Galle Gallants won their first Lanka Premier League title on Saturday, beating Jaffna Kings by five wickets in the final at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Charith Asalanka and Eshan Malinga shared six wickets to restrict Jaffna to 123, and Gallants chased the target down with 25 balls to spare.
Asalanka picked up 3 for 20 and later steered the chase, earning him the Player of the Match award. Kamil Mishara, who top-scored for Jaffna in the final, was named Player of the Series.
Asalanka and Malinga Rip Through Jaffna’s Middle Order
Jaffna Kings won the toss and chose to bat first, but never found rhythm against Galle’s bowling attack. Avishka Fernando got the innings moving with 20 off 16 balls before Tharindu Ratnayake removed him in the fourth over. Mishara held one end together, scoring 41 off 32 balls with five boundaries, but Malinga ended his innings in the 13th over.
Malinga finished with 3 for 25 and now leads the tournament’s wicket-takers list with 17 scalps at an economy of 9.32. Asalanka struck twice in a single over to remove Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Dunith Wellalage, both for single-digit scores, and returned later to clean up the tail. Chamindu Wickramasinghe fought back with 24 off 16 balls, but Jaffna folded for 123 in 19.3 overs, well short of a competitive total on a used Premadasa surface.
Gallants Survive Shakib’s Twin Strikes to Seal Chase
Galle’s chase began shakily when Sam Harper fell in the opening over, but Tom Rogers steadied the innings alongside his fellow Australian teammates in the top order.
Rogers scored 34 off 27 balls, striking five boundaries before Shakib Al Hasan trapped him in the ninth over. Shakib struck again in the same over, removing Dinura Kalupahana, who had made 31 off just 19 deliveries with six fours.
Chamika Karunaratne fell soon after for 16, and Jaffna briefly sensed a chance to pull the match back. Shakib finished with 2 for 15 from his four overs, the most economical spell of the innings, and Traveen Mathew backed him up with 2 for 15 as well.
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Shanaka and Arachchige Finish the Job for Galle
With the middle order under pressure, Dasun Shanaka and Sahan Arachchige took charge of the run chase. Shanaka smashed an unbeaten 20 off just nine balls, including two fours and a six, while Arachchige held his end with 14 not out off 19 deliveries.
The pair added the remaining runs without further alarm, sealing victory in 15.5 overs and handing Galle Gallants their maiden LPL crown. Malinga topped the bowling charts for the tournament, and Mishara finished as the leading run-scorer, but Galle’s title came down to strength in both departments on the day that mattered.
The franchise had missed out in previous editions of the LPL. This time, Asalanka delivered with the ball and stayed steady through the chase, and that combination earned him the Player of the Match award.
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