Jaffna Kings (), 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. Thisara Perera was the team's captain for the first four seasons.
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. 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. 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. 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.
On 16 December 2020, the team won the inaugural Lanka Premier League Championship. The team captain Thisara Perera and Shoaib Malik both played pivotal roles in the win.
2021 season
In July 2021, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) terminated the franchise ahead of the 2021 Lanka Premier League due to financial issues. In September 2021, the team changed its name to Jaffna Kings after Lyca Group took over the ownership.
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.
Prior to the player draft in 2026, the franchise was brought by Sports Commune, led by Indian sports entrepreneurs Manjot Kalra and Mayank Goel. 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. 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.
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. Following the acquisition, the team was officially rebranded as Anchor Jaffna Kings.
Current squad
No. Name Date of birth Batting style Bowling style Year signed Salary (US$) Category Notes Batters 28 Avishka Fernando Right handed Right-arm off break 2026 50,000 Local Platinum 54 Bhanuka Rajapaksa Left handed Right-arm medium fast 2026 80,000 Local Icon Captain 36 Khawaja Nafay Right handed Right-arm Off-break 2026 30,000 Overseas Gold Replacement for Ibrahim Zadran 27 Nuwanidu Fernando Right handed Right-arm off break 2026 20,000 Local Classic 1 Sineth Jayawardhana Left handed Right-arm off break 2026 10,000 Emerging U23 77 Tawhid Hridoy Right handed Right-arm off break 2026 60,000 Overseas Star Replacement for Taskin Ahmed Wicket-keepers 42 Kamil Mishara Left handed Right-arm off break 2026 30,000 Local Gold 7 Vishad Randika Right handed — 2026 30,000 Gold Optional Replacement for Nishan Madushka All-rounders 75 Shakib Al Hasan Left handed Slow left-arm orthodox 2026 80,000 Overseas Icon 9 Dunith Wellalage Left handed Slow left-arm orthodox 2026 60,000 Local Star Vice Captain 96 David Wiese Right handed Right-arm medium fast 2026 50,000 Overseas Platinum 22 Chamindu Wickramasinghe Left handed Right-arm medium fast 2026 20,000 Local Classic Spin bowlers 33 Piyush Chawla Left handed Right-arm leg break 2026 20,000 Overseas Classic Playing until Sandeep Lamichhane is unavailable. 25 Sandeep Lamichhane Right handed Right-arm leg break 2026 20,000 Overseas Classic 79 Treveen Mathews Right handed Right-arm off break 2026 30,000 Local Gold 46 Praveen Maneesha Right handed Right-arm leg break 2026 10,000 Emerging U23 Pace bowlers 98 Dilshan Madushanka Right handed Left-arm fast medium fast 2026 30,000 Local Gold 23 Lizaad Williams Left handed Right-arm medium fast 2026 20,000 Overseas Classic 41 Mohamed Shiraz Right handed Right-arm medium fast 2026 20,000 Local Classic 10 Zahoor Khan Right handed Right-arm medium fast 2026 15,000 Overseas Associate Star Source(s) ThePapare, Inside Sport & Sri Lanka Cricket
Administration and support staff
PositionNameDirector Ganeshan VaheesanManager Charinda FernandoHead coach Thilina KandambyAssistant coach Mario VillavarayanAssistant coach Hemang BadaniBatting coach Jehan MubarakBowling coach Sachith PathiranaFielding coach Vimukthi Deshapriya
History Season Head coach Assistant coach 2020 Thilina Kandamby Mario Villavarayan 2021 2022 2023 2024 Avishka Gunawardene 2026 Thilina Kandamby
Seasons YearLeague table standingFinal standing 2020 3rd out of 5Champions 2021 1st out of 5Champions 2022 2nd out of 5 Champions20234th out of 5Playoffs20242nd out of 5Champions20261st out of 5Runners-up
Captains Captains +No.PlayerFromToWonLostTied 1Thisara Perera 202020234528160161.64 2Charith Asalanka 2024202411740063.63 3Bhanuka Rajapaksha 2026202610630166.66
Statistics By season Season Pos.SummaryMost runsMost 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) Source: Cricinfo
Individual records Most runs
RunsPlayerSeasons 1527 Avishka Fernando 2020–2026 674 Shoaib Malik 2020–2023 607 Rahmanullah Gurbaz 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 Source: Cricinfo
Highest individual score
RunsPlayerOppositionVenueDate 119 Pathum Nissanka Kandy Falcons Dambulla 108* Rilee Rossouw Colombo Strikers 108* Kamil Mishara Galle Gallants Colombo 106* Rilee Rossouw Galle Marvels 105* Kusal Mendis Kandy Falcons Source: Cricinfo
Most career wickets
Wickets.PlayerSeasons 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 Source: Cricinfo
Best figures in an innings
FiguresPlayerOppositionVenueDate 4/10 Dunith Wellalage Galle Titans Pallekele 4/13 Jayden Seales Colombo Stars Colombo 4/16 Chathuranga de Silva Dambulla Giants 4/22 Binura Fernando Dambulla Aura Pallekele 4/24 Fabian Allen Kandy Falcons Colombo Source: Cricinfo
Team identity
Anthem YearAnthemArtist(s)2020Vaadaa MachanLahiru Perera, Dinesh Gamage2022Adidaa MachaHana Shafa, Satheeshan, Krish Manoj
Kit manufacturers and sponsors Year Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor (front) Shirt sponsor (back) Chest branding Sleeve branding2020Jura TradingBBK PartnershipCode.orgZestige, Pro You™2021Lyca MobileCycle IncenseNLBCycle Incense2022 SkyExchLyca Mobile20231xBetWolf777 Batbricks7SBC TV, Lyca Mobile2024MelBatMGlion NewsMonara TV, Jumbo365 2026 Colombo Marathon Anchor Sports Onyx Nutrition Play.Book, COD Sri Lanka, IPG Group
Honours League Lanka Premier League Champions (4): 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024
References