Colombo, Dec 19 (IANS): Jaffna Kings beat Colombo Stars by eight wickets in the first match of the day at the R. Premadasa Stadium here on Monday, in the ongoing Lanka Premier League 2022.

Batting first, Colombo Stars could only manage 128 on the board for the loss of 9 wickets.

Chasing down the target, Jaffna Kings' Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Avishka Fernando raised a mammoth 105-run partnership to set the platform for a comfortable win for the Kings. Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored 69 runs from 40 balls, which included eight boundaries and four sixes, while Fernando remained unbeaten on 40 from 38 balls.

For Colombo Stars, Dominic Drakes and Jeffrey Vandersay took a wicket each.

Earlier, after winning the toss, Jaffna Kings elected to bowl first. Colombo Stars didn't get off to a good start as openers Dinesh Chandimal and captain Niroshan Dickwella were dismissed quickly. Both the openers were dismissed for a duck each and soon the team was struggling at 4/16 in 3.4 overs. Nishan Madushka played a brilliant knock of 35 runs, which included one six. Towards the end of the innings, Dominic Drakes contributed with a quick-fire 38 runs from 20 deliveries. His innings was laced with 4 boundaries and 2 sixes.

For Jaffna Kings, Shoaib Malik was the pick of the bowlers as he scalped 2-4 from his 2 overs, while Thisara Perera took 2-14 from 3 overs. Meanwhile, Zaman Khan, Asitha Fernando, Suminda Lakshan and Praveen Jayawickrama took one wicket each.