Shakib Al Hasan stars as Jaffna Kings beat Kandy Royals in LPL thriller

Shakib Al Hasan picked up a three-wicket haul and played a crucial cameo with the bat as Jaffna Kings defeated Kandy Royals by 21 runs in the 18th fixture of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Set a daunting target of 222, Royals were bowled out for 200 on the final ball of the innings. Earlier, Jaffna Kings posted a massive total of 221-6 in their 20 overs after being put into bat first.

Kings’ innings was built on a big opening stand, with Kamil Mishara and Avishka Fernando sharing 95 runs inside seven overs. Mishara fell one shy of a half-century, smashing five sixes and two fours, while Fernando scored 36 off 22 balls with the aid of three fours and a six. After a challenging powerplay, Royals bowlers pulled things back with quick wickets, leaving Kings at 139-5 in 14.2 overs.

However, Shakib Al Hasan and Chamindu Wickramasinghe stitched a 59-run partnership off just 23 balls to take their side into a commanding position. Wickramasinghe struck four sixes and three fours in his 15-ball 43, while Shakib made 22 off 16, including a six and a four. For Kandy Royals, Moeen Ali and Wanindu Hasaranga shared four wickets between them, while Shaheen Afridi remained wicketless and conceded 43 runs in his three overs.

In reply, Royals kept the chase alive until the final ball but ultimately fell short, with Shakib’s three-wicket haul proving decisive. The all-round performance strengthens Jaffna Kings’ position in the LPL standings as the tournament progresses.