FORMER CHAMPIONS clash in the LPL 2026 DOUBLEHEADER. Kandy Falcons take on Dambulla Sixers in Match 2 at the SSC Ground, Colombo on Saturday, July 18 at 5:30 PM IST (3:00 PM local, day/night).
These two met in the 2023 LPL FINAL (Kandy won by 5 wkts for their only title). Wanindu Hasaranga (c) leads Kandy 15 wkts SR 14.8 + 131 runs SR 179 in recent LPL = BEST all-rounder in the league.
Angelo Mathews (SL legend, 261 runs avg 37 SR 151 recent LPL). Rahmanullah Gurbaz (AFG) is the most EXPLOSIVE opener in T20 cricket (IPL 2024: 224 runs SR 162 for KKR).
Dambulla’s pace attack is TERRIFYING: Fazalhaq Farooqi (AFG, 17 wkts T20 WC 2024 leading) + Dushmantha Chameera (SL express) + Maheesh Theekshana (mystery off-spin). Reeza Hendricks (SA) 225 runs avg 37 recent LPL. BOTH teams’ FIRST match of LPL 2026.
KFL vs DS Match Details
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | Kandy Falcons vs Dambulla Sixers, Match 2, Lanka Premier League 2026 |
| Date | Saturday, 18 July 2026 |
| Time | 5:30 PM IST / 3:00 PM local (DAY/NIGHT match) |
| Venue | SSC Ground, Colombo. 2nd match at this venue. Batting-friendly. Spin-friendly in middle overs. Short boundaries. Afternoon start means less dew than night matches. SSC hosted its first T20I during 2026 T20 WC. |
| Series | Lanka Premier League 2026 (Season 6). Match 2 of 24. Impact Player rule NEW. U-23 mandatory. 5 teams. Double round-robin + playoffs. July 17–August 8. |
| Context | KFL (2023 champions, only LPL title): Hasaranga (c, 15 wkts SR 14.8 + 131 runs SR 179 recent). Mathews (261 runs avg 37 SR 151). Dickwella (WK, aggressive left-hand). Chandimal (experienced). Nuwan Thushara (SL express pace, yorker specialist). Moeen Ali (ENG AR). Shaheen Afridi (PAK left-arm fast, NOC received). Vijay Shankar (IND AR, LPL debut). Won 2023 LPL final vs Dambulla by 5 wkts. DS (2023 FINALISTS, lost that final): Gurbaz (AFG, EXPLOSIVE, IPL 224 runs SR 162). Hendricks (SA, 225 runs avg 37 recent LPL). Sams (AUS, left-arm + power-hitting). Chameera (SL express 145kph+). Farooqi (AFG, T20 WC 2024 leading wicket-taker 17 wkts). Theekshana (mystery off-spin, IPL + CPL star). Gulbadin Naib (AFG AR). Sahibzada Farhan (PAK, aggressive bat). TERRIFYING pace attack. |
Dream11 Team for KFL vs DS, Match 2
Top Picks For KFL vs DS, Match 2
| Player | Team | Role | Key Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wanindu Hasaranga | KFL | Captain / AR | Captain pick. KFL captain. 15 wkts + 131 runs SR 179. Leg-spin + aggressive bat. BEST LPL all-rounder. At 2x. |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | DS | VC / WK | Vice-Captain. AFG EXPLOSIVE opener. IPL SR 162. Short boundaries suit. 360-degree strokeplay. At 1.5x. |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | DS | Bowler | T20 WC 2024 LEADING wicket-taker (17 wkts). AFG left-arm fast. Powerplay specialist. DEVASTATING swing. |
| Angelo Mathews | KFL | Batter | 261 runs avg 37 SR 151 in recent LPL. SL legend. 18,000+ international runs. Experience. Must-pick. |
| Maheesh Theekshana | DS | Bowler | Mystery off-spin. Carrom ball specialist. IPL + CPL star. Middle-overs wicket-taker. SSC surface suits. |
Pitch Report
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Venue | SSC Ground, Colombo. 2nd match here (after opening night). Surface will start showing slight wear. |
| Pitch Type | BATTING-FRIENDLY with growing SPIN assistance. Day/night match (3:00 PM start) means less dew than evening match. Spin effective from both ends. Short boundaries. True bounce for pace early. |
| Average 1st Innings Score | ~165–180 in T20s. 170+ competitive. 185+ dominant. Below 150 risky. |
| Pace vs Spin | PACE early (Thushara yorkers for KFL; Farooqi 17 T20 WC wkts + Chameera 145kph for DS). SPIN DOMINANT middle overs (Hasaranga 15 wkts leg-spin for KFL; Theekshana mystery + Dananjaya for DS). SSC = SPIN HEAVEN. |
| Toss Factor | BAT FIRST slightly preferred. Day/night match. Less dew than night matches. Afternoon start (3:00 PM). Batting conditions best early. Spin grows as surface dries. |
| Key Matchup | Hasaranga (leg-spin) vs Gurbaz (explosive left-hand). Leg-spin to left-handers = turning INTO the bat. Gurbaz attacks spin. Also Farooqi (left-arm swing) vs Mathews (experienced right-hand) — swing vs technique. |
Weather Report
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 28–31°C (82–88°F). Tropical afternoon heat in Colombo. |
| Sky | Partly cloudy. Standard tropical conditions. |
| Rain Chance | 20–30% possible brief tropical showers. Unlikely to cause significant delays. |
| Humidity | HIGH (70–85%). Colombo humidity. Assists swing in first session. |
| Overall | HOT tropical afternoon for a DAY/NIGHT T20. Fitness will be tested. 31°C heat. Less dew than night matches. Good batting conditions. |
KFL vs DS Match 2 Toss Prediction
The toss winner should bat first. Day/night match with 3:00 PM start. Less dew than night matches. Batting conditions best early on a fresh SSC surface. Spin grows as pitch dries. Set 175+ and defend with Hasaranga + Theekshana spin. BOTH Hasaranga and the DS captain will bat first.
If Wanindu Hasaranga (Kandy Falcons) wins, he bats first. Deploy Dickwella (WK, aggressive left-hand) + Chandimal at the top. Mathews (261 runs avg 37 SR 151) anchors. Moeen Ali (ENG) + Hasaranga (SR 179) power in middle. Vijay Shankar finishes. Set 175+. Then Thushara (yorker specialist) + Shaheen/Asitha new ball vs Gurbaz + Hendricks. Hasaranga (15 wkts) leg-spin in middle overs on drying SSC surface. Defend.
If the Dambulla Sixers captain wins, he bats first. Deploy Gurbaz (IPL SR 162, EXPLOSIVE) + Hendricks (225 runs avg 37) at the top for a DEVASTATING powerplay. Sams (AUS) middle order. Gulbadin + Farhan power. Set 180+ with Gurbaz’s six-hitting on short SSC boundaries. Then Farooqi (17 T20 WC wkts) + Chameera (145kph) new ball vs Dickwella + Chandimal. Theekshana (mystery spin) in middle overs vs Mathews + Moeen. Defend.
Injury and Team News
Kandy Falcons:
Kandy won the 2023 LPL title (beat Dambulla in the final by 5 wkts) and are the ONLY team besides Jaffna to have won the LPL. Wanindu Hasaranga (c) is the BEST all-rounder in LPL history (15 wkts SR 14.8 + 131 runs SR 179 recent).
Angelo Mathews brings 18,000+ international runs and SL veteran experience (261 runs avg 37 SR 151 recent LPL). Niroshan Dickwella adds left-hand WK-batting aggression. Dinesh Chandimal provides experience.
Nuwan Thushara (SL express pace, yorker specialist, T20 WC star). Moeen Ali (ENG) off-spin AR. Shaheen Afridi (PAK) left-arm fast (NOC received). Vijay Shankar (IND) makes his LPL debut.
Dambulla Sixers:
Dambulla Sixers lost the 2023 LPL final to Kandy by 5 wkts. Now they face the SAME opponents in Match 2. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (AFG) is the most EXPLOSIVE T20 opener outside the IPL (224 runs SR 162 for KKR in IPL 2024). Reeza Hendricks (SA) adds consistent runs (225 avg 37 recent LPL).
Daniel Sams (AUS) provides left-arm pace + power-hitting. The PACE ATTACK is TERRIFYING: Fazalhaq Farooqi (AFG, T20 WC 2024 LEADING wicket-taker with 17 wkts, left-arm swing), Dushmantha Chameera (SL, 145kph+ express), and Maheesh Theekshana (mystery off-spin, carrom ball specialist, IPL + CPL star). Also Gulbadin Naib (AFG) and Sahibzada Farhan (PAK) add subcontinental flair.
