Jaffna Kings
| Nickname | Kings of The North | |
|---|---|---|
| League | Lanka Premier League | |
| Personnel | ||
| Captain | Bhanuka Rajapaksha | |
| Coach | Thilina Kandamby | |
| Owner | Anchor Sports | |
| Team information | ||
| City | Jaffna, Northern Province, Sri Lanka | |
| Colours | Blue Gold | |
| Founded | 2020: Jaffna Stallions 2021: Jaffna Kings | |
| History | ||
| LPL wins | 4 (2020, 2021, 2022, 2024) | |
| ||
Jaffna Kings (Tamil: யாழ்ப்பாணம் கிங்ஸ்), formerly known as Jaffna Stallions, is a Sri Lankan franchise cricket team which plays in the Lanka Premier League (LPL). The Kings are the current title holders of the tournament.
The team was coached by former Sri Lankan captain Thilina Kandamby.[1] Thisara Perera was the team's captain for the first four seasons.[2]
Franchise history
2020 season
The team was owned by a consortium consisting of Sri Lankans and Indians from all over the world including Australia, Canada, France, United Kingdom, and the USA.[3] Arnold Anandan and Rahul Sood, creator of Microsoft Ventures M12, were leading the consortium of tech industry leaders from the Pacific Northwest and Silicon Valley.[4][5] Among others, Rahul Sood was cited as a tech leader from the Seattle area who is investing in cricket, where the Jaffna Stallions also announced a global education partnership with Code.org.[6] As part of their outreach to the country of Sri Lanka the Jaffna Stallions released a song in partnership with famous artists La Signore, aka Lahiru Perera, and Dinesh Gamage, the song contains lyrics in both Sinhalese and Tamil and it's now trending at the top of the charts in Sri Lanka.[7][8]
On 16 December 2020, the team won the inaugural Lanka Premier League Championship.[9] The team captain Thisara Perera and Shoaib Malik both played pivotal roles in the win.[10]
2021 season
In July 2021, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) terminated the franchise ahead of the 2021 Lanka Premier League due to financial issues.[11] In September 2021, the team changed its name to Jaffna Kings after Lyca Group took over the ownership.[12]
2022 season
2023 season
2024 season
2026 season
In April 2025, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced that franchise owners Lyca Group had been terminated ahead of the 2025 Lanka Premier League due to their failure to fulfill the obligations of a team owner in the Lanka Premier League.[13]
Prior to the player draft in 2026, the franchise was brought by Sports Commune, led by Indian sports entrepreneurs Manjot Kalra and Mayank Goel.[14][15] Before the players' draft, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Shakib Al Hasan, Taskin Ahmed and Dunith Wellalage were signed by the Kings as pre-draft signings.
On 23 July 2026, Sports Commune was terminated as the owner of Jaffna Kings due to its involvement in match-fixing.[16][17] To stabilise the franchise, SLC and the league's commercial rights holder, the IPG Group, assumed full operational control of the team and took over all player, coaching, and support-staff contracts.[18][19]
On 4 August 2026, ahead of the playoffs, the Lanka Premier League and Stockholm-based sports group Anchor Sports announced that the group, co-owned by entrepreneur Nagendra Siddoutam and former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan, had acquired the franchise.[20][21] Following the acquisition, the team was officially rebranded as Anchor Jaffna Kings.[22][23]
Current squad
| No. | Name | Nat. | Date of birth | Batting style | Bowling style | Year signed | Salary (US$) |
Category | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batters | |||||||||
| 28 | Avishka Fernando |  |
5 April 1998 | Right handed | Right-arm off break | 2026 | 50,000 | Local Platinum | |
| 54 | Bhanuka Rajapaksa | |
24 October 1991 | Left handed | Right-arm medium fast | 2026 | 80,000 | Local Icon | Captain |
| 36 | Khawaja Nafay |  |
13 February 2002 | Right handed | Right-arm Off-break | 2026 | 30,000 | Overseas Gold | Replacement for Ibrahim Zadran |
| 27 | Nuwanidu Fernando | |
13 October 1999 | Right handed | Right-arm off break | 2026 | 20,000 | Local Classic | |
| 1 | Sineth Jayawardhana | |
25 December 2004 | Left handed | Right-arm off break | 2026 | 10,000 | Emerging U23 | |
| 77 | Tawhid Hridoy |  |
4 December 2000 | Right handed | Right-arm off break | 2026 | 60,000 | Overseas Star | Replacement for Taskin Ahmed |
| Wicket-keepers | |||||||||
| 42 | Kamil Mishara | |
24 April 2001 | Left handed | Right-arm off break | 2026 | 30,000 | Local Gold | |
| 7 | Vishad Randika | |
2 September 1997 | Right handed | — | 2026 | 30,000 | Gold Optional | Replacement for Nishan Madushka |
| All-rounders | |||||||||
| 75 | Shakib Al Hasan | |
24 March 1987 | Left handed | Slow left-arm orthodox | 2026 | 80,000 | Overseas Icon | |
| 9 | Dunith Wellalage | |
9 January 2003 | Left handed | Slow left-arm orthodox | 2026 | 60,000 | Local Star | Vice Captain |
| 96 | David Wiese |  |
18 May 1985 | Right handed | Right-arm medium fast | 2026 | 50,000 | Overseas Platinum | |
| 22 | Chamindu Wickramasinghe |
|
6 September 2002 | Left handed | Right-arm medium fast | 2026 | 20,000 | Local Classic | |
| Spin bowlers | |||||||||
| 33 | Piyush Chawla |  |
24 December 1988 | Left handed | Right-arm leg break | 2026 | 20,000 | Overseas Classic | Playing until Sandeep Lamichhane is unavailable. |
| 25 | Sandeep Lamichhane |  |
2 August 2000 | Right handed | Right-arm leg break | 2026 | 20,000 | Overseas Classic | |
| 79 | Treveen Mathews | |
24 June 2004 | Right handed | Right-arm off break | 2026 | 30,000 | Local Gold | |
| 46 | Praveen Maneesha | |
12 November 2005 | Right handed | Right-arm leg break | 2026 | 10,000 | Emerging U23 | |
| Pace bowlers | |||||||||
| 98 | Dilshan Madushanka | |
18 September 2000 | Right handed | Left-arm fast medium fast | 2026 | 30,000 | Local Gold | |
| 23 | Lizaad Williams |  |
1 October 1993 | Left handed | Right-arm medium fast | 2026 | 20,000 | Overseas Classic | |
| 41 | Mohamed Shiraz | |
13 February 1995 | Right handed | Right-arm medium fast | 2026 | 20,000 | Local Classic | |
| 10 | Zahoor Khan |  |
25 May 1989 | Right handed | Right-arm medium fast | 2026 | 15,000 | Overseas Associate Star | |
| Source(s) | ThePapare, Inside Sport & Sri Lanka Cricket[24][25][26] | |||||||||
Administration and support staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Director | Ganeshan Vaheesan |
| Manager | Charinda Fernando |
| Head coach | Thilina Kandamby |
| Assistant coach | Mario Villavarayan |
| Assistant coach | Hemang Badani |
| Batting coach | Jehan Mubarak |
| Bowling coach | Sachith Pathirana |
| Fielding coach | Vimukthi Deshapriya |
History
| Season | Head coach | Assistant coach |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Thilina Kandamby |
Mario Villavarayan |
| 2021 | ||
| 2022 | ||
| 2023 | ||
| 2024 | Avishka Gunawardene | |
| 2026 | Thilina Kandamby |
Seasons
| Year | League table standing | Final standing |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 3rd out of 5 | Champions |
| 2021 | 1st out of 5 | Champions |
| 2022 | 2nd out of 5 | Champions |
| 2023 | 4th out of 5 | Playoffs |
| 2024 | 2nd out of 5 | Champions |
| 2026 | 1st out of 5 | Runners-up |
Captains
Captains
| No. | Player | From | To | Mat | Won | Lost | Tied | NR | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thisara Perera |
2020 | 2023 | 45 | 28 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 61.64 |
| 2 | Charith Asalanka |
2024 | 2024 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 63.63 |
| 3 | Bhanuka Rajapaksha |
2026 | 2026 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 66.66 |
Statistics
By season
| Year | Matches | Wins | Losses | No result | Win% | Position | Summary | Most Runs | Most Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 66.66 | 3/5 | Champions | Avishka Fernando (275) | Wanindu Hasaranga (17) |
| 2021 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 72.72 | 1/5 | Champions | Avishka Fernando (312) | Maheesh Theekshana (16) |
| 2022 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 80.00 | 2/5 | Champions | Avishka Fernando (339) | Vijayakanth Viyaskanth (13) |
| 2023 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 33.33 | 4/5 | Playoffs | Shoaib Malik (160) | Nuwan Thushara (11) |
| 2024 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 63.63 | 2/5 | Champions | Rilee Rossouw (389) | Fabian Allen (10) |
| 2026 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 66.66 | 1/5 | Runners Up | Kamil Mishara (411) | Lizaad Williams (16) |
| Total | 61 | 38 | 21 | 2 | 64.40 | 4 Titles | Avishka Fernando (1532) | Maheesh Theekshana (33) |
Individual records
Most runs
- As of 09 August 2026
| Runs | Player | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| 1527 | Avishka Fernando | 2020–2026 |
| 674 | Shoaib Malik | 2020–2023 |
| 607 | Rahmanullah Gurbaz .svg.png){kind=small} | 2021–2023 |
| 580 | Thisara Perera | 2020–2023 |
| 411 | Kamil Mishara | 2026 |
| 389 | Rilee Rossouw | 2024 |
| 349 | Dunith Wellalage | 2022-2026 |
| 341 | Charith Asalanka | 2020–2024 |
| 333 | Pathum Nissanka | 2024 |
| 329 | Kusal Mendis | 2024 |
Highest individual score
- As of 09 August 2026
| Runs | Player | Opposition | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 119 | Pathum Nissanka | Kandy Falcons | Dambulla | 9 July 2024 |
| 108* | Rilee Rossouw | Colombo Strikers | 10 July 2024 | |
| 108* | Kamil Mishara | Galle Gallants | Colombo |
5 August 2026 |
| 106* | Rilee Rossouw | Galle Marvels | 21 July 2024 | |
| 105* | Kusal Mendis | Kandy Falcons | 20 July 2024 |
Most career wickets
- As of 09 August 2026
| Wickets. | Player | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | Maheesh Theekshana | 2020–2023 |
| 30 | Dunith Wellalage | 2022–2026 |
| 28 | Wanindu Hasaranga | 2020–2021 |
| 25 | Vijayakanth Viyaskanth | 2020–2024 |
| 24 | Dilshan Madushanka | 2022-2026 |
| 16 | Lizaad Williams | 2026 |
| 15 | Jayden Seales  | 2021 |
| 15 | Thisara Perera | 2020–2023 |
| 15 | Suranga Lakmal | 2020–2021 |
| 14 | Binura Fernando | 2020–2022 |
Best figures in an innings
- As of 09 August 2026
| Figures | Player | Opposition | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/10 | Dunith Wellalage | Galle Titans | Pallekele | 4 August 2023 |
| 4/13 | Jayden Seales | Colombo Stars | Colombo | 16 December 2021 |
| 4/16 | Chathuranga de Silva | Dambulla Giants | 13 December 2021 | |
| 4/22 | Binura Fernando | Dambulla Aura | Pallekele | 11 December 2022 |
| 4/24 | Fabian Allen | Kandy Falcons | Colombo | 20 July 2024 |
Team identity
Anthem
| Year | Anthem | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Vaadaa Machan | Lahiru Perera, Dinesh Gamage |
| 2022 | Adidaa Macha | Hana Shafa, Satheeshan, Krish Manoj |
Kit manufacturers and sponsors
| Year | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor (front) | Shirt sponsor (back) | Chest branding | Sleeve branding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Jura Trading | BBK Partnership | Code.org | Zestige, Pro You™ | |
| 2021 | Lyca Mobile | Cycle Incense | NLB | Cycle Incense | |
| 2022 | SkyExch | N/a | Lyca Mobile | ||
| 2023 | 1xBet | Wolf777 | Batbricks7 | SBC TV, Lyca Mobile | |
| 2024 | MelBat | MGlion News | N/a | Monara TV, Jumbo365 | |
| 2026 | Colombo Marathon | Anchor Sports | Onyx Nutrition | Play.Book, COD Sri Lanka, IPG Group | |
Honours
League
References
- ↑ Sanyal, S. (21 October 2020). "LPL 2020: The complete player lists for all Lanka Premier League franchises". Sportskeeda. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ↑ "Cricket: Gayle, du Plessis, Afridi among marquee names picked in Lanka Premier League draft". scroll.in. 19 October 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ↑ "Jaffna Stallions Team Page". Jaffna Stallions. 19 November 2020.
- ↑ "Founder of Microsoft Ventures Rahul Sood joins Jaffna Stallions as co-owner". Lanka Business Online. 19 November 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
- ↑ "Jaffna Stallions cricket team a winner for Calgary-born co-founder Rahul Sood". North Shore News. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
- ↑ "Seattle tech leaders including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella are investing in cricket teams". GeekWire. 12 December 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
- ↑ "La Signore ft Dinesh - Vaadaa Machan | வாடா மச்சான் (Jaffna Stallions Theme Song) - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
- ↑ "Jaffna Boys". Jaffna Boys. Archived from the original on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
- ↑ "Stallions win first ever LPL title". Jaffna Stallions. Archived from the original on 31 October 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
- ↑ "Shoaib Malik powers Jaffna Stallions to inaugural LPL title win". CricketTimes.com. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
- ↑ "LPL terminates one more franchise". CricBuzz. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
- ↑ "Lyca Group Chairman Allirajah Subaskaran new owner of Jaffna Kings". DailyFT. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
- ↑ "SLC terminates Jaffna Kings and Colombo Strikers ahead of LPL 2025". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
- ↑ "Sports Commune buys Jaffna Kings". The Morning. 24 May 2026. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
- ↑ "New owners announced for Jaffna Kings ahead of LPL season 6". Newswire. 15 May 2026. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ↑ Madushka Balasuriya (23 July 2026). "Sports Commune terminated as Jaffna Kings owners". Cricinfo. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
- ↑ "Jaffna Kings franchise agreement terminated". Cricbuzz. 23 July 2026. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
- ↑ "Jaffna Kings terminated mid-season after co-owner's arrest and corruption allegations". The Times of India. 23 July 2026. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
- ↑ "SLC, IPG take over Jaffna Kings after Franchise Termination". News Wire. 23 July 2026. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
- ↑ Balasuriya, Madushka (4 August 2026). "Zaheer Khan co-owned Anchor Sports AB acquires Jaffna Kings". Cricinfo. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
- ↑ "Zaheer Khan co-owned Anchor Sports AB acquires Lanka Premier League franchise Jaffna Kings". ANI. 5 August 2026. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
- ↑ Bhattacharjee, Probuddha (5 August 2026). "Zaheer Khan steps into Jaffna Kings ownership after Manjot Kalra's exit amid alleged match-fixing scandal". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
- ↑ "Lanka Premier League: Zaheer Khan joins Jaffna franchise as co-owner". India Today. 4 August 2026. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
- ↑ Kanishka Sanjeewa (1 June 2026). "Full LPL 2026 Squads Following the Player Draft". ThePapare. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ↑ Naman Jain (2 June 2026). "All LPL 2026 squads after Lanka Premier League draft". Inside Sport. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ↑ "LPL 2026: Final Squads". Sri Lanka Cricket. 2 June 2026. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ↑ "Lanka Premier League Cricket Team and Records | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
- ↑ "Most career runs". Cricinfo. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- ↑ "Highest individual score". Cricinfo. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- ↑ "Most career wickets". Cricinfo. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- ↑ "Best bowling figures in an innings". Cricinfo. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
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