Galle Marvels have claimed their first-ever Lanka Premier League (LPL) title, defeating the Jaffna Kings in a low-scoring final at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Despite a dominant performance during the league stage, the Jaffna Kings—a team that drew significant attention from Bangladeshi fans due to the presence of stars Shakib Al Hasan and Towhid Hridoy—failed to secure the championship trophy.
In the final, Galle’s bowling attack dismantled the Jaffna lineup, bowling them out for just 123 runs. Galle chased down the 124-run target in only 15.5 overs, losing five wickets along the way and securing the victory with 25 balls to spare. Charith Asalanka and Eshan Malinga were instrumental in the win, combining to take six wickets and effectively controlling the match from the outset.
Eshan Malinga finished the tournament as the leading wicket-taker with 17 scalps, maintaining an economy rate of 9.32. In the final, he claimed three wickets, including that of Shakib Al Hasan. For Jaffna, wicketkeeper-opener Kamil Mishara provided the most resistance with a 32-ball 41 before falling to Malinga in the 13th over, while Chamindu Wickramasinghe contributed 25 runs off 16 balls.
The Bangladeshi duo struggled with the bat, as Hridoy managed only 10 runs off 10 balls, and Shakib scored 9 runs from 13 deliveries. Alongside Malinga, Charith Asalanka and ambidextrous spinner Tharindu Ratnayake were key to the bowling effort, with Ratnayake conceding just 14 runs while taking two wickets.
Chasing 124, Galle lost Sam Harper in the opening over but recovered through Tom Rogers, who scored 34 off 27 balls, and Dinura Kalupahana, who added 31 off 19. Although Shakib Al Hasan briefly revived Jaffna’s hopes in the ninth over by taking two wickets in consecutive deliveries—dismissing both Rogers and Kalupahana—and later removing Chamika Karunaratne, Dasun Shanaka and Sahan Arachchige held firm to guide Galle to a five-wicket victory.
