News
Vajira’s ton guides Lanka Cavaliers to clinch Coconut Miracle Trophy
M.H.Yakeem
A sparkling knock by Vajira Wijegunawardena stroking a star-studded 122 runs not out in 92 balls including 8 fours and 7 sixes helped Lanka Cavaliers beat Legends of Richmond by a comfortable 103 runs in a Masters 30 overs league Cricket encounter, played for the Coconut Miracle Trophy at the Bloomfield ground, Reid Avenue, Colombo- 07 on Saturday.
Lanka Cavaliers led by Nalliah Devarajan taking first lease of the wicket, openers Punyakantha Abeygunasekera and Vajira Wijegunawardena were associated in a grand opening stand of 40 runs, with the dismissal of Punyakantha Abeygunasekera and the second wicket falling at 72 runs, Captain Nalliah Devarajan and Vajira Wijegunawardena, the pair together steadied the innings with a valuable 64 runs partnership. With the dismissal of Nalliah Devarajan at 136 runs and 4 more wickets falling at regular intervals, Lanka Cavaliers at this stage were 7 wickets down for 184 runs. Vajira Wijegunawardena, the opening batter at the crease along with Thusitha Karunaratne, the pair took them to a commanding position at the end of the 30th over. Prasanna Ramanayake, Asoka Sirimanne, and Thushan Jayawardena capturing 2 wickets apiece and Nishantha Mendis capturing a wicket were the pick of the bowlers for Legends of Richmond.
Legends of Richmond led by Thushan Jayawardena in reply, lost an early wicket at 2 runs on board. Wickets falling at regular intervals, Legends of Richmond at one stage were reeling at 7 wickets down for 53 runs with Dilshan Amarasinghe and Prasanna Ramanayake entering double figures. Useful contributions from batters P.A. Gunawardena on 19 not out and Upul Yatawara on 10 not out, Legends of Richmond could only manage to reach 93 runs at their 30th over. A fine spell by Ravi Subasinghe, capturing 3 early vital wickets and well supported by Renuka Nonis, Krishan Dharmasena, and Niranjan Dabare capturing a wicket apiece guided Lanka Cavaliers to clinch the Coconut Miracle Trophy by a comfortable 103 runs.
Scores
Lanka Cavaliers – 193/7 in 30 overs
Punyakantha Abeygunasekera 12, Nalliah Devarajan 17, Vajira Wijegunawardena 122 not out, Prasanna Ramanayake 2/22, Asoka Sirimanne 2/39, Thushan Jayawardena 2/25, Nishantha Mendis 1/31
Legends of Richmond – 90/7 in 30 overs
Dilshan Amarasinghe 13, Prasanna Ramanayake 13, P.A. Gunawardena 19 not out, Upul Yatawara 10 not out, Ravi Subasinghe 3/13, Renuka Nonis 1/21, Niranjan Dabare 1/9, Krishan Dharmasena 1/15
Caption
Captain of the Lanka Cavaliers Cricket team, Nalliah Devarajan received the Coconut Miracle Trophy from the Founder and CEO of Coconut Miracle ( Pvt ) Ltd., Shanthini Ahangama, and Deepal Ahangama.
Colombo | Friday, 13 June 2025 | Kickoff: 4:00 PM (IST)
Sri Lanka will kick off their Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship 2025 Pool A campaign this Friday (13th June) at ARMC #1 in Colombo, taking on higher-ranked South Korea in a crucial Round 1 encounter.
This marks South Korea’s first match of the tournament, while Sri Lanka enters the game high on confidence, following a resounding 59-19 win against Malaysia on April 19 at the Racecourse Ground, Colombo.
However, the Lankan Lions face a potential setback, with skipper Nigel Ratwatte possibly missing the match due to illness. Sources close to the team confirm that Nigel is recovering from a fever and remains a game-time decision. His absence could leave a leadership gap as Sri Lanka look to challenge a technically sound South Korean outfit.
World Rugby Rankings Ahead of the Clash:
- South Korea: Ranked 35th, 50.77 points
- Sri Lanka: Ranked 39th, 47.99 points
The upcoming match is not only vital for tournament progression but also crucial for World Rugby ranking points, with Sri Lanka having a golden opportunity to close the gap on their Pool A rivals.
With the home crowd behind them and recent form in their favour, Sri Lanka will be hoping for a strong start—even without their inspirational skipper.
June 11, Lord’s – ICC World Test Championship Final
The much-anticipated ICC World Test Championship Final 2025 kicked off at Lord’s with South Africa taking early control by reducing Australia to 67/4 at lunch on Day 1.
After winning the toss and electing to field first under overcast conditions, South Africa’s pace attack made immediate inroads into Australia’s top order. Marco Jansen was the pick of the bowlers in the opening session, claiming 2 wickets for 27 runs in 7.2 overs. Wiaan Mulder offered excellent support, keeping things tight with 3 maidens in his 6-over spell.
Australia Struggle Under Pressure
Veteran batter Steve Smith remained at the crease with a fighting 26 off 51 balls, trying to anchor the innings after early setbacks. He will be joined by Travis Head (11*) as Australia looks to rebuild post-lunch.
Current Score: Australia 67/4 (23.2 overs)
Fall of Wickets: 67/4
Session: Day 1 – Lunch
World Test Championship 2023–25 Standings (Before Final)
| Pos | Team | Pld | Pts | PCT (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Africa | 12 | 100 | 69.44 |
| 2 | Australia | 19 | 154 | 67.54 |
| 3 | India | 19 | 114 | 50.00 |
| 4 | New Zealand | 14 | 81 | 48.21 |
| 5 | England | 22 | 114 | 43.18 |
| 6 | Sri Lanka | 13 | 60 | 38.46 |
| 7 | Bangladesh | 12 | 45 | 31.25 |
| 8 | West Indies | 13 | 44 | 28.21 |
| 9 | Pakistan | 14 | 47 | 27.98 |
Top 2 teams qualify for the final. Teams are ranked by percentage of points won. Points deductions apply for slow over rates.
Top Performers This Cycle
Batting Leaders:
- Joe Root (ENG) – 1,968 runs | Avg: 54.66 (40 innings)
- Yashasvi Jaiswal (IND) – 1,798 runs | Avg: 52.88 (36 innings)
- Ben Duckett (ENG) – [Stats not fully available]
Bowling Leaders:
- Jasprit Bumrah (IND) – 77 wickets | Avg: 15.09 (28 innings)
- Pat Cummins (AUS) – 73 wickets | Avg: 24.54 (33 innings)
- Mitchell Starc (AUS) – 72 wickets | Avg: 27.27 (35 innings)
Sri Lanka’s Position
Sri Lanka sits at 6th on the table with 60 points from 13 matches and a 38.46% win rate. With one more cycle ahead before the next WTC final in 2027, the Lions have plenty to play for as they look to rise up the rankings.
Colombo, June 11 – Sri Lanka bounced back in style in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers with a commanding 3–1 victory over Chinese Taipei in their Group D clash held in Colombo. The win comes as a crucial lifeline for the Lions, who are now level on points with Thailand and firmly in the race for qualification.
After a narrow defeat in their opening match against Thailand, Sri Lanka showcased character, discipline, and attacking flair against a struggling Chinese Taipei side.
De Silva Shines Bright for Sri Lanka
The star of the night was undoubtedly Dillon De Silva, who delivered a match-winning performance. He provided an early assist for Wazeem Razeek before scoring a stunning goal to put Sri Lanka ahead 2–0. De Silva continued to dictate the game and capped off his night with a second assist in the final stages, wrapping up a well-deserved victory for the home side.
“This win is a turning point for us. We showed heart and belief. Our fans deserved this,” said De Silva after the match.
Group D Standings After Matchday 2
Position Team Played W–D–L Goals (F–A) GD Points
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turkmenistan | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 6 |
| 2 | Thailand | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 3 |
| 3 | Sri Lanka | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 3 |
| 4 | Chinese Taipei | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 0 |
The group remains wide open, with Sri Lanka now needing strong results against both Thailand and Turkmenistan to keep their hopes alive for a historic qualification to the AFC Asian Cup 2027 in Saudi Arabia.
What’s Next?
Sri Lanka will next face group leaders Turkmenistan in a crucial encounter. With momentum back on their side and home support growing, the national team will look to carry this energy forward and push for qualification glory.
Sri Lanka Set to Face South Korea in Asia Rugby Men’s Championship – Skipper Nigel in Doubt
AUS 67/4 at Lunch as South Africa Dominate Early on Day 1 of WTC Final 2025 at Lord’s
Sri Lanka Roars Back in AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers with 3–1 Victory Over Chinese Taipei
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