News
A brilliant two-wicket victory for the touring Indian team in the second match!
The Indian team managed to win by two wickets in the second one-day match between the touring Indian team and the West Indies in the three-match one-day series held at the Queen’s Park Oval.
After winning the toss, West Indian captain Nicholas Pooran decided to bat first and managed to score 311 runs with the loss of 6 wickets at the end of the 50th over. Giving a successful start, Kyle Mayers had scored a quick 39 runs in 23 balls when he was dismissed as the first wicket. Apart from that, Shai Hope managed to record his thirteenth ODI century and Nicholas Pooran managed to record his tenth half-century. In bowling, Shardul Thakur managed to take 3 wickets for 54 runs.
Although the first 3 wickets of the Indian team who started the chase were lost at 79 runs, Shreyas Iyer and Sanju Samson, who joined the fourth wicket partnership for 99 runs, laid the foundation for the victory of the match. After that, Deepak Hooda’s innings and Axar Patel’s fast innings took the Indian team to victory and in the last over, when the Indian team was about to score eight runs, Axar Patel hit a huge six with two balls left to win the match. In bowling, Alzarri Joseph and Kyle Mayers managed to get two wickets each.
Axar Patel who took one wicket for forty runs and sixty-four runs not out in 35 balls awarded the man of the match award. Accordingly, the Indian team managed to win the series with one more match remaining.
West Indies 311/6 (Ov. 50)
Shai Hope 115 (135)
Nicholas Pooran 74 (77)
Kyle Mayers 39 (23)
Sharmarh Brooks 35 (36)
Shardul Thakur 54/3 (7)
Axar Patel 40/1 (9)
India 312/8 (Ov.49.4)
Axar Patel 64* (35)
Shreayas Iyer 63 (71)
Sanju Samson 54 (51)
Shubman Gill 43 (49)
Alzarri Joseph 46/2 (10)
Kyle Mayers 48 /2 (7.4)
සංචාරක ඉන්දීය කණ්ඩායමට දෙවන තරගයෙන් කඩුළු දෙකක තියුණු ජයක් !
සංචාරක ඉන්දීය කණ්ඩායම සහ බටහිර ඉන්දීය කොදෙව් දූපත් අතර පැවැත්වෙන තරග තුනකින් සමන්විත එක්දින තරගවලියේ Queen’s park oval පිටියේ පැවති දෙවන එක්දින තරගයෙන් කඩුළු දෙකක තියුණු ජයක් හිමි කර ගැනීමට ඉන්දීය කණ්ඩායම සමත්වුණා.
කාසිය වාසිය ජයග්රහනය කල කොදෙව් නායක Nicholas Pooran ප්රථමයෙන් පන්දුවට පහරදීමට තීරණය කල අතර නියමිත පන්දුවාර 50 අවසානයේ දී කඩුලු 6 ක් බිද වැටි ලකුණු 311 ලබා ගැනීමට සමත් වුණා. සාර්ථක ආරම්භයක් ලබාදෙමින් ප්රථම කඩුල්ල ලෙස Kyle Mayers දැවී යන විට පන්දු 23ක දී වේගවත් ලකුණු 39 ක් ලබාගෙන සිටියා. ඊට අමතරව Shai Hope තමා එක්දින දිවියේ දහතුන්වන ශතකය වාර්තා කිරීමට ද Nicholas Pooran දහවන අර්ධ ශතකය ද වාර්තා කිරීමට සමත්වුණා. පන්දු යැවීමේදී Shardul Thakur ලකුණු 54 ට කඩුලු 3ක් බිඳ ගැනීමට සමත් වුණා.
පිළිතුරු ඉණිම ආරම්භ කළ ඉන්දීය කණ්ඩායමේ මුල් කඩුළු 3 ලකුණු 79 ක්ව තිබියදී දැවී ගියද හතරවන කඩුල්ලට එක්වූ Shreyas Iyer සහ Sanju Samson ලකුණු 99ක් විශිෂ්ට සබඳතාවක් පවත්වමින් තරඟයේ ජයග්රහණයට අවශ්ය අඩිතාලම සකස් කරනු ලැබුවා. ඉන් අනතුරුව Deepak Hooda ගේ ඉනිමත් Axar Patel ගේ වේගවත් ඉනිමත් සමඟින් ඉන්දීය කණ්ඩායම ජයග්රහණය කරා රැගෙන යාමට හැකි වූ අතර අවසන් පන්දුවාරයේදී ඉන්දීය කණ්ඩායමට ලකුණු අටක් ලබා ගැනීමට තිබුණු අවස්ථාවක පන්දු දෙකක් ඉතිරිව තිබියදී දැවැන්ත හය හයේ පහරක් එල්ල කරමින් Axar Patel තරඟයේ ජයග්රහණය තමන් සතු කර ගත්තා. පන්දු යැවීමේදී Alzarri Joseph සහ Kyle Mayers කඩුළු දෙක බැගින් ලබා ගැනීමට සමත් වුණා.
ලකුණු හතලිහකට එක් කඩුල්ලක් සහ පන්දු 35 කදී නොදැවී ලකුණු හැට හතරක් වාර්තා කළ Axar Patel තරගයේ වීරයා ලෙස සම්මානය දිනාගනු ලැබුවා. ඒ අනුව තවත් එක් තරගයක් ඉතිරිව තිබියදීම තරගාවලිය ජයග්රහණය කිරීමට ඉන්දීය කණ්ඩායම සමත්වුණා.
West Indies 311/6 (Ov. 50)
Shai Hope 115 (135)
Nicholas Pooran 74 (77)
Kyle Mayers 39 (23)
Sharmarh Brooks 35 (36)
Shardul Thakur 54/3 (7)
Axar Patel 40/1 (9)
India 312/8 (Ov.49.4)
Axar Patel 64* (35)
Shreayas Iyer 63 (71)
Sanju Samson 54 (51)
Shubman Gill 43 (49)
Alzarri Joseph 46/2 (10)
Kyle Mayers 48 /2 (7.4)
இரண்டாவது போட்டியில் சுற்றுலா இந்திய அணிக்கு இரண்டு விக்கெட் வித்தியாசத்தில் அபார வெற்றி!
குயின்ஸ் பார்க் ஓவல் மைதானத்தில் நடைபெற்ற மூன்று போட்டிகள் கொண்ட ஒரு நாள் தொடரில் சுற்றுலா இந்திய அணிக்கும் மேற்கிந்திய தீவுகளுக்கும் இடையிலான இரண்டாவது ஒரு நாள் போட்டியில் இந்திய அணி இரண்டு விக்கெட் வித்தியாசத்தில் வெற்றி பெற்றது.
டாஸ் வென்று முதலில் பேட் செய்ய முடிவு செய்த மேற்கிந்திய கேப்டன் நிக்கோலஸ் பூரன் 50-வது ஓவர் முடிவில் 6 விக்கெட் இழப்புக்கு 311 ரன்கள் எடுத்தது. வெற்றிகரமான தொடக்கத்தை வழங்கிய கைல் மேயர்ஸ் முதல் விக்கெட்டாக ஆட்டமிழக்கும்போது 23 பந்துகளில் விரைவாக 39 ரன்கள் எடுத்திருந்தார். இது தவிர, ஷாய் ஹோப் தனது பதின்மூன்றாவது ஒருநாள் சதத்தை பதிவு செய்ய முடிந்தது மற்றும் நிக்கோலஸ் பூரன் தனது பத்தாவது அரை சதத்தை பதிவு செய்ய முடிந்தது. பந்துவீச்சில் ஷர்துல் தாக்கூர் 54 ஓட்டங்களுக்கு 3 விக்கெட்டுகளை வீழ்த்தினார்.
துரத்தலை தொடங்கிய இந்திய அணியின் முதல் 3 விக்கெட்டுகள் 79 ரன்களுக்கு ஆட்டமிழந்தாலும், நான்காவது விக்கெட் பார்ட்னர்ஷிப்பில் 99 ரன்கள் சேர்த்த ஷ்ரேயாஸ் ஐயர் மற்றும் சஞ்சு சாம்சன் ஜோடி போட்டியின் வெற்றிக்கு அடித்தளம் அமைத்தது. அதன்பின் தீபக் ஹூடாவின் இன்னிங்ஸும், அக்சர் பட்டேலின் வேகமான இன்னிங்ஸும் இந்திய அணியை வெற்றிப் பாதைக்கு அழைத்துச் சென்றது, கடைசி ஓவரில் இந்திய அணி 8 ரன்களை எடுக்க இருந்த போது, அக்சர் பட்டேல் அபாரமான சிக்ஸர் அடித்து 2 பந்துகள் மீதமிருந்த நிலையில் ஆட்டத்தை வென்றார். பந்துவீச்சில் அல்ஸாரி ஜோசப் மற்றும் கைல் மேயர்ஸ் ஆகியோர் தலா இரண்டு விக்கெட்டுகளை கைப்பற்றினர்.
நாற்பது ரன்களுக்கு ஒரு விக்கெட்டையும், 35 பந்துகளில் ஆட்டமிழக்காமல் அறுபத்து நான்கு ரன்களையும் எடுத்த அக்சர் படேல் ஆட்டநாயகன் விருது பெற்றார். அதன்படி இன்னும் ஒரு போட்டி எஞ்சியிருக்கும் நிலையில் இந்திய அணி தொடரை கைப்பற்றியது.
West Indies 311/6 (Ov. 50)
Shai Hope 115 (135)
Nicholas Pooran 74 (77)
Kyle Mayers 39 (23)
Sharmarh Brooks 35 (36)
Shardul Thakur 54/3 (7)
Axar Patel 40/1 (9)
India 312/8 (Ov.49.4)
Axar Patel 64* (35)
Shreayas Iyer 63 (71)
Sanju Samson 54 (51)
Shubman Gill 43 (49)
Alzarri Joseph 46/2 (10)
Kyle Mayers 48 /2 (7.4)
News by Anjana Kaluarachchi
The Sri Lanka national rugby team will lock horns with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in a much-anticipated international rugby encounter set to take place today (July 4) at the iconic Racecourse Ground, Colombo.
As part of their final preparations, the Sri Lankan team held an intensive training session today under the watchful eyes of the coaching staff. The team looked sharp, focused, and ready to bring their A-game to home soil.
This clash promises to be a key test for the Tuskers as they look to strengthen their footing in the regional rugby scene and gain momentum ahead of upcoming international competitions. UAE, a rising force in Asian rugby, will also be eyeing a big performance away from home.
Both teams are expected to field strong lineups, and the match is anticipated to draw significant interest from local fans eager to witness top-tier rugby action.
📍 Match Info
🗓️ Date: July 4, 2025
📍 Venue: Racecourse Rugby Grounds, Colombo
🕒 Kick-off: TBA
Stay tuned for live updates, photos, and post-match coverage on Sri Lankan Sports TV.
Colombo, July 2 – Sri Lanka Women’s National Football Team suffered another brutal defeat in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, going down 8-0 to a confident and clinical Nepalese side. Coming just days after a 10-0 hammering by Uzbekistan, this latest loss highlights deeper tactical, technical, and structural issues within Sri Lanka’s women’s football system.
Full-Time Score: Sri Lanka 0 – 8 Nepal
Half-Time: 0 – 4
Venue: Group F – AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers
Key Match Statistics
| Stat | Sri Lanka Women | Nepal Women |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 50% | 50% |
| Total Shots | 4 | 26 |
| Shots on Target | 3 | 18 |
| Shots off Target | 1 | 8 |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 0.60 | 3.76 |
| Corners | 0 | 14 |
| Fouls | 4 | 6 |
| Cards | 0 | 0 |
| Offsides | 0 | 3 |
Tactical Breakdown – Why Sri Lanka Lost 8-0
Despite the possession being even at 50%, Sri Lanka was thoroughly outplayed. This is a classic case where possession stats mislead the reality on the pitch.
1. Poor Defensive Organization
- Sri Lanka conceded 14 corners and 18 shots on target, indicating that Nepal constantly penetrated both flanks and delivered into the box unchallenged.
- There was no compact defensive line, and Nepal exploited space behind Sri Lanka’s fullbacks repeatedly.
2. Ineffective Midfield Structure
- While Sri Lanka held possession equally, it was largely passive and in non-threatening zones.
- Nepal, on the other hand, converted their possession into 3.76 xG, showing how effective and vertical their transitions were.
3. Repeated Failures in Closing Down Key Players
- Sabitra Bhandari scored a hat-trick within 26 minutes (14’, 36’, 40’) and was left unmarked multiple times.
- Nepal’s attackers were given space and time to shoot – evident from the 18 shots on target.
4. No Offensive Threat
- Sri Lanka managed only 4 shots in the entire game, with an xG of just 0.60.
- With no corners and no real pressing, the team offered nothing going forward, allowing Nepal to push numbers up comfortably.
Back-to-Back Heavy Losses: Structural Failures Exposed
This defeat comes after a 10-0 loss to Uzbekistan, meaning Sri Lanka has now conceded 18 goals in two matches without scoring once.
This isn’t just a reflection of players’ on-field performance — it’s a glaring indictment of:
- FFSL’s failure to conduct any women’s football league in years
- A rushed team selection based on a short trial, without competitive match practice
- No structured coaching program or international exposure
- Lack of scouting, fitness programs, and tactical planning
Nepal, though not an Asian powerhouse, had better coaching structure, player chemistry, and clear tactics, which led to their dominance.
What’s Next for Sri Lanka?
If the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) and the Ministry of Sports continue to ignore these warning signs, Sri Lanka risks becoming irrelevant in women’s football on the Asian stage.
What’s needed:
- ✅ A proper national women’s league
- ✅ Regular youth-level competitions and scouting
- ✅ Appointing qualified coaching staff with modern tactical knowledge
- ✅ Consistent international exposure for players
Conclusion
An 8-0 defeat to Nepal isn’t just a bad result — it’s a mirror held up to a broken system. Unless real change is implemented beyond symbolic participation, these results will become Sri Lanka’s norm in women’s football.
Colombo – In a significant boost for school-level rugby in Sri Lanka, two internationally renowned referees from Hong Kong have been appointed to officiate key Dialog Schools A Division Rugby League matches this weekend.
Sunny Lee to Referee Pathana–Thomian Clash
Sunny Lee, a celebrated female international rugby referee from Hong Kong, will take charge of the much-anticipated encounter between S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia and Isipathana College, Colombo. The prestigious Rizvy Suhayb Memorial Trophy match is set for July 5 at S. Thomas’ College Grounds, Mount Lavinia.
Lee’s presence is expected to bring elite-level officiating standards to this traditional rivalry, enhancing the competitive environment and offering student-athletes a platform to perform under world-class match management.
Francisco Cammisa to Oversee Trinity vs Royal Clash
On the same day in Kandy, another experienced Hong Kong referee, Francisco Cammisa, will officiate the top-tier fixture between Trinity College, Kandy and Royal College, Colombo at the Pallekele Rugby Stadium.
International Support for Local Rugby
The arrival of these elite foreign referees is made possible through the efforts of Dilroy Fernando, former international referee and referee educator. With backing from Asian Rugby (covering airfares) and the host schools (providing accommodation and hospitality), this initiative aims to uplift officiating standards and offer young Sri Lankan players the opportunity to compete at a globally recognized level.
Long-Term Impact on School Rugby
This strategic move is expected to:
- Enhance the quality and fairness of officiating in the Dialog Schools Rugby League
- Give emerging players exposure to world-class rugby conditions
- Strengthen partnerships between Sri Lankan rugby institutions and international bodies
The involvement of international referees like Sunny Lee and Francisco Cammisa also sends a strong message about gender inclusivity and professional standards in the sport
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