{{Short description|Dambulla based franchise cricket team of the Lanka Premier League}} {{Use Oxford spelling|date=December 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox cricket team | name = Dambulla Sixers | alt_name = | image = | image_size = | alt = | nickname = | league = Lanka Premier League | captain = Dinesh Chandimal | coach = Rangana Herath | city = Dambulla, Central Province, Sri Lanka | colours ={{colourbox|FFF000}} Yellow | owner = Sequoia Consultants, Inc. | founded = '''2020''': Dambulla Viiking <br> '''2021''': Dambulla Giants <br> '''2022''': Dambulla Aura <br> '''2024''': Dambulla Sixers | dissolved = <!--2023 | last_match = --> | ground =Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla | capacity = 16,800 |title1 = LPL |title1wins = '''0''' | t_pattern_la = | t_pattern_b = | t_pattern_ra = | t_pattern_pants = | t_leftarm = 0000C8 | t_body = 0000C8 | t_rightarm = FFF000 | t_pants = 0000C8 | website = | current = }}
'''Dambulla Sixers''', previously known as '''Dambulla Aura''', '''Dambulla Giants''', '''Dambulla Viiking''', and '''Dambulla Thunders''' is a franchise Twenty20 cricket team based in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, that competes in the Lanka Premier League (LPL).
In June 2021, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) terminated the franchise ahead of the 2021 Lanka Premier League, due to financial issues.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/117939/slc-approves-termination-of-colombo-kings-and-dambulla-viiking-lanka-premier-league-cricket |title=SLC approves termination of Colombo Kings and Dambulla Viiking |work=CricBuzz |access-date=26 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/lpl-2021-22-colombo-kings-and-dambulla-viiking-terminate-contracts-withdraw-from-lanka-premier-league-2021-1267973 |title=Colombo Kings, Dambulla Viiking terminate contracts, withdraw from LPL 2021 |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=26 June 2021}}</ref> In September 2021, the team changed their name to Dambulla Giants after changing owners.<ref>{{Cite web|title=IPG announces new owner for Dambulla Giants|url=https://www.ft.lk/sports/IPG-announces-new-owner-for-Dambulla-Giants/23-722590|url-status=live|access-date=4 September 2021|website=DailyFT|language=en-gb|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210904035503/https://www.ft.lk/sports/IPG-announces-new-owner-for-Dambulla-Giants/23-722590 |archive-date=4 September 2021 }}</ref> Then, prior to the 2022 season, Aura Lanka brought the franchise and changed its name to Dambulla Aura.<ref>{{cite news |title=Aura Lanka Group secures ownership of Dambulla Team in LPL |url=https://archives1.dailynews.lk/2022/12/06/business/292514/aura-lanka-group-secures-ownership-dambulla-team-lpl |access-date=23 May 2024 |work=Daily News |date=6 December 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
==Franchise history== ===2020 season=== {{Main|Dambulla Viiking in 2020}}
===2021 season=== {{Main|Dambulla Giants in 2021}}
===2022 season=== {{Main|Dambulla Aura in 2022}}
===2023 season=== {{Main|Dambulla Aura in 2023}}
===2024 season=== {{Main|Dambulla Sixers in 2024}} In 2024, the team was purchased by Imperial Sports Group, who renamed it Dambulla Thunders.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dambulla franchise rebranded as Dambulla Thunders for LPL 2024 |url=https://www.thepapare.com/dambulla-franchise-rebranded-as-dambulla-thunders-for-lpl-2024/ |access-date=26 April 2024 |work=ThePapare |date=21 April 2024}}</ref> Tamim Rahman, a co-owner of Dambulla Thunders, a British national of Bangladeshi origin, was arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport a day after the 2024 LPL player auction. The special investigating unit for preventing sports-related offences of the Ministry of Sports made the arrest.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sanjeewa |first1=Kanishka |title=Team Owner of Dambulla Thunders arrested for match-fixing charges |url=https://www.thepapare.com/team-owner-of-dambulla-thunders-arrested-for-match-fixing-charges/ |access-date=23 May 2024 |work=ThePapare |date=22 May 2024}}</ref> Following the arrest, LPL terminated its contract with Dambulla Thunders with immediate effect.<ref>{{cite news |title=LPL terminates contract with Dambulla Thunders following owner's arrest |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/sri-lanka-news-lpl-terminates-contract-with-dambulla-thunders-following-owners-arrest-1434899 |access-date=23 May 2024 |work=ESPNcricinfo |date=22 May 2024 |language=en}}</ref> The IPG Group, the organisers of LPL announced, the fifth edition of the league will continue as planned despite the events related to Dambulla Thunders. IPG further stated that the Dambulla franchise will participate in the league under new ownership.<ref>{{cite news |title=2024 LPL to go ahead as scheduled; Dambulla franchise to receive new ownership |url=https://www.adaderana.lk/sports/10354/-2024-lpl-to-go-ahead-as-scheduled-dambulla-franchise-to-receive-new-ownership |access-date=23 May 2024 |work=Ada Derana |date=23 May 2024 |language=en}}</ref> Incidentally, Viranjith Thambugala, chairman of Aura Lanka, the previous owner of Dambulla franchise, was arrested by Sri Lanka Police over allegations of financial fraud on the same day.<ref>{{cite news |title=Aura Lanka chairman Viranjith Thambugala arrested |url=https://www.newswire.lk/2024/05/22/aura-lanka-chairman-viranjith-thambugala-arrested/ |access-date=23 May 2024 |work=Newswire |date=22 May 2024}}</ref> At last, Dambulla franchise was bought by a Los Angeles based engineering consultant firm called Sequoia Consultants.<ref>{{cite news |title=LA-based civil engineering firm becomes new owner of Dambulla franchise |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/news/la-based-civil-engineering-firm-becomes-new-owner-of-dambulla-franchise/articleshow/110736369.cms |access-date=30 April 2024 |date=5 June 2024}}</ref>
To promote breast cancer awareness and encourage self-examination, Dambulla Sixers played their match against Galle Marvels on July 14 wearing pink jerseys with a pink ribbon. Inspired by successful campaigns in other cricket-playing nations, the initiative aims to significantly impact cancer awareness in Sri Lanka.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dambulla Sixers Go Pink on July 14, 2024: A Cricket Match for Cancer Awareness and Hope |work=Sri Lanka Cricket |date=9 June 2024 |url=https://srilankacricket.lk/2024/07/dambulla-sixers-go-pink-on-july-14-2024-a-cricket-match-for-cancer-awareness-and-hope/ |access-date=11 May 2025 }}</ref> Galle Marvels also wore a special jersey that mixed pink with their usual neon green to support their program.<ref>{{cite news |title=Galle Marvels joins Dambulla Sixers to raise awareness for Cancer |work=ThePapare |url=https://www.thepapare.com/galle-marvels-joins-dambulla-sixers-to-raise-awareness-for-cancer/ |access-date=11 May 2025 |date=10 June 2024}}</ref>
===2026 season=== {{Main|Dambulla Sixers in 2026}} Before the 2026 LPL player draft, the Sixers signed Dinesh Chandimal, Dushmantha Chameera, Reeza Hendricks and Sahibzada Farhan as pre-draft signings.
==Current squad== * Sources: * Players with international caps are listed in '''bold'''.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:85%;" |- ! style="background:#0000C8; color:yellow; text-align:center;"|No. ! style="background:#0000C8; color:yellow; text-align:center;"|Name ! style="background:#0000C8; color:yellow; text-align:center;"|{{tooltip|Nat.|Nationality}} ! style="background:#0000C8; color:yellow; text-align:center;"|Date of birth ! style="background:#0000C8; color:yellow; text-align:center;"|Batting style ! style="background:#0000C8; color:yellow; text-align:center;"|Bowling style ! style="background:#0000C8; color:yellow; text-align:center;"|Year signed ! style="background:#0000C8; color:yellow; text-align:center;"|Salary <br> (US$) ! style="background:#0000C8; color:yellow; text-align:center;"|Notes |- ! colspan="9" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;" | Batters |- |style="text-align:center;"| 51 | '''Sahibzada Farhan''' |style="text-align:center;"| {{flagicon|PAK}} | {{Birth date and age|1996|3|6|df=y}} | Right handed | {{NA}} |style="text-align:center;"| 2026 |80,000 |Overseas |- |style="text-align:center;" | 17 | '''Reeza Hendricks''' |style="text-align:center;"| {{flagicon|RSA}} |{{Birth date and age|1989|8|14|df=y}} | Right handed | Right-arm off break |style="text-align:center;"| 2026 |60,000 |Overseas |- ! colspan="9" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;" | Wicket-keepers |- |style="text-align:center;"| 56 | '''Dinesh Chandimal''' |style="text-align:center;"| {{flagicon|SRI}} | {{Birth date and age|1989|11|18|df=y}} | Right handed | Right-arm off break |style="text-align:center;"| 2026 |80,000 |Captain |- ! colspan="9" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;" | All-Rounders |- |style="text-align:center;"| | Gayana Weerasinghe |style="text-align:center;"| {{flagicon|SRI}} | {{Birth date and age|2004|12|16|df=y}} | Right handed | Right-arm medium fast |style="text-align:center;"| 2026 |10,000 | |- |style="text-align:center;"|37 | '''Shadley van Schalkwyk''' |style="text-align:center;"|{{flagicon|USA}} | {{Birth date and age|1988|8|5|df=y}} | Left handed | Right-arm medium |style="text-align:center;"| 2026 |15,000 |Overseas |- |style="text-align:center;"|14 | '''Gulbadin Naib''' |style="text-align:center;"|14 {{flagicon|Afghanistan}} | {{Birth date and age|1991|6|4|df=y}} | Right-handed | Right-arm medium fast |style="text-align:center;"| 2026 | |Overseas |- |style="text-align:center;"| | '''Dian Forrester''' |style="text-align:center;"| {{flagicon|SA}} | {{Birth date and age|2000|6|7|df=y}} | Left handed | Right-arm fast |style="text-align:center;"| 2026 | |Overseas |- |style="text-align:center;"| 17 | '''Dhananjaya Lakshan''' |style="text-align:center;"| {{flagicon|SL}} | {{Birth date and age|1998|10|5|df=y}} | Left handed | Right-arm medium fast |style="text-align:center;"| 2026 | | |- |style="text-align:center;"| 25 | '''Ramesh Mendis''' |style="text-align:center;"| {{flagicon|SL}} | {{Birth date and age|1995|7|7|df=y}} | Right handed | Right-arm off break |style="text-align:center;"| 2026 | | |- |style="text-align:center;"| | Sachitha Jayathilake |style="text-align:center;"| {{flagicon|SL}} | {{Birth date and age|1997|2|24|df=y}} | Right handed | Right-arm leg break |style="text-align:center;"| 2026 | | |- ! colspan="9" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;" | Spin bowlers |- |style="text-align:center;"| | Vishwa Kumara |style="text-align:center;"| {{flagicon|SRI}} | {{Birth date and age|2004|11|15|df=y}} | Right handed | Slow left arm Orthodox |style="text-align:center;"| 2026 |10,000 | |- ! colspan="9" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;" | Pace bowlers |- |style="text-align:center;"| 5 | '''Dushmantha Chameera''' |style="text-align:center;"| {{flagicon|SRI}} | {{Birth date and age|1992|1|11|df=y}} | Right handed | Right-arm fast |style="text-align:center;"| 2026 |60,000 | |}
== Administration and support staff == {{unreferenced section|date=May 2025}} {| class="wikitable" !Position !Name |- |Head coach |Rangana Herath |- |Mentor |Roshan Mahanama |- |Bowling coach |Chamila Gamage |- |Fielding coach |Ruwin Peiris |- |Batting coach |Thilina Kandamby |}
===History=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Season ! Head coach ! Assistant coach |- ! 2020 | {{flagdeco|ENG}} Owais Shah | |- ! 2021 | {{flagdeco|AUS}} Stuart Law | {{flagdeco|SRI}} Sampath Perera |- ! 2022 | {{flagdeco|RSA}} Mickey Arthur | {{flagdeco|SRI}} Avishka Gunawardene |- ! 2023 | {{flagdeco|SRI}} Avishka Gunawardene | {{flagdeco|SRI}} Upul Chandana |- ! 2024 |rowspan=2| {{flagdeco|SRI}} Rangana Herath | |- ! 2026 | |}
== Captains ==
{| class="wikitable"style="text-align:center;" |- !No. !Player !From !To !{{Tooltip|Mat|No. of Matches as Captain}} !Won !Lost !Tied !{{Tooltip|NR|No result}} !{{Tooltip|Win%|Win percentage}} |- | 1 !style="text-align:left;| Dasun Shanaka |2020 |2022 |24 |9 |13 |0 |2 |37.50 |- | 2 !style="text-align:left;| Niroshan Dickwella |2021 |2021 |2 |1 |1 |0 |0 |50.00 |- | 3 !style="text-align:left;| Sikandar Raza |2022 |2022 |1 |1 |0 |0 |0 |100.00 |- | 4 !style="text-align:left;| Kusal Mendis |2023 |2023 |8 |5 |2 |1 |0 |68.75 |- | 5 !style="text-align:left;| Dhananjaya de Silva |2023 |2023 |2 |2 |0 |0 |0 |100.00 |- | 6 !style="text-align:left;|Mohammad Nabi |2024 |2024 |8 |3 |4 |1 |0 |37.50 |}
<small>''As of 16 July 2024''</small>
==Seasons== {| class="wikitable" |- !Year !League standing !Final standing |- ! 2020 | 2nd out of 5 | Semi-finalists |- ! 2021 | 4th out of 5 | Playoffs |- ! 2022 | 5th out of 5 | Group stage |- !2023 | 1st out of 5 |style="background:silver;"|Runners up |- ! 2024 | 5th out of 5 | Group stage |- |}
==Statistics== ===Most runs=== {{Updated|19 August 2023}} {| class="wikitable" |- !Runs !Player !Seasons |- !544 | Dasun Shanaka || 2020–2022 |- !421 | Niroshan Dickwella || 2020–2021 |- !301 | Phil Salt || 2021 |- ! 239 | Avishka Fernando || 2023 |- !227 | Angelo Perera || 2020 |} *Source: ESPNcricinfo<ref name="Most career runs">{{cite news |title= Most career runs |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/team/batting-most-runs-career/dambulla-aura-6785/twenty20-matches-6 |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=20 October 2020}}</ref>
===Highest individual score=== {{updated|8 July 2024}} {| class="wikitable" |- !Runs !Player !Opposition !Venue !Date |- !102* | Kusal Perera || Jaffna Kings || rowspan="3"|Pallekele|| {{dts|format=dmy|2024|07|03}} |- !91* | Mark Chapman || Kandy Falcons || {{dts|format=dmy|2024|07|01}} |- ! 87 | Kusal Mendis || Colombo Strikers || {{dts|format=dmy|2023|August|05}} |- ! rowspan="3"|80 | Shevon Daniel || Galle Gladiators || Colombo|| {{dts|format=dmy|2022|12|17}} |- | Reeza Hendricks || Jaffna Kings ||rowspan="2"| Dambulla || {{dts|format=dmy|2024|7|6}} |- | Kusal Perera || Colombo Strikers || {{dts|format=dmy|2024|7|7}} |} *Source: ESPNcricinfo<ref>{{cite news |title=Highest individual score |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/team/batting-most-runs-innings/dambulla-aura-6785/twenty20-matches-6 |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=20 October 2020}}</ref>
=== Most wickets === {{updated|19 August 2023}} {| class="wikitable" |- !Wickets !Player !Seasons |- |15 | Imran Tahir |2021 |- |13 | Ramesh Mendis |2020–2022 |- |12 | Noor Ahmad |2022–2023 |- |10 | Dhananjaya de Silva |2023 |- |10 | '''Nuwan Pradeep''' |2021 |} *Source: ESPNcricinfo<ref>[https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/bowling/most_wickets_career.html?id=865;team=6785;type=trophy ESPNcricinfo], Last Updated: 20 December 2021</ref>
==Team identity== ===Logo=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;font-size:95%" |- !rowspan=2| Dambulla Sixers | 80px | 2024 |- | | since 2026 |}
===Anthem=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;font-size:95%" |- !Year !Anthem !Artist(s) |- |2021 | |Tony T, Rohitha Rajapaksa, Dinesh Kanagaratnam, Tehani Imara, Neo Navy |- |2022 |Uthura Dakuna Tharaga Dinana | |- |2024 |Awula Awula Abhimane | |}
===Kit manufacturers and sponsors===
In the inaugural season, Life Bottled Water, Big Brother, Goa King's, Planet Hollywood and Viiking Ventures became as team sponsors<ref>{{cite news|url=https://tobaccounmasked.com/index.php/Dambulla_Viikings#cite_note-SS-15|title=Dambulla Viiking|access-date=13 May 2025|website=TobaccoUnmasked}}</ref> while Swarnavahini, Ran FM, E FM and Shree FM was the media partners. TigerExchange News became the team's main sponsor in the 2022 season.<ref>{{cite news|date=12 December 2022 |work=Asian News International |title=Tiger Exchange News are official sponsors of Dambulla Aura in the ongoing Lanka Premier League T20 |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/business/business/tiger-exchange-news-are-official-sponsors-of-dambulla-aura-in-the-ongoing-lanka-premier-league-t2020221212160823/}}</ref> In 2023 season, Babu88 Sports became as the principal sponsor of the Dambulla franchise.<ref>{{cite news|title=Babu88Sports backs Dambulla Aura as title sponsors in LPL |date=29 July 2023 |work=Newswire |url=https://www.newswire.lk/2023/07/29/babu88sports-backs-dambulla-aura-as-title-sponsors-in-lpl/}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;font-size:95%" |- ! Year ! Kit manufacturer ! Shirt sponsor (front) ! Shirt sponsor (back) ! Chest branding ! Sleeve branding |- |2020 |rowspan=5| |Planet Hollywood |Goa King's |Life Bottled Water |Big Brother |- |2021 |colspan="2"|Hamro PLC |{{NA}} |i-view London, NLB, Lahore Country Club |- |2022 |colspan="2" |Tiger Exchange News |Aura Lanka |Tiger Exchange News, Aura Airlines |- |2023 |Babu88 Sports |Kheloyar |Aura Airlines |Visit Sri Lanka |- |2024 |MostPlay.news |Sequoia Consultants |Harriet |{{n/a}} |}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Dambulla Sixers}} {{Dambulla Sixers squad}} {{Lanka Premier League}}
Category:2020 establishments in Sri Lanka Category:Cricket clubs established in 2020 Category:Lanka Premier League teams Category:Dambulla Aura