Vijay Shankar marked his overseas T20 debut with a brisk 18-ball 41* in the Lanka Premier League against the Dambulla Sixers.
Vijay Shankar’s 18-ball 41* goes in vain
Shankar, who was picked to play for the Kandy Royals in the Lanka Premier League 2026, impressed with a 18-ball 41* in their first fixture of their campaign. Chasing Dambulla Sixers' stiff target of 206, Shankar walked out to bat at No.7 after the wicket of Wanindu Hasaranga.
With 84 runs still required off 33 deliveries, the former Indian all-rounder struck the third ball that he faced for a four. He hit two more fours in the next two overs, and was batting on 17 off eight even as the run rate kept climbing. Kandy lost well-set batter Dale Phillips for 52 in the 18th over, and they could never recover despite three sixes from Shankar in the space of eight balls. However, it wasn’t enough at the end, as they could only score 187-6, falling short by 18 runs.
Shankar became eligible to play in the LPL after retiring from domestic cricket and the IPL earlier this year to pursue opportunities in overseas franchise leagues. Under BCCI regulations, Indian players can only participate in overseas T20 leagues after retiring from all forms of Indian cricket, including the IPL and domestic competitions.
He was a marquee signing for the Kandy Royals days after announcing his decision.
Also read: Lanka Premier League schedule: Full fixtures list, match timings and venues for LPL 2026.
He represented India in 21 white-ball internationals between 2018 and 2019, playing 12 ODIs and nine T20Is. He also played in the 2019 ODI World Cup.
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