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The Lanka Premier League (LPL) has announced that Kamindu Mendis will lead Colombo KAPS for the remainder of the 2026 season. This change comes after the regular captain, Kusal Mendis, was sidelined due to an injury.

Kusal Mendis will not participate in the rest of the 2026 LPL season following a right hamstring injury he sustained during a match against Kandy Royals. According to a press release, he suffered the injury early in the game and, despite his efforts to continue, had to retire hurt just two overs into the chase after being assessed by medical staff.

The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) media release stated, "Mendis sustained a right hamstring injury while attempting a run during the Colombo KAPS' match against the Kandy Royals on July 19 at the SSC, Colombo." He will now return to the National High Performance Centre to begin his rehabilitation.

This injury is a significant blow for both the KAPS team and the Sri Lanka national squad, which is preparing to face India in a two-Test series starting August 15. Following Kusal's exit from the tournament, the LPL Player Management Committee has appointed Kamindu Mendis as the new captain for the remainder of the 2026 Lanka Premier League.

The LPL wishes Kusal a swift and full recovery and looks forward to his return to competitive cricket soon.

This injury comes at a particularly unfortunate time for Mendis, who had been performing exceptionally well. Prior to his injury, he scored an impressive 79 runs off 53 balls in KAPS' opening match against Galle Gallants.