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Jaffna Kings and Galle Gallants open the sixth season of the Lanka Premier League at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo on Friday, July 17, and it is a rematch of the last final the tournament ever played. Jaffna won that 2024 decider chasing 185 in 15.4 overs, and after LPL was postponed in 2025 to focus on T20 World Cup preparations, this is genuinely the first competitive cricket either franchise has played in nearly two years. In this preview you will find the match details, squad news, pitch report and two JK vs GG fantasy team options, one safe and one for grand leagues.
The match will be preceded by an official opening ceremony at the SSC, and it is also the first ever LPL fixture played at this ground.
For Indian viewers, the match starts at 7.30 PM IST, since Sri Lanka shares the same time zone as India. The match will be shown on Star Sports 3 and streamed on FanCode in India.
JK vs GG Match Details
Match: Jaffna Kings vs Galle Gallants, 1st Match, Lanka Premier League 2026
Date: Friday, July 17, 2026
Time: 7.30 PM IST | 7.30 PM local time in Colombo
Venue: Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo
Broadcast in India: Star Sports 3, FanCode
Galle Gallants Have Lost Two Marquee Signings This Week
Galle Gallants arrive at the opener missing two of the overseas names they built their campaign around. Rassie van der Dussen withdrew for personal reasons on July 9, with Australian batter Chris Lynn signed as his replacement just two days later on July 11. On top of that, Bangladesh wicketkeeper batter Litton Das has pulled out of the tournament entirely after failing to recover from injury, and no replacement for him has been announced. Earlier in June, UAE spinner Haider Ali also withdrew due to national team commitments and was replaced by Malaysian all rounder Virandeep Singh.
That means the batting group and the wicketkeeping options Galle originally built around are not the ones they will actually field in this opener, and captain Dasun Shanaka will have some real selection calls to make before the toss.
Jaffna Kings: Defending Champions With A Loaded Squad
Jaffna Kings go in as defending champions with arguably the strongest squad in the competition. Bhanuka Rajapaksa captains and keeps wicket, Shakib Al Hasan and Taskin Ahmed add proven international quality, and the Kings used their draft picks to bring in Afghanistan opener Ibrahim Zadran, Namibian all rounder David Wiese, Nepal leg spinner Sandeep Lamichhane and Nepal all rounder Dipendra Singh Airee alongside South African pace bowler Lizaad Williams. Add Avishka Fernando’s power at the top and Dunith Wellalage’s control with the ball, and this is a squad with very few visible gaps.
JK vs GG Head To Head Record
Jaffna Kings lead the recent head to head 6 wins to 4. The two sides have met in three different knockout matches, with Jaffna winning the 2024 final by chasing 185 in 15.4 overs, Galle winning Qualifier 1 the same season by 7 wickets, and Jaffna winning an earlier league match by 4 wickets. Every recent meeting between these two has been tight, which fits given they finished as the top two teams in the last completed season.
JK vs GG Recent Form (Last 5 Matches Each)
| Team | Last 5 Results |
|---|---|
| Jaffna Kings | W, W, L, L, W |
| Galle Gallants | L, W, L, W, W |
All ten of these results come from the 2024 season, since LPL did not run in 2025.
JK vs GG Team Comparison (Last 10 Matches Each)
| Stat | JK | GG |
|---|---|---|
| Win percentage | 70% | 60% |
| Average score | 175 | 169 |
| Highest score | 224 | 188 |
| Lowest score | 79 | 135 |
SSC Ground Pitch Report: New Venue, No LPL History
This is the first LPL match ever played at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, so there is no tournament specific history to draw on. The ground did host matches during this year’s T20 World Cup, and those games leaned towards big totals for the side batting first.
Recent T20 matches at SSC Ground, Colombo:
| Match | 1st Innings | 2nd Innings | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAK vs NAM, T20 World Cup 2026 | PAK 199/3 | NAM 97 | Pakistan won |
| IRE vs OMA, T20 World Cup 2026 | IRE 235/5 | OMA 139 | Ireland won |
| PAK vs USA, T20 World Cup 2026 | PAK 190/9 | USA 158/8 | Pakistan won |
All three recent games at this venue were won comfortably by the team batting first, with two totals above 190. Under lights in Colombo humidity, dew could become a factor as the evening wears on, which may tempt the toss winner to bowl first despite the historical pattern favouring the team batting first. Either way, expect a high scoring opener.
JK vs GG Probable Playing XIs
Jaffna Kings (probable): Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa (c, wk), Shakib Al Hasan, Ibrahim Zadran, Dipendra Singh Airee, David Wiese, Dunith Wellalage, Taskin Ahmed, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lizaad Williams, Dilshan Madushanka
Nishan Madushka and Kamil Mishara give Jaffna backup keeping options, and Traveen Mathew, Mohamed Shiraz and Chamindu Wickramasinghe are the other bowling choices.
Galle Gallants (probable): Chris Lynn, Chamika Karunaratne, Dasun Shanaka (c), Charith Asalanka, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Sam Harper (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Akif Javed, Eshan Malinga, Kasun Rajitha, Pramod Madushan
With both Litton Das and the original van der Dussen plan gone, Galle’s top order is the least settled in the competition. Virandeep Singh, Sahan Arachchige, Tharindu Rathnayake and Lasith Croospulle are the other options if the team management wants a different balance.
JK vs GG Full Squads
Jaffna Kings: Bhanuka Rajapaksa (c, wk), Dunith Wellalage, Shakib Al Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Avishka Fernando, Nishan Madushka (wk), David Wiese, Traveen Mathew, Kamil Mishara (wk), Dilshan Madushanka, Ibrahim Zadran, Nuwanidu Fernando, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Mohamed Shiraz, Lizaad Williams, Sandeep Lamichhane, Dipendra Singh Airee, Praveen Maneesha, Kugathas Mathulan, Piyush Chawla
Galle Gallants: Dasun Shanaka (c), Eshan Malinga, Chris Lynn, Charith Asalanka, Mohammad Nawaz, Chamika Karunaratne, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Akif Javed, Sam Harper (wk), Virandeep Singh, Pramod Madushan, Lasith Croospulle, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Sahan Arachchige, Tharindu Rathnayake, Dinura Kalupahana, Uri Koththigoda, Kasun Rajitha, Sachindu Colombage
Key Player Battles
Avishka Fernando vs Eshan Malinga: Two of Sri Lanka’s most exciting powerplay talents on opposite sides. Fernando’s intent against the new ball and Malinga’s raw pace and bounce could set the tone inside the first three overs.
Shakib Al Hasan vs Mehidy Hasan Miraz: Two Bangladesh international all rounders lining up against each other in a franchise league, both capable of controlling the middle overs with bat and ball.
Sandeep Lamichhane vs Dasun Shanaka: Lamichhane’s leg spin against Galle’s captain, who has the experience and power to take a spinner down if given width. This match up could decide who controls the middle overs.
JK vs GG Fantasy Team (Small Leagues)
Wicketkeeper: Bhanuka Rajapaksa (C)
Batters: Avishka Fernando (VC), Chris Lynn, Charith Asalanka
All Rounders: Shakib Al Hasan, Dasun Shanaka, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, David Wiese
Bowlers: Sandeep Lamichhane, Eshan Malinga, Taskin Ahmed
Rajapaksa is the captain as Jaffna’s leader and a keeper who adds catching and stumping points. Fernando is the vice captain as the most explosive top order option in the match. The four all rounder structure spreads risk sensibly given how unsettled both top orders look after the off season squad changes, and the bowling trio covers the two most dangerous spinners and pacers in the game.
JK vs GG Fantasy Team (Grand Leagues)
For grand leagues, this second JK vs GG fantasy team leaves out Rajapaksa and Fernando, who will be the two most owned players in this match.
Wicketkeeper: Sam Harper
Batters: Ibrahim Zadran, Charith Asalanka, Chamika Karunaratne
All Rounders: Dipendra Singh Airee (C), Mohammad Nawaz (VC)
Bowlers: Lizaad Williams, Kasun Rajitha, Dunith Wellalage, Akif Javed
Airee as captain is the differential, a genuine all round threat from Nepal who bats in the top order and bowls, at far lower ownership than the bigger names on either side. Nawaz is the vice captain for the same double role value. Zadran and Karunaratne are picks on reputation from two unsettled top orders where either could bat significantly higher than expected on debut for their franchises this season. Williams and Wellalage are the bowling picks best suited to a venue that has produced big totals so far this year.
Also Read- Litton Das LPL 2026: Bangladesh Star Pulls Out Of Galle Gallants Stint With Injury
JK vs GG Match Prediction
Jaffna Kings look the more settled team on paper, with their squad largely unaffected by late withdrawals and a deep enough bowling attack to cover any conditions SSC produces. Galle Gallants have talent right through the XI, but losing both van der Dussen and Litton Das in the same week, on top of an earlier change at spin, leaves real question marks over how the top order actually lines up. Jaffna start as favourites to open their title defence with a win, though a new venue with no LPL history for either team to lean on always carries a little extra uncertainty.
FANTASY
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Q. When is the JK vs GG LPL 2026 opener?
A. The 1st match of LPL 2026 will be played on Friday, July 17 at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo, starting at 7.30 PM local time, which is also 7.30 PM IST since Sri Lanka and India share the same time zone.
Q. Where can I watch JK vs GG live in India?
A. The match will be shown on Star Sports 3 and streamed live on FanCode in India.
Q. Is Litton Das playing for Galle Gallants in LPL 2026?
A. No. Litton Das has withdrawn from the entire tournament after failing to recover from injury, and no replacement has been announced for his spot in the squad.
Q. Who replaced Rassie van der Dussen at Galle Gallants?
A. Australian batter Chris Lynn was signed as van der Dussen’s replacement on July 11, two days after van der Dussen withdrew from the tournament for personal reasons.
Q. Who should be captain in the JK vs GG fantasy team?
A. Bhanuka Rajapaksa is the best captain choice as Jaffna’s captain and wicketkeeper. Dipendra Singh Airee is a strong differential captain for grand leagues given his all round role and low expected ownership.
Q. What is the head to head record between Jaffna Kings and Galle Gallants?
A. Jaffna Kings lead the recent head to head 6 wins to 4, including a win in the 2024 final where they chased 185 in 15.4 overs. Galle won the corresponding Qualifier 1 that same season.
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