Galle Gallants Are LPL 2026 Champions After 5-Wicket Revenge Win Over Jaffna Kings

Galle Gallants are the 2026 Lanka Premier League champions after defeating Jaffna Kings by five wickets at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, chasing 124 in just 15.5 overs and turning a season-long rivalry into the most important victory of their campaign.

Three days earlier, Jaffna had scored 242 for two against the same opponents and beaten Galle by 14 runs in Qualifier 1.

On Saturday night, the final belonged to the Gallants.

Jaffna were bowled out for only 123 in 19.3 overs after electing to bat, with Charith Asalanka and Eshan Malinga taking three wickets each.

Galle then survived an early wobble, rebuilt through Thomas Rogers and Dinura Kalupahana, and finished the chase with 25 balls remaining.

Captain Dasun Shanaka provided the final acceleration, smashing an unbeaten 20 from nine balls as Galle reached 126 for five and completed a championship run that had demanded resilience after their playoff setback.

The title carries additional meaning because Galle had already beaten Jaffna twice during the league stage, only for the four-time champions to hit back in Qualifier 1.

The final became the fourth meeting between the teams in the 2026 tournament.

This time, Galle did not leave room for another Jaffna recovery.

Readers can follow the complete tournament through The Sports Encounter’s Lanka Premier League hub and broader cricket coverage.

Official Lanka Premier League information is available through Sri Lanka Cricket.

LPL 2026 Final: Key Result

Detail	Information
Competition	Lanka Premier League 2026 Final
Date	August 8, 2026
Venue	R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Toss	Jaffna Kings elected to bat
Jaffna Kings	123 all out in 19.3 overs
Galle Gallants	126/5 in 15.5 overs
Result	Galle Gallants won by five wickets
Balls remaining	25
Top Jaffna scorer	Kamil Mishara, 41 from 32 balls
Top Galle scorer	Thomas Rogers, 34 from 27 balls
Key Galle support	Dinura Kalupahana, 31 from 19 balls
Galle finishing burst	Dasun Shanaka, 20 not out from 9 balls
Best Galle bowling	Charith Asalanka 3/20; Eshan Malinga 3/25
Series result	Galle Gallants won the 2026 Lanka Premier League

TL;DR

• Galle Gallants defeated Jaffna Kings by five wickets to win the LPL 2026 title.
• Jaffna were bowled out for 123 in 19.3 overs after choosing to bat first.
• Charith Asalanka took 3/20 and Eshan Malinga claimed 3/25 for Galle.
• Kamil Mishara top-scored for Jaffna with 41 from 32 balls.
• Galle slipped to 10 for two before Thomas Rogers and Dinura Kalupahana rebuilt the chase.
• Rogers scored 34 from 27 and Kalupahana made 31 from 19.
• Dasun Shanaka finished the final unbeaten on 20 from nine balls.
• Galle reached 126 for five in 15.5 overs, winning with 25 balls remaining.
• The title came three days after Jaffna beat Galle by 14 runs in Qualifier 1.
• Galle won three of the four meetings between the teams during LPL 2026.

Galle Turned the Final Into a Bowling Contest

Most pre-final attention naturally centered on batting.

That was understandable.

Jaffna had scored 242 for two against Galle in Qualifier 1.

Galle had answered with 228 for eight.

The two teams had combined for 470 runs in one of the tournament’s most explosive matches.

Nothing about that contest suggested a championship final built around 123.

Yet Galle completely changed the terms of the rivalry.

Instead of allowing Jaffna to dictate through Mishara, Khawaja Nafay and Towhid Hridoy, the Gallants attacked the batting order through variation, spin and disciplined wicket-taking pressure.

The contrast with Qualifier 1 was enormous.

In that match, Mishara had finished unbeaten on 108 from 55 balls and Jaffna had lost only two wickets.

The Sports Encounter covered that extraordinary performance in our report on Jaffna’s 14-run Qualifier 1 victory.

In the final, Jaffna lost ten wickets for 123.

That was the championship.

Charith Asalanka Changed the Match With the Ball

Charith Asalanka entered the final as one of Galle’s most important batters.

His decisive contribution came with the ball.

Asalanka finished with three wickets for 20 runs from four overs.

His victims were not lower-order dismissals collected after the damage had been done.

He removed Khawaja Nafay for a duck.

He dismissed captain Bhanuka Rajapaksa for three.

He then removed Dunith Wellalage for three.

Those wickets dismantled Jaffna’s middle order at exactly the stage when they needed someone to support Mishara.

Jaffna slipped from 25 without loss to 68 for five.

The match changed inside that sequence.

Asalanka’s spell also demonstrated why Galle’s championship cannot be understood only through batting numbers.

He had already played a central role in getting them into the final, scoring 59 in the Qualifier 2 victory over Colombo Kaps.

That performance was detailed in The Sports Encounter’s report on Galle’s six-wicket Qualifier 2 win.

One night later, he became a match-changing bowler.

Eshan Malinga Finished What Asalanka Started

If Asalanka broke Jaffna’s middle order, Eshan Malinga prevented the lower order from recovering.

Malinga took three wickets for 25 runs from four overs.

He removed Kamil Mishara for 41, ending the only innings that threatened to give Jaffna a meaningful total.

He later dismissed Shakib Al Hasan for nine and Chamindu Wickramasinghe for 24.

Wickramasinghe had begun to find some late momentum, scoring at a strike rate of 150.

Malinga’s dismissal of him at 120 for nine ensured there would be no final-over surge.

Three balls later, Tharindu Ratnayake bowled Zahoor Khan and Jaffna were all out.

Jaffna’s 123 Was Built Around One Real Partnership

Avishka Fernando gave Jaffna an aggressive start with 20 from 16 balls.

Mishara continued the form that had carried him through the playoffs.

Yet the innings never developed the partnerships required for a final.

Avishka fell at 25.

Nafay was dismissed six runs later.

Hridoy made ten.

Rajapaksa and Wellalage added only six runs between them.

Mishara was left trying to hold together an innings that had already lost too much structure.

When he was dismissed at 87 for six, the possibility of a competitive 160 or 170 had effectively disappeared.

Mishara Could Not Repeat His Qualifier 1 Masterpiece

Kamil Mishara entered the final as the most dangerous batter in the matchup.

Three days earlier, his unbeaten 108 had transformed Jaffna into favorites.

He had shown complete control during the first half of that innings before accelerating dramatically.

The final required something similar.

Mishara made 41 from 32 balls with five fours.

It was comfortably Jaffna’s highest score.

But the circumstances around him were completely different.

Instead of batting alongside a stable top order, he watched wickets fall repeatedly.

By the time Malinga removed him at the end of the 13th over, Jaffna were 87 for six.

The innings had become survival rather than expansion.

Galle’s Bowling Depth Won the Tactical Battle

The beauty of Galle’s attack was that Jaffna could not simply wait for one dangerous bowler to finish.

Asalanka took three wickets.

Malinga took three.

Ratnayake claimed two for only 14 runs in 3.3 overs.

Akif Javed and Sachindu Colombage took one apiece.

Five different bowlers contributed to the ten wickets.

That spread is important.

Jaffna could not identify one weak phase of the innings to attack.

When the seamers applied pressure, Asalanka provided wickets.

When Jaffna tried to rebuild, Malinga returned.

When the tail needed late runs, Ratnayake finished the innings.

Galle’s Chase Started Badly

A target of 124 should have felt comfortable.

Within eight balls, Galle were 10 for two.

Sam Harper, one of their most reliable batters during the tournament, fell for one.

Asalanka then followed for two.

Jaffna suddenly had a route back into the match.

A low target can become dangerous when early wickets create uncertainty.

The scoreboard stops feeling small.

Every dot ball starts carrying additional pressure.

The final needed someone to remove that tension.

Thomas Rogers and Dinura Kalupahana Rebuilt the Chase

Thomas Rogers and Dinura Kalupahana provided the partnership Galle needed.

They added 64 runs for the third wicket.

Rogers scored 34 from 27 balls, striking five fours.

Kalupahana was more aggressive, making 31 from 19 deliveries with six boundaries.

Their partnership changed the required equation quickly.

Galle reached 50 in 5.4 overs.

The third-wicket stand crossed fifty from only 33 balls.

By the time Rogers fell at 74 for three, the chase was no longer in danger.

The pair had turned a potentially awkward 10 for two into a manageable final.

Kalupahana’s 31 Was More Important Than the Score Suggests

Kalupahana’s innings deserves particular attention.

He scored at a strike rate above 163 while Galle were recovering from early wickets.

That is difficult to do.

Most batters respond to two quick dismissals by slowing the game.

Kalupahana did the opposite.

He attacked without turning the chase into a gamble.

Six of his 19 deliveries reached the boundary.

That pressure prevented Jaffna from building consecutive tight overs.

He was dismissed at 75 for four, but by then Galle were comfortably ahead of the required rate.

Shakib Al Hasan Gave Jaffna One Last Opening

Shakib Al Hasan was Jaffna’s most economical bowler.

He conceded only 15 runs from four overs and took two wickets.

He removed Rogers and Kalupahana.

For a short period, those dismissals created uncertainty.

Galle went from 74 for two to 75 for four.

Another wicket could have transformed the chase.

But the required rate was already low enough that Galle did not need to panic.

Sahan Arachchige stabilized one end.

Chamika Karunaratne added 16.

Then Shanaka arrived.

Dasun Shanaka Finished the Final Like a Captain

Dasun Shanaka faced nine balls.

He scored 20 runs.

His strike rate was 222.22.

The chase ended in the 16th over.

That brief innings captured exactly what Galle needed from their captain.

There was no attempt to drag the final toward the closing overs.

Shanaka hit two fours and a six.

He removed any remaining possibility of a Jaffna comeback.

Galle completed the chase at 126 for five with 25 balls remaining.

The Final Was the Opposite of Qualifier 1

Qualifier 1 had been a batting contest.

The final was a bowling execution.

Jaffna scored 242 for two on August 5.

Three days later, they were bowled out for 123.

That is a reduction of 119 runs against the same opponent at the same venue.

Galle did not simply improve.

They completely changed the matchup.

The pre-final analysis had focused heavily on whether Galle could control Jaffna’s top order after Mishara, Nafay and Hridoy dominated Qualifier 1.

That question was central to The Sports Encounter’s LPL 2026 final preview.

The answer arrived emphatically.

Galle Won Three of Four Meetings Against Jaffna

The championship result also settles the season-long head-to-head.

Galle beat Jaffna by 36 runs in the tournament opener.

They then defeated them by 60 runs in the second league meeting.

Jaffna responded with the 14-run Qualifier 1 victory.

Galle won the final by five wickets.

Three wins from four matches.

That gives the title greater legitimacy.

The final was not an isolated upset against a dominant opponent.

Galle repeatedly found ways to beat Jaffna across different match situations.

The opening victory was covered in our report on Asalanka and Malinga’s 36-run win.

The second was even more decisive, as detailed in The Sports Encounter’s report on Galle’s 60-run victory.

The Title Also Completes Galle’s Route Through the Playoffs

Galle did not reach the final through a straight line.

They finished top of the league stage and earned a place in Qualifier 1.

The Sports Encounter documented that progression after Galle defeated Colombo Kaps by 13 runs and secured top position.

Then Jaffna stopped them.

The 242-run assault in Qualifier 1 forced Galle into the longer playoff route.

They had to return less than 48 hours later and beat Colombo Kaps in Qualifier 2.

Sam Harper scored 77.

Asalanka made 59.

Galle won by six wickets.

Then they returned for the final the next night.

That sequence matters.

The Gallants won the championship after playing three high-pressure matches in four days.

Galle’s Adaptability Was Their Championship Quality

The most important theme of the title run may be adaptability.

They did not win every match in the same way.

Against Jaffna in the opener, Asalanka scored 65 and Malinga took four wickets.

In the second meeting, Sahan Arachchige led the batting before Ratnayake and Malinga destroyed the chase.

Against Colombo Kaps in Qualifier 2, Harper and Asalanka built a 126-run partnership.

In the final, the bowlers created the championship platform.

Then Rogers and Kalupahana handled the chase.

That variety is what strong tournament teams usually possess.

They can win when the top order dominates.

They can win when the middle order rescues them.

They can win through spin.

They can win through pace.

They can win high-scoring matches.

And, most importantly, they can win a final where 124 is enough.

Jaffna’s Experience Could Not Rescue Them

Jaffna entered the final with four LPL titles and the stronger recent playoff performance.

They also carried the psychological advantage of having beaten Galle only three days earlier.

That history mattered before the match.

It mattered far less once wickets began falling.

Jaffna’s championship experience could not solve a batting collapse.

Rajapaksa made three.

Nafay made none.

Hridoy made ten.

Wellalage made three.

Shakib made nine.

Too much depended on Mishara.

Once Galle removed him, the innings had no second foundation.

The 2024 Final Made This Result More Personal

The final also carried historical weight.

Jaffna had beaten the Galle franchise by nine wickets in the 2024 LPL final at the same venue.

That defeat had been decisive.

Jaffna chased 185 in only 15.4 overs.

Two years later, the same rivalry returned to Colombo.

The outcome reversed completely.

This time, Jaffna were the team defending an inadequate total.

This time, Galle controlled the chase.

This time, the trophy went the other way.

Why Asalanka May Have Produced the Final’s Most Complete Performance

Asalanka scored only two runs.

That number would normally remove a batter from any discussion about decisive performances.

His bowling changed everything.

Three wickets for 20 in a final.

Two of them were senior middle-order batters.

One removed a potentially dangerous top-order player before he could begin.

Those wickets gave Galle control long before the chase began.

It also showed the value of multidimensional players in T20 cricket.

An off day with the bat did not make Asalanka irrelevant.

He simply influenced the final another way.

Eshan Malinga Confirmed His Importance to Galle

Malinga’s final figures also fit a wider tournament pattern.

He had already taken four for 26 in the opening win over Jaffna.

In the second meeting, he claimed three for 13.

In the final, he took three for 25.

Across those three Galle victories over Jaffna, Malinga repeatedly attacked the same batting lineup successfully.

That is not a coincidence.

His pace, lengths and ability to take wickets rather than simply defend created a matchup Jaffna never fully solved.

The Championship Was Won Before Galle Reached 50

The temptation in a chase is always to focus on the winning runs.

The deeper truth is that this final was largely decided during Jaffna’s innings.

Galle’s target was 124.

Even after losing two wickets for ten, they needed only 114 from 112 balls.

There was enough time to rebuild.

Rogers and Kalupahana did exactly that.

The bowlers had created a margin for error.

That is what championship bowling does.

Why the Final Was a Tactical Reversal

Qualifier 1 forced Galle to chase the game.

Jaffna scored too quickly for too long.

Every quiet Galle over carried pressure because the target was 243.

The final reversed those conditions.

Galle kept taking wickets.

Jaffna could not build acceleration.

The required rate in the chase remained below eight an over.

Even when wickets fell, there was no scoreboard panic.

Galle effectively forced Jaffna to experience the same psychological pressure they had created in Qualifier 1.

Galle’s Title Validates Their League-Stage Consistency

Galle had already shown throughout the tournament that they were one of the strongest sides.

They defeated Jaffna twice.

They finished top of the table.

They beat Colombo Kaps in a key league match to secure Qualifier 1.

They recovered from losing that qualifier.

They won Qualifier 2.

Then they won the final.

The championship therefore reflects sustained quality rather than one hot night.

The Late Playoff Squad Changes Did Not Disrupt Galle

The LPL playoff phase had also been shaped by late squad adjustments, injuries and player availability.

Galle were among the teams forced to manage personnel decisions while preparing for knockout cricket.

The Sports Encounter examined those changes in our LPL 2026 playoff squad update.

The final result shows that Galle’s structure remained strong enough to absorb those changes.

Rogers’ Contribution Became More Important at the Right Time

Thomas Rogers was one of the later additions to Galle’s setup.

He did not need to dominate the tournament to matter.

He needed to deliver when the final demanded stability.

His 34 from 27 balls did exactly that.

Five boundaries kept the chase moving after the early loss of Harper and Asalanka.

He also allowed Kalupahana to play more aggressively.

The partnership worked because the two batters played different roles without slowing the innings.

Sahan Arachchige’s Unbeaten 14 Was Quiet but Useful

Arachchige’s final contribution will not dominate the highlights.

He scored 14 not out from 19 balls.

Yet his presence mattered.

Galle had lost two wickets for one run when he settled into the chase.

His job was not to chase boundaries immediately.

It was to prevent another collapse.

Shanaka could then attack from the other end.

That combination removed the final risk.

Jaffna’s Best Bowling Came Too Late

Shakib bowled exceptionally well.

Two wickets for 15 runs from four overs was the best spell in Jaffna’s defense.

Traveen Mathew also took two wickets.

Mohamed Shiraz removed Harper early.

But defending 123 required almost perfect bowling from all six options.

That never happened.

Lizaad Williams conceded 39 from 3.5 overs without taking a wicket.

Wellalage conceded 20 from two.

Zahoor Khan’s only over cost ten.

Those overs gave Galle enough release to neutralize Shakib’s control.

The Final Revealed the Difference Between Pressure and Panic

Galle experienced pressure at 10 for two.

They did not panic.

That distinction often decides finals.

Rogers and Kalupahana did not need to attack every ball.

They simply needed to restore control.

Once the third-wicket partnership passed fifty, the title was moving rapidly toward Galle.

Dasun Shanaka Ends the Tournament With the Trophy

Captains are often judged by tactical decisions that never appear in the scorecard.

Shanaka had to manage bowling changes, impact-player decisions and the emotional aftermath of the Qualifier 1 defeat.

The final gave him a more visible finish.

He walked in at 103 for five.

Twenty-one runs were still required.

He scored 20 of them himself.

Nine balls later, the title was effectively secured.

Galle Gallants vs Jaffna Kings: LPL 2026 Head-to-Head

Match	Result	Key Performance
League Match 1	Galle won by 36 runs	Charith Asalanka 65; Eshan Malinga 4/26
League Match 2	Galle won by 60 runs	Sahan Arachchige 63; Eshan Malinga 3/13
Qualifier 1	Jaffna won by 14 runs	Kamil Mishara 108 not out
Final	Galle won by five wickets	Asalanka 3/20; Malinga 3/25; Rogers 34

What Went Wrong for Jaffna Kings?

The simplest answer is that too many batters failed together.

Jaffna’s strength throughout the tournament had often been their ability to build one innings through another.

If one opener failed, someone in the middle order responded.

If the top order established a platform, the finishers accelerated.

That chain broke in the final.

Nafay, Rajapaksa and Wellalage contributed six runs between them.

Hridoy made only ten.

Shakib could not counterattack.

Mishara was asked to carry too much.

By the time Wickramasinghe produced a late 24 from 16 balls, the innings was already too far behind.

Why 123 Was Never Enough at R. Premadasa

A final can make any target feel larger.

But 123 required Jaffna to take wickets constantly.

They did strike early.

Then the surface and match situation worked against them.

Galle did not need sustained risk.

Every boundary reduced the required rate further.

By the halfway stage of the chase, the Gallants were already comfortably ahead.

The Gallants Finally Got Their Revenge

Revenge narratives can become overstated in sport.

This one was earned.

Galle had two reasons to remember Jaffna.

The first was immediate.

Qualifier 1.

Jaffna’s 242 for two had forced them into another playoff match and put their title campaign at risk.

The second was older.

The 2024 final.

Jaffna had beaten the Galle franchise by nine wickets at the same ground.

Galle returned to Colombo in 2026 and reversed both stories at once.

What This Title Means for Galle Gallants

The trophy gives Galle something statistics alone could not provide.

Authority.

They were already one of the tournament’s best teams.

Now they are champions.

The distinction matters.

Strong league-stage performances can disappear quickly from memory.

Titles remain.

Galle’s 2026 campaign will now be remembered through the final, the bowling collapse they forced, and the five-wicket chase that completed the job.

What This Defeat Means for Jaffna Kings

Jaffna’s dynasty remains historically significant.

Four LPL titles still define the franchise.

But the 2026 final shows how difficult maintaining that control has become.

Galle beat them three times in four meetings.

The Kings produced one extraordinary answer in Qualifier 1.

They could not repeat it in the final.

That does not erase their tournament.

It does establish a new rival capable of beating them when the trophy is on the line.

Final Verdict: Galle Won the Title by Solving the One Problem That Beat Them

The most impressive part of Galle Gallants’ championship was not the final chase.

It was what happened before it.

Three days earlier, Jaffna’s batting had overwhelmed them.

Mishara made 108 not out.

Jaffna scored 242 for two.

Galle lost despite making 228.

A lesser team might have entered the final still trying to win the same kind of contest.

Galle changed it.

They attacked the top order.

They used Asalanka aggressively.

They kept taking wickets.

They dismissed Jaffna for 123.

Then they absorbed the only real danger in the chase.

Rogers and Kalupahana rebuilt after 10 for two.

Arachchige steadied the closing phase.

Shanaka finished with force.

Galle reached 126 for five in 15.5 overs.

Five wickets.

Twenty-five balls remaining.

Lanka Premier League champions.

The final scoreline looks comfortable.

The road to it was anything but.

Galle lost the qualifier, beat Colombo to survive, returned the next night and dismantled the same Jaffna team that had just scored 242 against them.

That is why this championship should be remembered as more than a five-wicket victory.

Galle Gallants became champions because they learned faster than their strongest opponent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the Lanka Premier League 2026 final?

Galle Gallants won the LPL 2026 final, defeating Jaffna Kings by five wickets at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

What was the final score in Galle Gallants vs Jaffna Kings?

Jaffna Kings were bowled out for 123 in 19.3 overs. Galle Gallants reached 126 for five in 15.5 overs.

How many balls were remaining when Galle won?

Galle completed the chase with 25 balls remaining.

Who was Jaffna’s top scorer in the LPL 2026 final?

Kamil Mishara top-scored with 41 from 32 balls, including five fours.

Who scored the most runs for Galle in the final?

Thomas Rogers scored 34 from 27 balls, while Dinura Kalupahana added 31 from 19.

Who took the most wickets for Galle?

Charith Asalanka and Eshan Malinga took three wickets each. Asalanka finished with 3/20 and Malinga with 3/25.

How did Dasun Shanaka perform in the final?

Shanaka finished unbeaten on 20 from nine balls, hitting two fours and one six to complete the chase quickly.

How many times did Galle beat Jaffna in LPL 2026?

Galle defeated Jaffna three times in four meetings. They won both league-stage matches and the final, while Jaffna won Qualifier 1.

Who won Qualifier 1 between Galle and Jaffna?

Jaffna Kings won Qualifier 1 by 14 runs after scoring 242 for two. Kamil Mishara made an unbeaten 108 from 55 balls.

How did Galle reach the final after losing Qualifier 1?

Galle defeated Colombo Kaps by six wickets in Qualifier 2. Sam Harper scored 77 and Charith Asalanka made 59.

Where was the LPL 2026 final played?

The final was played at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on August 8, 2026.

Who are the LPL 2026 champions?

Galle Gallants are the 2026 Lanka Premier League champions.