Dambulla Sixers
 Official logo of Dambulla Sixers | |||
| League | Lanka Premier League | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personnel | |||
| Captain | Dinesh Chandimal | ||
| Coach | Rangana Herath | ||
| Owner | Sequoia Consultants, Inc. | ||
| Team information | |||
| City | Dambulla, Central Province, Sri Lanka | ||
| Colours | Blue Yellow | ||
| Founded | 2020: Dambulla Viiking 2021: Dambulla Giants 2022: Dambulla Aura 2024: Dambulla Sixers | ||
| Home ground | Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla | ||
| Capacity | 16,800 | ||
| History | |||
| LPL wins | 0 | ||
| Official website | dambullasixers | ||
| |||
Dambulla Sixers, previously known as Dambulla Aura, Dambulla Giants, Dambulla Viiking, and Dambulla Thunders is a franchise Twenty20 cricket team based in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, that competes in the Lanka Premier League (LPL).
In June 2021, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) terminated the franchise ahead of the 2021 Lanka Premier League, due to financial issues.[1][2] In September 2021, the team changed their name to Dambulla Giants after changing owners.[3] Then, prior to the 2022 season, Aura Lanka brought the franchise and changed its name to Dambulla Aura.[4]
Franchise history
2020 season
2021 season
2022 season
2023 season
2024 season
In 2024, the team was purchased by Imperial Sports Group, who renamed it Dambulla Thunders.[5] Tamim Rahman, a co-owner of Dambulla Thunders, a British national of Bangladeshi origin, was arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport a day after the 2024 LPL player auction. The special investigating unit for preventing sports-related offences of the Ministry of Sports made the arrest.[6] Following the arrest, LPL terminated its contract with Dambulla Thunders with immediate effect.[7] The IPG Group, the organisers of LPL announced, the fifth edition of the league will continue as planned despite the events related to Dambulla Thunders. IPG further stated that the Dambulla franchise will participate in the league under new ownership.[8] Incidentally, Viranjith Thambugala, chairman of Aura Lanka, the previous owner of Dambulla franchise, was arrested by Sri Lanka Police over allegations of financial fraud on the same day.[9] At last, Dambulla franchise was bought by a Los Angeles based engineering consultant firm called Sequoia Consultants.[10]
To promote breast cancer awareness and encourage self-examination, Dambulla Sixers played their match against Galle Marvels on July 14 wearing pink jerseys with a pink ribbon. Inspired by successful campaigns in other cricket-playing nations, the initiative aims to significantly impact cancer awareness in Sri Lanka.[11] Galle Marvels also wore a special jersey that mixed pink with their usual neon green to support their program.[12]
2026 season
Before the 2026 LPL player draft, the Sixers signed Dinesh Chandimal, Dushmantha Chameera, Reeza Hendricks and Sahibzada Farhan as pre-draft signings.[13]
Current squad
- Sources:
- Players with international caps are listed in bold.
| No. | Name | Nat. | Date of birth | Batting style | Bowling style | Year signed | Salary (US$) |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batters | ||||||||
| 51 | Sahibzada Farhan |  |
6 March 1996 | Right handed | N/a | 2026 | 80,000 | |
| 17 | Reeza Hendricks |  |
14 August 1989 | Right handed | Right-arm off break | 2026 | 60,000 | |
| 06 | Pavan Rathnayake |  |
24 August 2002 | Right handed | Right-arm off break | 2026 | 30,000 | |
| 65 | Marques Ackerman | |
1 March 1996 | Left handed | Right-arm off break | 2026 | 20,000 | |
| Wicket-keepers | ||||||||
| 56 | Dinesh Chandimal | |
18 November 1989 | Right handed | N/a | 2026 | 80,000 | Captain |
| 48 | Niroshan Dickwella | |
23 June 1993 | Left handed | N/a | 2026 | 30,000 | |
| All-Rounders | ||||||||
| 33 | Gayana Weerasinghe | |
16 December 2004 | Right handed | Right-arm medium fast | 2026 | 10,000 | |
| 14 | Gulbadin Naib | .svg.png){kind=small} |
4 June 1991 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium fast | 2026 | 20,000 | |
| 69 | Dhananjaya Lakshan | |
5 October 1998 | Left handed | Right-arm medium fast | 2026 | 20,000 | |
| 25 | Ramesh Mendis | |
7 July 1995 | Right handed | Right-arm off break | 2026 | 20,000 | |
| 2 | Sonal Dinusha | |
4 December 2000 | Left handed | Slow left arm Orthodox | 2026 | 20,000 | |
| 24 | Sikandar Raza |  |
24 April 1986 | Right handed | Right-arm off break | 2026 | 50,000 | Replacement for Fazalhaq Farooqi |
| 29 | Sachitha Jayathilake | |
24 February 1997 | Right handed | Right-arm leg break | 2026 | 20,000 | |
| Spin bowlers | ||||||||
| 15 | Vishwa Kumara | |
15 November 2004 | Right handed | Slow left arm Orthodox | 2026 | 10,000 | |
| 4 | Akila Dhananjaya | |
4 October 1993 | Right handed | Right-arm off break | 2026 | 30,000 | |
| 61 | Maheesh Theekshana | |
1 August 2000 | Right handed | Right-arm off break | 2026 | 50,000 | |
| Pace bowlers | ||||||||
| 5 | Dushmantha Chameera | |
11 January 1992 | Right handed | Right-arm fast | 2026 | 60,000 | Vice Captain |
| 74 | Mohammad Wasim | |
25 August 2001 | Right handed | Right-arm [fast medium]] | 2026 | 30,000 | |
| 37 | Shadley van Schalkwyk |  |
5 August 1988 | Left handed | Right-arm medium | 2026 | 15,000 | |
Administration and support staff
| Position | Name | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Rangana Herath | [14] |
| Assistant coach | Piyal Wijetunge | |
| Mentor | Roshan Mahanama | [15] |
| Batting coach | ||
| Fielding coach | Ruvin Peiris | |
| Chief executive officer (CEO) | Ashley Herath | |
| Digital insider | .svg.png){kind=small} Jake Jeakings |
History
| Season | Head coach | Assistant coach |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 |  Owais Shah |
|
| 2021 | Stuart Law |
Sampath Perera |
| 2022 | Mickey Arthur |
Avishka Gunawardene |
| 2023 | Avishka Gunawardene |
Upul Chandana |
| 2024 | Rangana Herath |
|
| 2026 | Piyal Wijetunge |
Captains
| No. | Player | From | To | Mat | Won | Lost | Tied | NR | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dasun Shanaka |
2020 | 2022 | 24 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 37.50 |
| 2 | Niroshan Dickwella |
2021 | 2021 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| 3 | Sikandar Raza |
2022 | 2022 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| 4 | Kusal Mendis |
2023 | 2023 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 68.75 |
| 5 | Dhananjaya de Silva |
2023 | 2023 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| 6 | Mohammad Nabi |
2024 | 2024 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 37.50 |
| 7 | Dinesh Chandimal |
2026 | 2026 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 16.66 |
| 8 | Dushmantha Chameera |
2026 | 2026 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
As of 03 August 2026
Seasons
| Year | League standing | Final standing |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2nd out of 5 | Playoffs |
| 2021 | 4th out of 5 | Playoffs |
| 2022 | 5th out of 5 | League Stage |
| 2023 | 1st out of 5 | Runners up |
| 2024 | 5th out of 5 | League stage |
| 2026 | 5th out of 5 | League stage |
Statistics
By season
| Year | Matches | Wins | Losses | No result | Win% | Position | Summary | Most Runs | Most Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 62.50 | 2/5 | Playoffs | Dasun Shanaka (278) | Anwar Ali (9) |
| 2021 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 44.44 | 4/5 | Playoffs | Phil Salt (301) | Imran Tahir (15) |
| 2022 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 25.00 | 5/5 | League Stage | Jordan Cox (205) | Matthew Forde (7) |
| 2023 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 70.00 | 1/5 | Runners Up | Avishka Fernando (244) | Noor Ahmad (12) |
| 2024 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 37.50 | 5/5 | League Stage | Kusal Perera (296) | Dushan Hemantha (11) |
| 2026 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 28.57 | 5/5 | League Stage | Reeza Hendricks (294) | Dushmantha Chameera (12) |
| Total | 53 | 23 | 27 | 3 | 46.00 | 0 Titles | Dasun Shanaka (544) | Nuwan Pradeep (18) |
Most runs
- As of 03 August 2026
| Runs | Player | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| 544 | Dasun Shanaka | 2020–2022 |
| 531 | Niroshan Dickwella | 2020–2026 |
| 519 | Reeza Hendricks | 2024-2026 |
| 506 | Kusal Perera | 2023-2024 |
| 301 | Phil Salt | 2021 |
| 244 | Ramesh Mendis | 2020-2026 |
| 244 | Avishka Fernando | 2023 |
| 237 | Sadeera Samarawickrama | 2020-2023 |
| 227 | Angelo Perera | 2020 |
| 225 | Mark Chapman  | 2024 |
- Source: ESPNcricinfo[17]
Highest individual score
- As of 4 August 2026
| Runs | Player | Opposition | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 102* | Kusal Perera | Jaffna Kings | Pallekele | 3 July 2024 |
| 91* | Mark Chapman | Kandy Falcons | 1 July 2024 | |
| 87* | Kusal Mendis | Colombo Strikers | Pallekele | 5 August 2023 |
| Reeza Hendricks | Kandy Royals | SSC Cricket Ground | 18 July 2026 | |
| 80 | Shevon Daniel | Galle Gladiators | Colombo | 17 December 2022 |
| Reeza Hendricks | Colombo Kaps | Pallekele | 29 July 2026 | |
| Jaffna Kings | Dambulla | 6 July 2024 | ||
| Kusal Perera | Colombo Strikers | 7 July 2024 |
- Source: ESPNcricinfo[18]
Most wickets
- As of 03 August 2026
| Wickets | Player | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Nuwan Pradeep |
2021–2024 |
| 16 | Dushan Hemantha |
2022–2024 |
| 15 | Imran Tahir |
2021 |
| 15 | Noor Ahmad |
2022–2023 |
| 15 | Ramesh Mendis |
2020–2026 |
| 12 | Dushmantha Chameera |
2026 |
| 10 | Binura Fernando |
2023 |
| 10 | Dhananjaya de Silva |
2023 |
| 09 | Hayden Kerr |
2023 |
| 09 | Anwar Ali |
2020 |
- Source: ESPNcricinfo[19]
Best figures in an innings
- As of 05 August 2026
| Figures | Player | Opposition | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/55 | Dushmantha Chameera | Galle Gallants | Dambulla | 26 July 2026 |
| 4/6 | Dhananjaya De Silva | B-Love Kandy | Colombo | 14 August 2023 |
| 4/11 | Matthew Forde  | Galle Gladiators | 19 December 2022 | |
| 4/36 | Lahiru Kumara | Colombo Stars | Hambantota | 8 December 2022 |
| 3/14 | Dushan Hemantha | Kandy Falcons | Colombo | 16 July 2024 |
Team identity
Logo
| Dambulla Sixers |  |
2024 |
|---|---|---|
|
since 2026 |
Anthem
| Year | Anthem | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Tony T, Rohitha Rajapaksa, Dinesh Kanagaratnam, Tehani Imara, Neo Navy | |
| 2022 | Uthura Dakuna Tharaga Dinana | |
| 2024 | Awula Awula Abhimane |
Kit manufacturers and sponsors
In the inaugural season, Life Bottled Water, Big Brother, Goa King's, Planet Hollywood and Viiking Ventures became as team sponsors[21] while Swarnavahini, Ran FM, E FM and Shree FM was the media partners. TigerExchange News became the team's main sponsor in the 2022 season.[22] In 2023 season, Babu88 Sports became as the principal sponsor of the Dambulla franchise.[23]
| Year | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor (front) | Shirt sponsor (back) | Chest branding | Sleeve branding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Planet Hollywood | Goa King's | Life Bottled Water | Big Brother | |
| 2021 | Hamro PLC | N/a | i-view London, NLB, Lahore Country Club | ||
| 2022 | Tiger Exchange News | Aura Lanka | Tiger Exchange News, Aura Airlines | ||
| 2023 | Babu88 Sports | Kheloyar | Aura Airlines | Visit Sri Lanka | |
| 2024 | MostPlay.news | Sequoia Consultants | Harriet | N/a | |
| 2026 | Dafa News | JAT Paints | Bairaha Farms | Flemmings, Harriet | |
References
- ↑ "SLC approves termination of Colombo Kings and Dambulla Viiking". CricBuzz. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- ↑ "Colombo Kings, Dambulla Viiking terminate contracts, withdraw from LPL 2021". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- ↑ "IPG announces new owner for Dambulla Giants". DailyFT. Archived from the original on 4 September 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- ↑ "Aura Lanka Group secures ownership of Dambulla Team in LPL". Daily News. 6 December 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ↑ "Dambulla franchise rebranded as Dambulla Thunders for LPL 2024". ThePapare. 21 April 2024. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ↑ Sanjeewa, Kanishka (22 May 2024). "Team Owner of Dambulla Thunders arrested for match-fixing charges". ThePapare. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ↑ "LPL terminates contract with Dambulla Thunders following owner's arrest". ESPNcricinfo. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ↑ "2024 LPL to go ahead as scheduled; Dambulla franchise to receive new ownership". Ada Derana. 23 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ↑ "Aura Lanka chairman Viranjith Thambugala arrested". Newswire. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ↑ "LA-based civil engineering firm becomes new owner of Dambulla franchise". The Times of India. 5 June 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ↑ "Dambulla Sixers Go Pink on July 14, 2024: A Cricket Match for Cancer Awareness and Hope". Sri Lanka Cricket. 9 June 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
- ↑ "Galle Marvels joins Dambulla Sixers to raise awareness for Cancer". ThePapare. 10 June 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
- ↑ "Sahibzada Farhan headlines star-studded pre-signings for LPL 2026". The Nation. 27 May 2026. Retrieved 12 August 2026.
- ↑ "LPL coaching line-up features Kandamby, Vaas and Herath". Daily News. 30 May 2026. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- ↑ "Roshan Mahanama to mentor Dambulla Sixers in LPL 2026". Newswire. 10 June 2026. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
- ↑ "Lanka Premier League Cricket Team and Records | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
- ↑ "Most career runs". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- ↑ "Highest individual score". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- ↑ ESPNcricinfo, Last Updated: 20 December 2021
- ↑ "Best bowling figures in an innings". Cricinfo. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- ↑ "Dambulla Viiking". TobaccoUnmasked. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
- ↑ "Tiger Exchange News are official sponsors of Dambulla Aura in the ongoing Lanka Premier League T20". Asian News International. 12 December 2022.
- ↑ "Babu88Sports backs Dambulla Aura as title sponsors in LPL". Newswire. 29 July 2023.
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