected to return for this encounter after missing out on the last league match for Kandy Royals.
Though the Colombo Kaps are viewed as the favourites for this knockout clash, cricket is notoriously unpredictable, and statistics often count for little once play begins. The Kandy Royals remain determined to ignore the odds and seize their opportunity to advance, believing that a superior performance on the day is the only metric that matters. As they set their sights on a spot in Qualifier 2, both teams brace for a high-stakes encounter. Catch all the excitement this Wednesday at 6:30 PM IST & Local Time.
The Lanka Premier League 2026 playoffs kick off with a doubleheader as the action moves to Colombo, featuring an exciting Eliminator match. This second game of the day will see the third-placed Colombo Kaps face off against the fourth-ranked Kandy Royals at R. Premadasa Stadium this Wednesday, August 5th.
The Colombo Kaps have experienced a rollercoaster season so far, finishing with an even 4-4 record. In contrast, the Kandy Royals were quite fortunate to clinch a playoff spot, ending with 3 wins in 8 matches. Their luck turned just in time, thanks to the Dambulla Sixers' final league game being washed out by rain.
The Colombo Kaps hold a clear psychological edge, having defeated the Royals in both their previous encounters this season. In their first meeting, a half-century from Lahiru Udara (53) and contributions from skipper Angelo Mathews (45) and Moeen Ali (41) helped the Royals post a competitive 179/10. For the Kaps, Binura Fernando was the standout with four wickets, while Hasan Mahmud claimed three. During the chase, the Royals' top order stumbled to 56/4, but an unbroken century stand between Jimmy Neesham (48*) and Janith Liyanage (53*) turned the tide, securing a win with two balls to spare; Wanindu Hasaranga was the pick of the bowlers for the Royals.
Their second clash saw the Kaps secure a more comfortable 23-run victory. Batting first, half-centuries from Rubin Hermann (53) and Janith Liyanage (52) propelled them to 192/9, with Shaheen Afridi, Moeen Ali, and Dushan Hemantha taking two wickets apiece for the Royals. In reply, the Royals could only manage 169/8. Despite contributions from Dale Phillips (38) and Vijay Shankar (30), and a late unbeaten 39 from Angelo Mathews, they fell short. Mujeeb Ur Rahman starred for the Kaps, finishing with three wickets to seal the win.
The Colombo Kaps head into this upcoming challenge looking to bounce back from a tough loss against the Galle Gallants. In that recent encounter, the opposition set a daunting target of 201/6, largely driven by Charith Asalanka’s 58 and Sahan Arachchige’s 43. Wanuja Sahan was the standout bowler for the Kaps, picking up two valuable wickets.
Tasked with a steep chase, the Kaps started well as Sadeera Samarawickrama (37) and Ben McDermott (38) built a solid foundation at the top of the order. However, middle-order pressure stalled their progress, causing the required run rate to climb. Though Malsha Tharupathi (36) and Milan Rathnayake (21) offered late resistance with a gritty 52-run partnership for the eighth wicket, the target proved just out of reach. The Kaps were ultimately bowled out for 188 with two balls to spare, undone by a disciplined bowling effort led by Mohammad Nawaz, who claimed three wickets, alongside Akif Javed and Eshan Malinga, who picked up two wickets apiece.
The Kandy Royals also head into this knockout clash aiming to bounce back from a hard-fought 21-run defeat to the SC Jaffna Kings in their final league encounter. Facing a daunting target of 222, the Royals were kept in the contest by a disciplined effort from skipper Wanindu Hasaranga and Moeen Ali, who each claimed two wickets, while the Kings' innings was defined by Kamil Mishara (49), Avishka Fernando (36), and a late surge from Chamindu Wickramasinghe (43).
The Kandy Royals’ pursuit began with promise, as Lahiru Udara (30) and Pawan Sandesh (48) established a solid foundation. However, the Royals struggled to maintain that rhythm in the middle overs, with experienced campaigners Kusal Perera and Moeen Ali unable to capitalise. Despite a spirited late-innings burst from Shaheen Afridi (24) and skipper Wanindu Hasaranga (24), the team could not bridge the gap. Ultimately, the Kandy Royals fell 21 runs short, thwarted by a disciplined spin performance from SC Jaffna Kings’ duo Shakib Al Hasan and Dunith Wellalage, who claimed three wickets apiece.
Skipper Angelo Mathews is expected to return for this encounter after missing out on the last league match for Kandy Royals.
Though the Colombo Kaps are viewed as the favourites for this knockout clash, cricket is notoriously unpredictable, and statistics often count for little once play begins. The Kandy Royals remain determined to ignore the odds and seize their opportunity to advance, believing that a superior performance on the day is the only metric that matters. As they set their sights on a spot in Qualifier 2, both teams brace for a high-stakes encounter. Catch all the excitement this Wednesday at 6:30 PM IST & Local Time.
Colombo Kaps Squad: Kamindu Mendis (c), Ben McDermott (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Jimmy Neesham, Jeffrey Vandersay, Rubin Hermann (wk), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Shahnawaz Dahani, Kushal Bhurtel, Milan Rathnayake, Janith Liyanage, Thanuka Dabare, Wanuja Sahan, Movin Subasingha, Sharujan Shanmuganathan (wk), Malsha Tharupathi, Arul Pragasam, Binura Fernando, Ripon Mondol
Kandy Royals Squad: Angelo Mathews (c), Vijay Shankar, Wanindu Hasaranga, Isitha Wijesundara, Dushan Hemantha, Dale Phillips, Sahan Mihira, Zahir Khan, Pawan Sandesh, Daniel Sams, Muditha Lakshan, Lahiru Udara (wk), Kusal Perera (wk), Asitha Fernando, Garuka Sanketh, Nuwan Thushara, Kavija Gamage