The Kandy Royals (KR) and Dambulla Sixers (DS) play their opening game of the 2026 Lanka Premier League when they take the field at the Sinhalese Cricket Club in the capital city of Colombo on Saturday, July 18. Both sides will be wanting to kickstart the new season with a win. 

KR will be captained by one of Sri Lanka's best players in recent times, Angelo Matthews. The side is bolstered by the presence of Kusal Perera and Wanindu Hasaranga, along with international stars like Moeen Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Vijay Shankar and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. 

DS, on the other hand, will be captained by Dinesh Chandimal. He will be aided by Reeza Hendricks, Sahibzada Farhan, and Gulbadin Naib and will also have a strong core of bowlers with the likes of Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, and Fazalhaq Farooqi in their ranks.

KR vs DS: Match Details

Match	Kandy Royals vs Dambulla Sixers, Match 2, Lanka Premier League 2026
Date and Time (IST)	Saturday, July 18, 2026, 3:30 PM (IST)
Venue	Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo
Broadcast and Live-Streaming	JioStar Network Channels and JioHotstar (App & Website)

Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo: Pitch Report

The Sinhalese Sports Club is generally known for providing friendly conditions for the batters. However, it does not mean that the bowlers are completely out of the equation. The fast bowlers can get assistance with the new ball in the powerplay, while the spinners can get help through the deteriorating pitch in the latter stages of the contest. 

KR vs DS: Head-to-Head Record

Matches Played	2
Won By KR	2
Won By DS	0
No Result	0
First-ever Fixture	July 1, 2024
Most Recent Fixture	July 15, 2024

KR vs DS: Predicted Playing XIs Kandy Royals:

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Kusal Perera, Moeen Ali, Angelo Mathews (C), Muditha Lakshan, Wanindu Hasaranga, Vijay Shankar, Isitha Wijesundara, Asitha Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Zahir Khan

Dambulla Sixers:

Niroshan Dickwella (WK), Reeza Hendricks, Dinesh Chandimal (C), Sahibzada Farhan, Gulbadin Naib, Ramesh Mendis, Gayana Weerasinghe, Maheesh Theekshana, Akila Dananjaya, Dushmantha Chameera, Fazalhaq Farooqi

KR vs DS: Probable Best Performers of the Match Probable Best Batter: Rahmanullah Gurbaz

Coming on the back of two consecutive centuries in the Shpageeza Cricket League, Rahmanullah Gurbaz is one of the in-form batters in the Lanka Premier League. The right-handed batter also scored a hundred against India in a One Day International (ODI) in Dharamshala, showcasing his purple patch over the past month. 

Probable Best Bowler: Dushmantha Chameera

Dushmantha Chameera had a decent white-ball outing during Sri Lanka's all-format tour to the West Indies. He registered figures of 3 for 9 during the second T20I to help his side secure a comfortable 37-run victory over the hosts.

Today's Match Prediction: Dambulla Sixers hold the edge