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After five consecutive losses, Sri Lanka is back to winning ways at Netball World Cup

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The Asian Champions, Sri Lanka finally earned their first win at the ongoing Netball World Cup when they edge a strong Barbados outfit on Thursday in Cape Town, South Africa.

Coming into the match Sri Lanka was desperately looking for a win after 5 consecutive defeats while their opponents who have already secured their spot in the 13th/14th playoff looked to continue their domination in the tournament.

However coming into the match, Barbodas lasses were seen not playing with the same intensity they showed in their last outings but managed to put up a good fight to end the first break on 15-15.

Into the second quarter, Sri Lanka changed gears and played switched to aggressive mode as they started the second quarter with scoring 5 back-to-back goals to put pressure on the opponents.

Sri Lanka’s dominance in the second quarter forced Barbados’s coach to introduce their experience Sasha Corbin at wing attack and the move of her sister, Kadeen, who previously won Commonwealth Games gold with England, from goal, shooter to goal attack for Barbados.

But their tactics didn’t favour them as they remained four goals behind at halftime.

Into the second half, Barbados finally found their rhythm and scored a few back-to-back goals to narrow the deficit and surged ahead to win the third quarter by 22 goals to 12.

Heading into the all-important fourth and final quarter, Sri Lanka showed they never give up attitude and out on an improved performance in the dying moments to stage a comeback and claim a memorable 60-56 win.

The win also re-wrote history as Sri Lanka’s first time in 20 years that the Sri Lankans have beaten anyone other than Singapore at the Netball World Cup.

Despite the only victory, overall Sri Lanka had a poor outing in this year’s championship which they lost all their previous (5) matches including the game against their Asian counterparts Singapore.

Interestingly this year’s Netball world cup will mark the tallest netballer in the world and Sri Lanka’s netball backbone, Tharjini Sivalingam’s last appearance on an international stage where she is set to retire from the game following the world cup which is yet to announce officially.

*Sri Lanka’s performance so far in the tournament *

JAMAICA 105-25 SRI LANKA

Jamaica got their tournament off to a storming start, notching up a formidable 105-point total in their opening Group C match against Sri Lanka.

SOUTH AFRICA 87-32 SRI LANKA

Ruthless host South Africa romp to a commanding win over Sri Lanka to make it two-in-two at the Netball World in their second game of Pool C encounter.

WALES 68-52 SRI LANKA

Into the third game though Asian Champions Sri Lanka put on an improved performance but ended in the losing side against Wales.

SINGAPORE 55-52 SRI LANKA

A disciplined Singapore side defeated their Asian rivals Sri Lanka 52-55 to make matters worse for the Lankans.

ZIMBABWE 71-36 SRI LANKA

Zimbabwe had no problem in sweeping past Sri Lanka in a Group E match.

Cricket

Chamindu Wickramasinghe’s bowling action under scrutiny?

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Sri Lankan fast bowler Chamindu Wickramasinghe has come under the spotlight after his bowling action was officially reported as suspicious during a recent domestic encounter.

The incident occurred in a match of the National Super League held from April 6 to 9, where the Dambulla side faced Colombo. Wickramasinghe, representing Dambulla, drew attention from match officials, prompting concerns over the legality of his action.

The on-field umpires, Deepal Gunawardena and Ravindra Wimalasiri, made the report in accordance with standard procedures. Match referee Manoj Mendis also oversaw the process, ensuring that all regulations were followed.

Following the report, the matter has been referred to the Sri Lanka Cricket High Performance Unit for further assessment. Wickramasinghe may now be required to undergo biomechanical testing to determine whether his bowling action complies with the laws of the game.

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Cricket

Sri Lanka lasses continue to impress

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Sri Lanka Under-19 Women extended their impressive run in the Tri-Series with a composed four-wicket victory over Australia Women Under-19 cricket team at Bill Pippen Oval Today.

After being put in to bat, Australia U-19 struggled to build momentum against a disciplined Sri Lankan bowling attack. Ayla Johnson top-scored with 18 off 29 balls, while Alyssa Dermody added a quick 13. However, regular wickets halted their progress as they finished on a modest 91 for 9 in 20 overs. Limansa Thilakarathne led the bowling effort with an impressive 3 for 26, well supported by Chamudi Praboda, who claimed 2 for 21.

In response, Sri Lanka Women Under-19 cricket team chased down the target with 92 for 6 in 19.3 overs. Despite a few setbacks, Pramudi Methsara anchored the innings with an unbeaten 21 off 17 balls, while Danodya Sewmini contributed a steady 14. Australia’s Filippa Suesee (3 for 18) and Ira Aery (2 for 13) fought hard, but Sri Lanka held their nerve.

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Football Chief Jaswar Umar Enters Race for NOC Presidency

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Jaswar Umar, President of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka, has officially submitted his nomination to contest for the presidency of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka at the upcoming Annual General Meeting.

Umar becomes the fourth candidate in the race, joining Shirantha Peiris, Deva Henry, and Asanga Seneviratne, who are also contesting for the top position in the country’s Olympic body.

His time as football chief has created divided opinions among sports professionals who evaluate his performance. On one hand, Sri Lanka’s national team has shown improvement in international results, including a rise in the FIFA rankings from 204 to 191, along with notable performances against stronger opposition.

However, his approach has also faced criticism. Stakeholders have raised concerns over the increased reliance on Sri Lankan-origin overseas players, with claims that it has limited opportunities for local talent. The long-term vision for developing youth and building grassroots football programs has become a subject of public inquiry.

Umar now aims to advance his career through NOC while he leads Sri Lankan football with both positive results and ongoing public criticism of his work.

The upcoming election will become a competitive battle because four candidates will vie for control of a key position which holds major power within the country’s sports system.

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