Colombo Kaps, formerly known as Colombo Stars, Colombo Kings and Colombo Strikers, is a franchise Twenty20 cricket team based in Colombo, Sri Lanka, that competes in the Lanka Premier League. Kusal Mendis is the captain of this franchise while Chamara Kapugedara is the head coach.
Franchise history 2020 season
In the inaugural season, Murfad Mustafa was the owner of the franchise. The team was supposed to be coached by former Australian cricketer Dav Whatmore. However he pulled out ahead of the 2020 Lanka Premier League for personal reasons and was replaced by former English cricketer Kabir Ali. Kabir Ali was again replaced by Herschelle Gibbs after he tested positive for COVID-19. Angelo Mathews was announced as the icon player and Andre Russell was named as the marquee foreign player.
2021 season
In June 2021, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) terminated the franchise ahead of the 2021 Lanka Premier League, due to financial issues. In November 2021, the team changed its name to Colombo Stars after Softlogic Holdings PLC took over the ownership of the franchise.
2022 season
2023 season
In May 2023, LPL promoter and the chairman of IPG Group told that Softlogic Holdings PLC had part ways with Colombo Stars with mutual understanding.LPL denies media reports on dispute with Softlogic NewsWire. Retrieved 9 May 2023. In May 2023, the team changed its name to Colombo Strikers after SKKY Group took over the ownership.
2024 season
2026 season
In April 2025, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced that franchise owners 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. In mid-October 2025, it was announced that the Colombo franchise had been purchased by Witness Sports Alliance LLC, led by Indian entrepreneurs Saranyan Palaniswamy and K.C. Shyam Kangayan, and the franchise was renamed as "Colombo Kaps".
Before the 2026 player draft, the Mendis duo, Kusal Mendis and Kamindu Mendis, Jimmy Neesham and Ben McDermott signed with the Kaps as pre-draft signings. Chamara Kapugedera and Nuwan Kulasekara were appointed as the head coach and the bowling coach respectively.
Current squad
No. Name Date of birth Batting style Bowling style Year signed Salary (US$) Category Notes Batters 2 Thanuka Dabare Left handed Right-arm off break 2026 20,000 Local Classic Wicket-keepers 83 Rubin Hermann Left handed 2026 20,000 Overseas Classic Replacement for Mohammad Haris 28 Ben McDermott Right handed Right-arm medium fast 2026 60,000 Overseas Star 23 Sadeera Samarawickrama Right handed 2026 30,000 Local GoldVice Captain 25 Sharujan Shanmuganathan Right handed Right-arm leg break 2026 10,000 Emerging U23 All-rounders 19 Ashen Bandara Right handed Right-arm leg break 2026 80,000 Local Icon Replacement for Kusal Mendis 14 Kushal Bhurtel Right handed Right-arm leg break 2026 15,000 Associate Star 95 Janith Liyanage Right handed Right-arm medium fast 2026 30,000 Local Gold 21 Kamindu Mendis Left handed Ambidextrous spin 2026 60,000 Local Star Captain 50 James Neesham Left handed Right-arm medium fast 2026 80,000 Overseas Icon 37 Milan Rathnayake Left handed Right-arm medium fast 2026 30,000 Local Gold 51 Movin Subasingha Right handed Right-arm off break 2026 20,000 Local Classic 10 Malsha Tharupathi Right handed Right-arm leg break 2026 10,000 Emerging U23 29 Ravindu Fernando Right handed Right-arm off break 2026 20,000 Local ClassicReplacement for Jeffrey Vandersay Pace bowlers 45 Shahnawaz Dahani Right handed Right-arm medium fast 2026 30,000 Overseas Gold 71 Binura Fernando Right handed Left-arm medium fast 2026 50,000 Local Platinum 24 Ripon Mondol Right handed Right-arm medium fast 2026 20,000 Overseas Classic Replacement for Hasan Mahmud 69 Arul Pragasam Right handed Right-arm medium fast 2026 20,000 Local Classic Spin bowlers 99 Crishan Kalugamage Right handed Right-arm leg break 2026 15,000 Associate Star Playing until Kushal Bhurtel is unavailable. 5 Wanuja Sahan Left handed Slow left-arm orthodox 2026 30,000 Local Gold 7 Mujeeb Ur Rahman Right handed Right-arm off break 2026 50,000 Overseas Platinum Source(s) ThePapare, Inside Sport & Sri Lanka Cricket
Administration and support staff PositionNameHead coachChamara KapugederaBowling coachNuwan KulasekaraAssistant coachVacant
History Season Head coach Assistant coach 2020 Herschelle Gibbs Rangana Herath 2021 Ruwan Kalpage Trevin Mathew 2022 Chamila Gamage 2023 Simon Helmot Jerome Jayaratne 2024 Carl Crowe Simon Helmot 2026 Chamara Kapugedera Nuwan Kulasekara
Captains
No.PlayerFromTo1 Angelo Mathews 2020 2022 24 13 10 1 0 0 54.162 Dhananjaya de Silva 2021202141300025.003 Niroshan Dickwella 2023202352300040.004 Chamika Karunaratne 2023202321100050.005 Babar Azam 2023202310100006 Thisara Perera 2024202494500044.447 Kusal Mendis 2026202621100050.008 Kamindu Mendis 2026202684400050.00 Source: CricinfoESPNcricinfo
Seasons Year League table standing Final standing 2020 1st out of 5Playoffs 2021 3rd out of 5Playoffs20223rd out of 5Runners up20235th out of 5League Stage 20243rd out of 5Playoffs20263rd out of 5Playoffs
Statistics By season Season Pos.SummaryMost runsMost wickets 2020 9 6 3 0 66.67 1/5 Playoffs Laurie Evans (289) Qais Ahmad (12) 2021 9 4 5 0 44.44 3/5 Playoffs Dinesh Chandimal (277) Seekkuge Prasanna & Dushmantha Chameera (13) 2022 11 5 6 0 45.45 3/5 Runners-up Dinesh Chandimal (287) Kasun Rajitha (13) 2023 8 3 5 0 37.50 5/5 League Stage Babar Azam (261) Matheesha Pathirana (12) 2024 9 4 5 0 44.44 3/5 Playoffs Glenn Phillips (252) Shadab Khan (17) 2026 10 5 5 0 33.33 3/5 Playoffs Kamindu Mendis (280) Mujeeb Ur Rahman (13) Total 56 27 29 0 48.21 0 Title Dinesh Chandimal (810) Matheesha Pathirana (27) Source: Cricinfo
Most runs
RunsPlayerSeasons 810 Dinesh Chandimal 2020–2022 473 Angelo Mathews 2020–2022 324 Sadeera Samarawickrama 2024-2026 289 Laurie Evans 2020 280 Kamindu Mendis 2026 261 Babar Azam 2023 253 Ben McDermott 2026 252 Glenn Phillips 2024 249 Pathum Nissanka 2021-2023 245 Ravi Bopara 2022 Source: Cricinfo
Highest individual score
RunsPlayerOppositionVenueDate 108* Laurie Evans Jaffna Stallions Hambantota 104 Babar Azam Galle Titans Pallekele 88* Kamindu Mendis Dambulla Sixers Dambulla 80 Dinesh Chandimal Kandy Tuskers Dambulla 79 Kusal Mendis Galle Gallants Colombo Source: Cricinfo
Most career wickets
WicketsPlayerSeasons27 Matheesha Pathirana 2023-202422 Jeffrey Vandersay 2020–202321 Dushmantha Chameera 2020-202117 Shadab Khan 202417 Binura Fernando 2024-202615 Seekkuge Prasanna 2021-202215 Naveen-ul-Haq 2021-202213 Kasun Rajitha 202213 Mujeeb Ur Rahman 202612 Qais Ahmad 2020 Source: CricInfo
Best figures in an innings
FiguresPlayerOppositionVenueDate 6/25 Jeffrey Vandersay Kandy Warriors Colombo 5/22 Kasun Rajitha Dambulla Aura Pallekele 4/10 Shadab Khan Jaffna Kings Colombo 4/20 Kasun Rajitha Kandy Falcons 4/20 Matheesha Pathirana Galle Marvels Source: Cricinfo
Team identity
Anthem YearAnthemArtist(s)2020Say Colombo KingsPasan Liyanage, Pradhee, Shaa, Lucky2021Romaine Willis, Randhir Witana, Kaizer Kaiz
Kit manufacturers and sponsors Year Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor (front) Shirt sponsor (back) Chest branding Sleeve branding2020Moose ClothingFaza.aeSport LoopMaatéSafco International, 11 Wickets2021Softlogic HoldingsSoftlogic Life Insurance, Odel, Asiri Health2022MazaPlaySoftlogic Holdings2023Kheloyar1xBookMentos2024Babu88 SportsZetto SportsOateoTurbo Energy Drink, GENXT 2026 Parimatch Sports Kasagala Group
References