The Organizing Committee of the 49th Mustangs Trophy, the prestigious Royal‑Thomian One‑Day Cricket Encounter, has announced a significant change to this year’s fixture. The match, scheduled for 28th March 2026, will now be played as a day event instead of the originally planned day‑night format.

This decision comes in response to the ongoing global fuel crisis, with organizers emphasizing the importance of reducing energy consumption and standing in solidarity with the wider public. By shifting to a daytime schedule, the committee aims to minimize the additional fuel demands typically associated with floodlit matches, reflecting a strong commitment to social responsibility and national interest.

Guidance for this move was provided by the Heads of Royal College and S. Thomas’ College, and the change has been formally endorsed by the 147th Royal‑Thomian Joint Match Organising Committee. Both schools’ Old Boy fraternities, along with sponsors, have expressed full support for the adjustment, underscoring the unity and shared responsibility that define this historic encounter.

The Joint Committee reaffirmed that while the format has changed, the essence of the Mustangs Trophy remains untouched.

Kolkata Knight Riders have confirmed they will not seek replacements for Nitish Rana and Matheesha Pathirana ahead of the upcoming IPL season. Rana, who was withdrawn from India’s T20 World Cup squad due to a knee injury, recently underwent surgery and will not be available this year. Over the past two seasons, he had become a reliable pacer for the franchise, taking 19 wickets in IPL 2024 and 15 wickets in IPL 2025, while also adding batting depth to his game. Despite his absence, the management believes the squad has sufficient pace-bowling options and does not see an obvious Indian replacement, with Vaibhav Arora, Umran Malik, Kartik Tyagi, and Akash Deep already in the ranks.

Pathirana, meanwhile, was sidelined due to injury while representing Sri Lanka in the World Cup. However, KKR are optimistic about his recovery and expect him to be available at some stage during the season. The franchise, which invested INR 18 crore to secure his services, is banking on his return to strengthen their death bowling. On Monday, Pathirana’s manager posted a picture of the pacer in KKR colours, raising hopes of his participation.

By choosing not to sign replacements, KKR have signaled confidence in their existing squad depth. While Rana’s absence will test their domestic pace resources, Pathirana’s potential mid-season return could provide a crucial boost, especially in the latter stages of the tournament.

Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) has officially named the coaching and support staff for the national XV-a-side and sevens teams ahead of the 2026 international rugby season, which begins next month with the tour of the New Zealand Under-85kg team to Sri Lanka.

Dushanth Lewke has been appointed as the Head Coach of the national XV-a-side squad for the upcoming international campaigns. He will be supported by forwards coach Henry Terance and assistant coach Lasintha De Costa. The team’s support staff will include Tharanga Premakumara as physiotherapist and Vishvamithra Jayasinghe overseeing strength and conditioning.

Lewke previously served as the forwards coach of the national XV-a-side team during the 2025 Asia Rugby Championship. He also enjoyed a highly successful domestic season, guiding his club CR & FC to a historic double by winning both the League title and the Clifford Cup.

Sri Lanka’s XV-a-side international calendar will begin with the New Zealand Under-85kg tour scheduled for April. Later in the year, Sri Lanka will compete in the Asia Rugby Top 4 tournament alongside South Korea, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates.

For the men’s sevens programme, Shamly Nawaz and Amjad Buksh have been appointed as co-coaches, while Dansha Dayan will join the setup as an intern coach. Dilan Zoysa will manage strength and conditioning responsibilities and Shafin Majid will serve as the team physiotherapist.

The women’s national programme will be led by head coach Leonard De Zilwa with M. Saldeen appointed as assistant coach. Nimesh De Silva will take on the role of team physiotherapist.