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46th Mustangs Trophy One-Day Encounter

Published

3 years ago

March 28, 2023

Editor

Rehan, Uvindu shine in Royals’ comfortable 7-wicket win

Half-centuries from Rehan Peris and Uvindu Weerasekara helped Royal College outplay arch-rivals S. Thomas’ College by 7 wickets and bag the 46th Mustangs Trophy one Day Encounter worked off at SSC Grounds, Colombo on Friday (24).

Batting first, the boys from Mt Lavinia were bundled out for 165 runs despite Senadhi Bulankulama’s lone cameo, and in reply, Royal achieved the target in just 37 overs.

Senadhi Bulankulama and Thishen Ehaliyagoda walked out to open the innings for S. Thomas’, but their partnership was short-lived, with Thishen being the first wicket to fall for just 5 runs.

One down batter Dineth Gunawardena also lasted just 19 balls as he was run out courtesy of a brilliant fielding effort from Bulan Weerathunga.

Adding salt to their wounds, their skipper Romesh Mendis also bit the dust when he walked back to the pavilion for just 2 runs to make things worse for the Thomians.

S. Thomas found themselves in a tight spot at ( ), but a desperate effort from Senadhi Bulankulama and Mahith Perera, who rotated the strike, saw them slowly reviving their innings.

However, the Royal bowlers didn’t allow any breathing space for the opposition to settle down, as they continued bowling good lines and lengths to put constant pressure on the Thomians.

Senadhi Bulankulama was the only batter to trouble the Royal bowling attack, and apart from him none of the other batters posed a threat to the Royalists.

Bulankulama went on to score a fighting 133 ball 66 runs including 4 boundaries, while Mahith Perera contributed 28 runs before the Thomians were bowled out for a below-par score of 165 runs inside 48.2 overs.

Bulan Weerathunga, Sandesh Ramanayaka and skipper Dasis Manchanayake shone with the ball claiming two wickets each, while Anush Polonnowita, Ranuka Malaviarachchi and Ramiru Perera chipped in with a wicket each.

In reply, it was a walk in the park for the Royalists as they achieved the target in just 37 overs.

Rehan Peris was the hero in the chase top scoring with a blistering 69 runs off 107 deliveries including 7 boundaries and a six, while middle-order batter Uvindu Weerasekara smashed a 68 ball 50 runs with 4 boundaries and 2 sixes to take their team home comfortably.

The win also saw Royal whitewashing the Thomians, as they also won the 144th ‘Battle of the Blues’ annual cricket encounter played for the Rt. Hon. D.S Senanayake Memorial Shield recently.

46 වැනි මස්ටැංග්ස් කුසලාන එක්දින හමුව

රෙහාන් සහ උවිඳු රාජකීයයන් කඩුලු 7ක පහසු ජයග්‍රහණයකින් බැබළේ

රෙහාන් පීරිස් සහ උවිඳු වීරසේකරගේ අර්ධ ශතක හේතුවෙන් රාජකීය විද්‍යාලය කඩුලු 7කින් පරම්පරාගත ප්‍රතිවාදී S. තෝමස් විද්‍යාලය අභිබවා ගොස් 46 වැනි මස්ටැංග්ස් කුසලාන එක්දින තරගය සිකුරාදා (24) කොළඹ SSC පිටියේදී නිමාවට පත්විය.

ප්‍රථමයෙන් පන්දුවට පහරදුන් ගල්කිස්ස බාලකයෝ ලකුණු 165කට දැවී ගිය අතර, සේනාධි බුලන්කුලමගේ හුදකලා ආරාධිතයා නොතකා, පිළිතුරු ලෙස රාජකීය විදුහල ඕවර 37කදී එම ඉලක්කය සපුරා ගත්තේය.

S. තෝමස් වෙනුවෙන් ඉනිම ආරම්භ කිරීමට සේනාධි බුලන්කුලම සහ තිශේන් ඇහැලියගොඩ පිටව ගිය නමුත් ඔවුන්ගේ සබඳතාව කෙටිකාලීන වූ අතර තිෂේන් පළමු කඩුල්ල ලෙස ලකුණු 5ක් පමණක් දැවී ගියේය.

බුලාන් වීරතුංගගේ විශිෂ්ට පන්දු රැකීමේ ප්‍රයත්නයෙන් දැවී යාමෙන් එක් පහළ පිතිකරු දිනෙත් ගුණවර්ධන ද දැවී ගියේ පන්දු 19ක් පමණි.

ඔවුන්ගේ තුවාලවලට ලුණු එකතු කරමින් ඔවුන්ගේ නායක රොමේෂ් මෙන්ඩිස් ද ලකුණු 2ක් පමණක් ලබා නැවත මණ්ඩපයට යන විට දූවිල්ල හපමින් තෝමස් පිලේ තත්ත්වය තවත් නරක අතට හැරිණි.

එස්. තෝමස් () හි දී දැඩි අසීරුතාවයකට පත් වූ නමුත්, පහර භ්‍රමණය කළ සේනාධි බුලන්කුලම සහ මහීත් පෙරේරාගේ මංමුලා සහගත උත්සාහය නිසා ඔවුන් සෙමෙන් සිය ඉනිම පණ ගන්වනු දක්නට ලැබිණි.

කෙසේ වෙතත්, රාජකීය පන්දු යවන්නන් ප්‍රතිවාදීන්ට කිසිදු හුස්ම ගැනීමේ ඉඩක් ලබා දුන්නේ නැත, මන්ද ඔවුන් තෝමියානුවන් මත නිරන්තර පීඩනයක් ඇති කිරීම සඳහා හොඳ රේඛා සහ දිග දිගේ පන්දු යවන බැවිනි.

රාජකීය පන්දු යැවීමේ ප්‍රහාරයට බාධා කළ එකම පිතිකරුවා සේනධි බුලන්කුලම වූ අතර ඔහු හැරුණු විට සෙසු කිසිදු පිතිකරුවෙක් රාජකීයයන්ට තර්ජනයක් වූයේ නැත.

බුලංකුලම පිල පන්දු 133කදී හතරේ පහර 4ක් සමඟින් ලකුණු 66ක් ලබා ගත් අතර මහීත් පෙරේරා ලකුණු 28කට දායක වූ අතර තෝමස් පිල ඕවර 48.2කදී ලකුණු 165කට අඩුවෙන් දැවී ගියේය.

පන්දු යැවීමේදී බුලන් වීරතුංග, සන්දේශ් රාමනායක සහ නායක දාසිස් මංචනායක කඩුලු 2 බැගින් දවාගත් අතර අනුෂ් පොළොන්නෝවිට, රනුක මලවිආරච්චි සහ රමිරු පෙරේරා කඩුල්ල බැගින් ද බිඳ දැමූහ.

පිළිතුරු ලෙස රාජකීය ක්‍රීඩකයින්ට එය උද්‍යානයේ ඇවිදීමක් වූ අතර ඔවුන් එම ඉලක්කය පන්දුවාර 37 කදී සපුරා ගත්හ.

රෙහාන් පීරිස් පන්දු 107කදී හතරේ පහර 7ක් සහ හයේ පහරක් සමගින් ලකුණු 69ක් රැස්කරමින් විශිෂ්ට පිතිහරඹයක නිරත වූ අතර මැදපෙළ පිතිකරු උවිඳු වීරසේකර පන්දු 68කදී හතරේ පහර 4ක් සහ හයේ පහර 2ක් සමඟින් ලකුණු 50ක් රැස්කරමින් තම කණ්ඩායම පහසුව කරා රැගෙන ගියේය. .

මෙම ජයග්‍රහණයෙන් රාජකීයයන් තෝමියානුවන්ට සුදු හුනු ගෑම ද දක්නට ලැබුණි, ඔවුන් Rt වෙනුවෙන් ක්‍රීඩා කළ 144 වැනි ‘Battle of the Blues’ වාර්ෂික ක්‍රිකට් තරගයද ජයග්‍රහණය කළේය. ගරු. D.S සේනානායක අනුස්මරණ පලිහ මෑතකදී.

46வது முஸ்டாங்ஸ் டிராபி ஒருநாள் சந்திப்பு

ரெஹான், உவிந்து ஆகியோர் ராயல்ஸ் 7 விக்கெட் வித்தியாசத்தில் வெற்றி பெற்றனர்

ரெஹான் பெரிஸ் மற்றும் உவிந்து வீரசேகர ஆகியோரின் அரை சதங்களின் மூலம் றோயல் கல்லூரியின் பரம எதிரிகளான எஸ். தோமஸ் கல்லூரியை 7 விக்கெட்டுகள் வித்தியாசத்தில் வீழ்த்தி 46வது முஸ்டாங்ஸ் டிராபி ஒருநாள் என்கவுன்டர் வெள்ளிக்கிழமை (24) கொழும்பு SSC மைதானத்தில் நடைபெற்றது.

முதலில் துடுப்பெடுத்தாடிய கல்கிசையைச் சேர்ந்த சிறுவர்கள் சேனாதி புலங்குளமவின் தனி ஆட்டத்தை மீறி 165 ஓட்டங்களுக்கு ஆட்டமிழந்தனர், பதிலுக்கு றோயல் வெறும் 37 ஓவர்களில் இலக்கை அடைந்தது.

சேனாதி புலங்குளம மற்றும் திஷேன் எஹலியகொட ஆகியோர் S. தோமஸ் இன் இன்னிங்ஸைத் தொடங்குவதற்கு வெளியேறினர், ஆனால் அவர்களது பார்ட்னர்ஷிப் சிறிது காலம் நீடித்தது, திஷேன் 5 ரன்களுக்கு முதல் விக்கெட்டாக வீழ்ந்தார்.

ஒன் டவுன் பேட்டர் தினேத் குணவர்தனவும் 19 பந்துகளுக்கு மட்டுமே நீடித்து, புலன் வீரதுங்கவின் சிறப்பான பீல்டிங் முயற்சியால் ரன் அவுட் ஆனார்.

அவர்களின் காயங்களுக்கு உப்பு சேர்த்து, அவர்களின் கேப்டன் ரொமேஷ் மெண்டிஸும் 2 ரன்களுக்கு பெவிலியனுக்கு திரும்பி நடந்தபோது தூசி கடித்தார், தோமியன்களுக்கு விஷயங்களை மோசமாக்கினார்.

எஸ். தோமஸ் ( ) இல் ஒரு இறுக்கமான இடத்தில் தங்களைக் கண்டார், ஆனால் சேனாதி புலங்குளம மற்றும் மஹித் பெரேரா ஆகியோரின் அவநம்பிக்கையான முயற்சியால் ஸ்டிரைக்கைச் சுழற்றினார், அவர்கள் மெதுவாக தங்கள் இன்னிங்ஸை மீட்டெடுத்தனர்.

இருப்பினும், ராயல் பந்துவீச்சாளர்கள் எதிரணியை நிலைநிறுத்துவதற்கு எந்த சுவாச இடத்தையும் அனுமதிக்கவில்லை, ஏனெனில் அவர்கள் தொடர்ந்து நல்ல கோடுகள் மற்றும் நீளங்களை வீசியதால் தோமியன்களுக்கு நிலையான அழுத்தம் கொடுக்கப்பட்டது.

சேனாதி புலங்குளம மட்டுமே றோயல் பந்துவீச்சு தாக்குதலுக்கு சிக்கலை ஏற்படுத்தினார், அவரைத் தவிர மற்ற எந்த பேட்டர்களும் ராயல்ஸ்டுகளுக்கு அச்சுறுத்தலாக இருக்கவில்லை.

புலங்குளம போராடி 133 பந்துகளில் 4 பவுண்டரிகள் உட்பட 66 ரன்கள் எடுத்தார், அதே நேரத்தில் மஹித் பெரேரா 28 ரன்கள் எடுத்தார், தோமியன்ஸ் பந்துவீச்சில் 48.2 ஓவர்களுக்குள் 165 ரன்கள் குறைவாக இருந்தது.

பந்து வீச்சில் புலன் வீரதுங்க, சந்தேஷ் ராமநாயக்க மற்றும் அணித்தலைவர் தாசிஸ் மஞ்சநாயக்க ஆகியோர் தலா இரண்டு விக்கெட்டுகளையும், அனுஷ் பொலொன்னோவிட்ட, ரணுக மளவியராச்சி மற்றும் ரமிரு பெரேரா ஆகியோர் தலா ஒரு விக்கெட்டையும் கைப்பற்றினர்.

பதிலுக்கு, 37 ஓவர்களில் அவர்கள் இலக்கை அடைந்ததால், ராயல்ஸ்டுக்கு இது பூங்காவில் ஒரு நடை.

ரெஹான் பெரிஸ் 107 பந்துகளில் 7 பவுண்டரிகள் மற்றும் ஒரு சிக்ஸர் உள்ளடங்கலாக 69 ஓட்டங்களை விளாசினார், அதே சமயம் மத்திய வரிசை வீரர் உவிந்து வீரசேகர 68 பந்துகளில் 4 பவுண்டரிகள் மற்றும் 2 சிக்ஸர்களுடன் 50 ஓட்டங்களை விளாசினார். .

இந்த வெற்றியானது தோமியன்ஸை ஒயிட்வாஷ் செய்வதையும் ராயல் கண்டது, ஏனெனில் அவர்கள் Rtக்காக விளையாடிய 144வது ‘பேட்டில் ஆஃப் தி ப்ளூஸ்’ வருடாந்திர கிரிக்கெட் சந்திப்பையும் வென்றனர். கௌரவ. டி.எஸ் சேனநாயக்கா நினைவு கேடயம் சமீபத்தில்.

Cricket

“It’s Not in My Hand” – Shanaka Leaves Captaincy Decision to Selectors After World Cup Exit

Published

1 day ago

February 26, 2026

Editor

Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka has admitted that his future as T20 skipper is no longer in his control following the team’s early exit from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, stating that the decision now rests entirely with selectors and Sri Lanka Cricket.

“I don’t know how long I will be as captain. It’s not in my hand; it’s up to the selectors and Sri Lanka Cricket. I’m happy to lead this team. I have taken some good decisions; in the meantime, some didn’t go as planned,” Shanaka said after Sri Lanka’s 61-run defeat to New Zealand.

His remarks came at the end of a turbulent campaign that began with promise but ended in disappointment.

Tactical Misread Proves Costly

Shanaka openly acknowledged that misjudging conditions played a key role in the heavy loss to New Zealand at the R. Premadasa Stadium.

Sri Lanka elected to bowl first, expecting the fresh surface to behave similarly to earlier matches.

“We thought the pitch would be a good one because it was new. We didn’t expect it to turn that much. It was a collective decision to bowl first. Unfortunately, it didn’t go the way we thought. It became another typical Kettarama wicket where the ball spun.”

New Zealand recovered from 84 for 6 thanks to a late assault, adding 70 runs in the final four overs to reach 168 for 7 — a surge Shanaka admitted proved decisive.

“They bided their time and then exploded. Conceding 70 runs in four overs was disheartening. If we had kept them around 130, we might have had a chance.”

Batting Collapse Seals Fate

Sri Lanka’s reply faltered immediately. Pathum Nissanka fell first ball, and regular wickets derailed the chase. Only Kamindu Mendis (31) and Dunith Wellalage (29) showed resistance, but the target was never seriously threatened.

Shanaka did not hide his frustration.

“We have some of the best batters in the country. Everyone walks out intending to win for Sri Lanka. It’s very disappointing that we couldn’t deliver anything for our fans.”

He also reflected on the narrow defeat to England earlier in the Super 8 stage — a result that, in his view, could have changed the team’s tournament trajectory.

A Campaign of Highs and Lows

Sri Lanka’s World Cup journey started brightly with wins over Ireland, Oman and Australia. However, a shock loss to Zimbabwe in the final group game shifted momentum dramatically.

Subsequent defeats to England and New Zealand ended hopes of a semi-final berth.

With one match remaining against Pakistan in Pallekele, Sri Lanka now play purely for pride.

“I have no words for the fans to say we haven’t given them anything to cheer for. But we will look forward to ending the tournament on a high,” Shanaka concluded.

What Next for Shanaka?

Shanaka’s comments suggest uncertainty over his leadership future. While he remains willing to continue, the final call lies with selectors and Sri Lanka Cricket — decisions likely to shape the next phase of Sri Lanka’s T20 rebuild.

As the curtain falls on a disappointing campaign, attention now turns to accountability, leadership direction, and whether change is on the horizon for Sri Lankan cricket

Cricket

Co-host Sri Lanka crash out after 61-run hammering by New Zealand in Colombo

Published

2 days ago

February 25, 2026

Editor

Co-hosts Sri Lanka were knocked out of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after suffering a crushing 61-run defeat to New Zealand national cricket team in their Super Eights clash at R. Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday night.

Chasing 169 for victory, Sri Lanka faltered under pressure and limped to 107/8 in their 20 overs — a performance far below expectations for a side playing at home and carrying co-host status.

Powerplay Collapse Set the Tone

The chase never truly began. Sri Lanka crawled to just 20/2 in the Powerplay, a stark contrast to New Zealand’s 44/2 in the first six overs. The early damage left the middle order with too much to do, and the required rate kept climbing.

By the 14-over mark, the hosts were reeling at 71/6, effectively ending hopes of a comeback. The lack of intent against spin and disciplined seam bowling exposed Sri Lanka’s fragile batting unit on a surface that offered grip but was far from unplayable.

New Zealand’s Late Surge the Difference

Ironically, New Zealand themselves were under pressure at 88/6 in 14 overs. However, a crucial 50-run stand between Mitchell Santner and Cole McConchie in the death overs swung momentum decisively.

The Black Caps plundered 70 runs in the final phase, finishing on 168/7 — a total that proved more than enough against Sri Lanka’s timid response.

The boundary count told the full story:

New Zealand: 8 sixes, 13 fours (100 runs in boundaries)
Sri Lanka: 1 six, 8 fours (38 runs in boundaries)

In modern T20 cricket, such disparity is unforgiving.

Tactical Questions for the Hosts

Sri Lanka’s elimination is particularly disappointing given their familiarity with conditions and strong home support. The batting approach appeared overly cautious, and the inability to rotate strike compounded the pressure.

Their 46% dot-ball percentage further underlined the stagnation in the chase — a worrying sign at this level.

As co-hosts, expectations were high for a deep run. Instead, Sri Lanka exit the tournament with serious questions over:

Batting intent in high-pressure chases
Middle-order stability
Tactical flexibility in crunch moments

End of the Roa

With this defeat, Sri Lanka’s Super Eights campaign comes to a premature end, while New Zealand march on with confidence and momentum.

For Sri Lanka, the heartbreak is magnified by the fact that the dream has ended on home soil — under the Colombo lights, in front of their own fans.

A tournament that promised pride and progress now closes with reflection and regret.

Cricket

Sri Lanka vs New Zealand in T20 World Cup: Head-to-Head Record, Past Results & Winning Trends

Published

3 days ago

February 24, 2026

Editor

As Sri Lanka prepare to face New Zealand in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, history shows a competitive rivalry — but one where the Black Caps hold a slight statistical edge.

Here’s a closer look at the Sri Lanka vs New Zealand head-to-head record, their T20 World Cup results, and recent winning momentum.

Overall T20 Head-to-Head Record

Total Matches: 28
New Zealand Wins: 16
Sri Lanka Wins: 11
No Result: 1

New Zealand have won 57% of the encounters, giving them the overall advantage. However, Sri Lanka have delivered key performances on the World Cup stage.

Sri Lanka vs New Zealand – T20 World Cup History

2007 – Sri Lanka’s Dominant Chase

Johannesburg
New Zealand: 164/7
Sri Lanka: 168/3 (18.5 overs)
Result: Sri Lanka won by 7 wickets

Sanath Jayasuriya’s 61 guided Sri Lanka to a comfortable chase. It remains one of Sri Lanka’s strongest T20 World Cup wins over New Zealand.

2010 – Last-Ball Drama

Providence
Sri Lanka: 135/6
New Zealand: 139/8 (19.5 overs)
Result: New Zealand won by 2 wickets

Sri Lanka defended hard, but New Zealand held their nerve to win with one ball remaining.

2012 – Thriller in Pallekele

Pallekele
New Zealand: 174/7
Sri Lanka: 174/6
Match tied – Sri Lanka won Super Over

One of the most dramatic T20 World Cup games between the two sides. Sri Lanka held their composure in the Super Over on home soil.

2022 – New Zealand’s Big Win

Sydney
New Zealand: 167/7
Sri Lanka: 102 all out
Result: New Zealand won by 65 runs

A heavy defeat for Sri Lanka, marked by a batting collapse while chasing 168.

Recent Form Comparison

New Zealand – Last 5 Matches

W, W, L, W, Abandoned
Strong consistency
Clinical in pressure situations

Sri Lanka – Last 5 Matches

W, W, W, L, L
Positive run earlier
Slight dip in recent matches

New Zealand appear slightly more consistent heading into recent contests, while Sri Lanka’s form has fluctuated.

Key Trends from Past Meetings

Sri Lanka Succeed When Chasing Well

Both their World Cup successes (2007 and 2012 Super Over) came when they handled pressure calmly.

New Zealand Dominate with Bowling Discipline

In 2010 and 2022, New Zealand’s structured bowling attacks made the difference.

Big Margins Favour New Zealand

Sri Lanka’s wins tend to be controlled or tight.
New Zealand’s wins often come through dominant bowling or strong finishing.

Winning Edge: Who Holds It

New Zealand Advantage: Overall record, recent dominant World Cup win (2022), balanced bowling attack.
Sri Lanka Advantage: Ability to thrive in pressure moments, strong spin resources, better familiarity with subcontinental conditions.

Final Analysis

New Zealand hold the statistical upper hand in T20 internationals and recent World Cup meetings. However, Sri Lanka have proven they can rise in high-pressure tournament moments — particularly when chasing or playing at home.

For Sri Lanka to shift the balance, they must:

Avoid middle-order collapses
Strike early in the Powerplay
Control New Zealand’s middle overs
Execute death bowling with precision

With history showing close contests and dramatic finishes, the Sri Lanka vs New Zealand rivalry remains one of the more balanced matchups in T20 World Cup cricket.