Galle Gallants produced a disciplined bowling performance before completing a composed chase to beat Jaffna Kings by five wickets and claim their maiden Lanka Premier League (LPL) title at the R Premadasa Stadium.
The low-scoring final saw Gallants dismiss Jaffna for 123 before reaching their target with 25 balls to spare.
Charith Asalanka and Eshan Malinga were the architects of the victory, sharing six wickets between them and dismantling Jaffna’s middle order. Malinga claimed three wickets to finish the tournament with 17 at an economy rate of 9.32, becoming the competition’s leading wicket-taker.
Jaffna struggled to build momentum after losing wickets at regular intervals. Wicketkeeper-opener Kamil Mishara provided the strongest resistance with 41 off 32 balls before Malingaended his innings in the 13th over.
Chamindu Wickramasinghe added 25 off 16 balls, while Tharindu Ratnayake claimed two wickets for 14 runs as Gallants kept the Kings under pressure throughout.
Chasing 124, Gallants suffered an early setback when Sam Harper was dismissed in the opening over. Tom Rogers steadied the innings with 34 off 27 balls, but Jaffna briefly threatened to regain control.
Shakib Al Hasan struck twice in the ninth over, removing Rogers and Dinura Kalupahana, who had scored 31 off 19 balls. Chamika Karunaratne also fell soon afterwards, leaving Gallants with some work to do.
However, Dasun Shanaka and Sahan Arachchige held their nerve and guided Gallants to victory with five wickets in hand.
The result capped a memorable campaign for Gallants, who held their nerve in a final where every run mattered. Their bowlers laid the foundation by restricting Jaffna to a modest total, while the middle order ensured there was no late collapse during the chase.
For Malinga, the final provided a fitting end to an outstanding tournament. His three wickets not only helped secure Gallants’ first LPL title but also took him to the top of the tournament’s wicket-taking charts.
Gallants’ combination of disciplined bowling and controlled batting ultimately proved decisive as they lifted the trophy for the first time.
