Reeza Hendricks Lifts Dambulla Sixers to 2nd Spot in LPL 2026

Reeza Hendricks struck an unbeaten 64 from 37 balls as Dambulla Sixers chased down 179 in only 16.1 overs to defeat Galle Gallants by six wickets in Match 8 of the Lanka Premier League 2026 at Dambulla.

The Sixers entered the contest after two consecutive defeats and faced the only unbeaten team in the tournament. By the end of the night, they had dismantled Galle’s perfect record, repaired much of the damage to their net run rate and climbed to second place in the LPL 2026 points table.

Galle posted a competitive 178 for eight after Sam Harper, Chamika Karunaratne and Dasun Shanaka contributed valuable runs. Their innings lost momentum during the final four overs, however, as Dambulla took four wickets for 28 runs.

Hendricks then controlled the chase with nine fours and one six. Pavan Rathnayake supplied an explosive 29 from 11 deliveries, Marques Ackerman added 35, and Gulbadin Naib finished the match with an unbeaten 20 from six balls.

The result opened the tournament table considerably. Galle, Dambulla and Jaffna Kings all finished Match 8 with four points, although the Gallants retained first place because they remained the only team with a positive net run rate.

Galle Attack Early Despite Losing Croospulle

Dushmantha Chameera, captaining Dambulla for the first time in the tournament, chose to field on a surface he considered better for batting than the pitch at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground.

Vishwa Lahiru gave the Sixers an early breakthrough when Lasith Croospulle was caught for 12 in the third over. The dismissal did little to slow Galle.

Sam Harper and Charith Asalanka added 64 runs for the second wicket and took the Gallants to 57 for one at the end of the powerplay. Galle reached 50 in only 4.4 overs, setting an aggressive tone against a Dambulla attack that had struggled to contain Kandy Royals one night earlier.

Harper was the main aggressor. His 40 came from 22 balls and included three fours and three sixes. He targeted anything short or overpitched and kept Galle’s run rate comfortably above nine an over.

Asalanka played the supporting role during the partnership, finding gaps and allowing Harper to retain the attacking responsibility. The pair completed a 50-run stand from 30 deliveries before Gulbadin Naib bowled Harper for 40.

The wicket arrived at 78 for two in the ninth over and offered Dambulla a route back into the innings.

Marques Ackerman Changes the Middle Overs

Marques Ackerman was primarily selected for his batting, but his part-time bowling became one of the defining elements of the match.

He dismissed Asalanka for 25 with a return catch, ending another promising Galle partnership. Ackerman then removed Sahan Arachchige for six, with Sachitha Jayatilake completing the catch.

The two wickets reduced Galle from 78 for one to 107 for four. They also prevented the Gallants from using their strong top-order platform to launch an uninterrupted attack through the middle overs.

Ackerman finished with two for 27 from three overs. He bowled eight dot balls despite conceding four wides and removed two batters who had played important roles in Galle’s successful 190-run chase against Colombo Kaps.

His contribution later continued with the bat, making his performance one of the most complete individual displays of Match 8.

Chamika Karunaratne Rebuilds the Galle Innings

Chamika Karunaratne prevented Dambulla from taking complete control after the middle-over wickets.

He scored 45 from 30 balls, striking four fours and two sixes at a rate of 150. His innings combined careful strike rotation with timely boundary hitting and carried Galle toward a total that still appeared capable of testing the Sixers.

Karunaratne received attacking support from captain Dasun Shanaka. The pair added 43 for the fifth wicket and took Galle to 150 for four after 16 overs.

At that stage, the Gallants were positioned for a total above 190. They had six wickets in hand, two experienced finishers at the crease and four overs left on a favorable batting surface.

The finish never developed.

Farooqi Leads Dambulla’s Late Fightback

Fazalhaq Farooqi conceded runs during his opening spell but returned with better plans at the death.

The left-arm seamer dismissed Karunaratne for 45 in the 17th over, with Niroshan Dickwella taking the catch. Three balls later, Farooqi removed Mohammad Nawaz for two.

Maheesh Theekshana then accounted for Shanaka, who had scored 20 from 10 balls with one four and two sixes. Farooqi completed the innings by dismissing Mehidy Hasan Miraz for 16 from the final delivery.

Galle lost four wickets for 28 runs during the last four overs and finished on 178 for eight.

Farooqi’s final figures of three for 39 did not fully reflect his influence. He took three wickets during the phase when Galle were preparing to accelerate and prevented an already competitive total from moving beyond Dambulla’s reach.

Vishwa Lahiru also delivered an economical spell, taking one for 20 from three overs. Gulbadin conceded 23 runs and removed Harper, while Ackerman’s two wickets gave Chameera six viable bowling options.

The late recovery was especially important after Dambulla had allowed Kandy to reach 194 for six in their 43-run defeat in Match 6.

Dambulla Race to 70 Despite Losing Three Wickets

Dambulla’s chase began with the intent their captain had demanded.

Niroshan Dickwella struck two early boundaries before Mohammad Nawaz removed him for 14. Sahibzada Farhan followed after scoring 13 from eight deliveries, caught by Karunaratne off Shanaka.

The Sixers were 34 for two after 3.4 overs, but the early wickets did not force them into a conservative approach.

Pavan Rathnayake entered and immediately changed the pace of the chase. He hammered 29 from 11 balls at a strike rate of 263.63, hitting two fours and three sixes.

Rathnayake’s counterattack allowed Hendricks to settle without the required rate increasing. Their 36-run partnership came from only 14 deliveries and took Dambulla to 70 for three at the end of the powerplay.

Eshan Malinga bowled Rathnayake with the final delivery of the sixth over, but his job was already complete. The Sixers needed another 109 runs from 84 balls, with Hendricks established and the pressure shifted firmly onto Galle’s bowlers.

Reeza Hendricks Controls the Chase

Hendricks produced a clinical T20 chase rather than a reckless assault.

He scored his first 13 runs while Dambulla’s other top-order batters attacked around him. Once Rathnayake departed, Hendricks increased his tempo and began finding the boundary with greater frequency.

The South African reached his half-century from 30 balls with six fours and one six. He eventually finished unbeaten on 64 from 37 deliveries, having struck nine fours and one six at a rate of 172.97.

Hendricks’ control was particularly impressive because Dambulla had lost both their previous matches after winning their opening game. He resisted the temptation to finish the chase alone and instead built the partnership that removed Galle’s final realistic opportunity.

His unbeaten innings followed the 87 not out he scored when Dambulla defeated Kandy Royals in Match 2.

Across Dambulla’s two victories, Hendricks has now scored 151 runs without being dismissed. His ability to bat through the innings has given the Sixers a stable center around which their more aggressive hitters can operate.

Ackerman’s Partnership Removes the Risk

Ackerman joined Hendricks with Dambulla on 70 for three and helped turn a fast start into a controlled pursuit.

The pair added 69 runs from 47 balls for the fourth wicket. Ackerman contributed 35 from 25 deliveries, including one four and two sixes.

The partnership was notable for its balance. Neither batter allowed the scoring rate to stall, but both avoided unnecessary risks because Rathnayake’s powerplay assault had already pushed the required rate below eight an over.

Dambulla reached 100 in 9.5 overs and 150 in 14.3 overs. Galle’s spinners could not create the sustained pressure needed to produce a collapse.

Vijayakanth Viyaskanth was the most controlled bowler, conceding 30 from four overs. The other bowlers struggled against Dambulla’s calculated aggression.

Nawaz conceded 40 from three overs, Mehidy Hasan Miraz gave away 21 from two, and Malinga’s two overs cost 35 runs.

Karunaratne eventually removed Ackerman at 139 for four, but Dambulla required only 40 more runs from 38 deliveries.

Gulbadin Naib Finishes the Match in Style

Gulbadin removed any prospect of a late slowdown.

The Afghan all-rounder struck three sixes in an unbeaten 20 from six balls, scoring at 333.33. His arrival allowed Hendricks to remain in control while the pressure shifted entirely onto Galle.

Dambulla began the 17th over needing six runs. Dinura Kalupahana delivered a ball in Gulbadin’s hitting zone, and the right-hander launched it over wide long-on to complete the victory.

The winning six carried Dambulla to 180 for four from 16.1 overs, leaving 23 balls unused.

That margin was more valuable than the two points alone. Dambulla entered Match 8 with a heavily damaged net run rate after being bowled out for 130 against Jaffna and losing by 43 runs to Kandy.

Completing a chase of 179 with almost four overs remaining lifted them from fifth to second and moved their NRR from -0.612 to -0.016.

Hendricks Delivers Another Match-Winning LPL Innings

Hendricks was named Player of the Match for the second time in Dambulla’s first four games.

His unbeaten 64 was not the highest score of his LPL 2026 campaign, but it may have been his most tactically complete. He entered after Dickwella’s dismissal, watched two more wickets fall during the powerplay and adjusted his role as the innings developed.

Rathnayake provided the acceleration. Ackerman supplied stability. Gulbadin delivered the final assault. Hendricks connected all three phases and remained unbeaten when the target was completed.

“Nice to go out and contribute to the team and this time get over the line and win,” Hendricks said. “It’s my second season now in the LPL. Wickets are generally good, and tonight was the same.”

His second unbeaten match-winning innings confirmed his importance to a Dambulla lineup that has otherwise struggled for consistency.

Chameera Wins His First Match as Dambulla Captain

Chameera took over the captaincy with Dinesh Chandimal unavailable and immediately faced the tournament leaders.

The fast bowler used six bowling options and received wickets from five of them. His decision to give Ackerman three overs proved especially valuable, while Farooqi’s return at the death was timed well.

“All our bowlers did their part well,” Chameera said. “Credit to our batters for finishing in the 16th over and boosting our net run rate.”

Chameera also explained that the Dambulla surface offered more assistance to batters than the SSC pitches and required bowlers to execute accurately rather than repeatedly offering width outside off stump.

He added that Chandimal would hopefully recover in time for Dambulla’s next match.

Galle’s First Defeat Exposes Their Death-Bowling Problem

Galle had begun the season with a 36-run victory over Jaffna Kings before chasing 190 against Colombo Kaps.

Those wins were built around a productive batting order and decisive individual performances. Against Dambulla, their batting again created a competitive total, but neither the innings nor the bowling performance finished strongly.

Shanaka admitted that Galle had started well but failed to close the game.

“We had good finishers, but it didn’t work for us today,” Shanaka said. “We discussed playing positive cricket, so the good thing is we have another game tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow we’ll do the job.”

Galle’s attack took three wickets inside six overs but conceded 70 runs during the same period. They then allowed Hendricks and Ackerman to build without creating enough pressure through dot balls.

The Gallants bowled only 24 dot balls in 16.1 overs. By comparison, Dambulla delivered 44 dot balls during Galle’s 20-over innings.

That difference helped explain why a target of 179, which could have produced a close finish, was completed with 23 balls remaining.

Key Numbers From Match 8

• Dambulla completed the 179-run chase in 16.1 overs at a run rate of 11.13.
• Reeza Hendricks scored an unbeaten 64 from 37 balls at a strike rate of 172.97.
• Hendricks has scored 151 unbeaten runs across Dambulla’s two victories.
• Pavan Rathnayake scored 29 from 11 balls at a strike rate of 263.63.
• Gulbadin Naib struck three sixes in his unbeaten six-ball 20.
• Dambulla scored 70 runs during the six-over powerplay despite losing three wickets.
• Marques Ackerman contributed 35 runs and took two wickets.
• Galle lost four wickets for 28 runs during the final four overs.
• Fazalhaq Farooqi took three wickets, all during the final four overs.
• Dambulla’s victory ended Galle’s two-match unbeaten start.
• The result lifted Dambulla’s net run rate from -0.612 to -0.016.

LPL 2026 Points Table After Match 8

What the Result Means for the LPL 2026 Table

Dambulla’s victory created a three-way tie at the top of the table.

Galle, Dambulla and Jaffna all had four points after Match 8. Galle stayed first with an NRR of +0.088, while Dambulla’s rapid chase moved them above Jaffna into second place.

The Sixers have played four matches, one more than Galle and Jaffna. Their position is therefore strong but not secure. The size and speed of this victory still repaired the damage caused by successive defeats against Jaffna and Kandy.

Kandy remained fourth despite possessing the strongest net run rate in the competition at +0.317. Their two points left them behind the three leading teams. Colombo occupied fifth place with one win from three matches.

Readers can follow every result and table movement through The Sports Encounter’s Lanka Premier League coverage hub and its wider cricket news and analysis.

The complete schedule, match results and tournament updates are available through the official Lanka Premier League website. The full tournament fixture can also be viewed through the official Lanka Premier League schedule published by Sri Lanka Cricket.

Final Verdict

Dambulla produced their most complete performance of LPL 2026 when they needed it most.

The bowlers recovered after Galle’s fast start and prevented the tournament leaders from maximizing a strong position. Farooqi delivered at the death, Ackerman broke two important partnerships, and five bowlers contributed wickets.

The chase then demonstrated how destructive Dambulla can be when their batting roles fall into place. Rathnayake attacked the powerplay, Ackerman stabilized the middle, Gulbadin finished the contest and Hendricks managed every phase.

Galle remain first, but their unbeaten start is over. Their batting total was competitive, yet loose bowling and a shortage of dot-ball pressure allowed Dambulla to chase 179 with 23 balls remaining.

For the Sixers, the win restored momentum, transformed their net run rate and pushed them into second place. More importantly, it showed that their heavy defeat against Kandy had not defined their campaign.