Former India cricketer Vijay Shankar struggled to score a run as he faced a remarkable wicket maiden from Sri Lankan pacer Dilshan Madushanka in the final over of a Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026 match
on Thursday, as Jaffna Kings sealed victory over Kandy Royals.
With Kandy Royals needing 22 runs off the last six balls in their 222-run chase, Vijay faced five straight dot balls from Madushanka before falling to the final delivery of the innings. Heading into the last over, Kandy Royals were nine wickets down, leaving Vijay with the responsibility of farming the strike as last man Nuwan Thushara waited at the non-striker’s end.
Madushanka mixed up his pace and lengths brilliantly to keep Vijay quiet. The left-arm pacer beat the all-rounder three times during the over, while Vijay also chose not to take a single on two occasions in an attempt to retain the strike. The over ended with Madushanka claiming Vijay’s wicket off the final ball, completing a rare wicket maiden in the last over and ensuring Jaffna Kings successfully defended their total.
Why Vijay Shankar retired from Indian domestic cricket to play in the LPL
Vijay Shankar announced his retirement from Indian domestic cricket and the IPL in May 2026 to pursue opportunities in overseas franchise leagues. Under the BCCI's regulations, Indian players must retire from domestic cricket to become eligible for overseas T20 leagues, prompting the former India all-rounder to bring the curtain down on his career at home.
The decision came after Shankar went unsold in the IPL 2026 auction. He was subsequently signed by Kandy Royals for the 2026 Lanka Premier League, marking the beginning of a new phase in his career. Shankar, who played 12 internationals for India between 2018 and 2019, has since been featuring regularly in franchise cricket abroad.
Vijay Shankar scored 223 ODI runs in 12 games at an average of 31.85 and a strike rate of 90.65, and 101 T20I runs in nine matches at 25.25 and 138.35. He played most of his domestic cricket for Tamil Nadu, captaining them to title wins in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Deodhar Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy before moving to Tripura ahead of the 2025-26 season
