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Angelo Mathews heroic’s sees Sri Lanka win last ball thriller

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1 year ago

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Zimbabwe tour of Sri Lanka 2024

Angelo Mathews brilliant knock over-shine Sikandar Raza’s 62 as the host register a last ball thriller in the first T20I worked off at R.Premadasa stadium on Sunday.

Earlier put into bat first, Zimbabwe posted 143 runs on the board from the back of captains knock from Sikandar Raza.

The Lankan bowlers bowled in good line and lengths to keep them under pressure right from the beginning as they were 38/2 at one point.

That’s when skipper Sikandar Raza stepped up and changed the complexion of the game.

The experience campaigner smashed a blistering 62 runs off 42 deliveries, which helped the visitors post a respectable total on the board at the end of the allotted 20 overs.

Despite lone innings by Raza none of the other batters contributed largely.

In bowling front, Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga picked up two wickets each with the ball.

During the chase it was expected to be a good total to chase but it proved to be difficult in the end as Sri Lanka achieved the target in a last ball thriller.

Sri Lanka were off to a poor start where at one stage they were struggling at 6-83 with half of the recognise batters back in the pavilion cheaply.

However, Angelo Mathews and Dasun Shanaka’s 55-run stand for the 8th wicket revived Sri Lanka’s chase.

They batted cautiously until the very end and the host required 14 runs in the last over where Angelo Mathews struck two consecutive boundaries in the first two balls to make equation more easy for the host.

However 36 year old departed on 48 when he was caught at deep mid wicket when he attempted to clear the boundary.

With 6 runs required in 2 balls Dushmantha Chameera got a thick outside edge for a boundary off the penultimate ball of the innings before chipping a slower ball over deep mid wicket to help the side over the line.

Former skipper Dasun Shanaka also chipped in with useful knock of 18 ball 26 runs.

The win saw Sri Lanka take 1-0 lead in the 3 match series. The two sides will next meet Tuesday in the second T20I at the same venue.

Brief Scores: Zimbabwe 143/5 in 20 overs (Sikandar Raza 62; Maheesh Theekshana 2-16, Wanindu Hasaranga 2-19) lost to Sri Lanka 144/7 in 20 overs (Angelo Mathews 46; Sikandar Raza 3-13) by 3 wickets

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Football

Stafford vs. Colombo International: The Second Edition of the Big Match Kicks Off!

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1 day ago

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April 2, 2025

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Football fever returns as Stafford International School and Colombo International School gear up for the second edition of their highly anticipated Big Match! This year, the rivalry intensifies with four matches across different age and gender categories:

✅ U15 Girls
✅ U15 Boys
✅ U20 Girls
✅ U20 Boys

🏆 Stafford International’s Rising Stars:

  • U15 Girls: Defending TISSL U14 and Colombo SLSFA District champions, featuring standout players like Keshalee Ranatunga and Sonja Ratanayake (just 10 years old!).
  • U15 Boys: All-Island U14 runners-up out of 462 schools, led by goalkeeper Yash Amarasekara, who was named Best U14 GK in Sri Lanka.
  • U20 Girls & Boys: Both teams finished as TISSL runners-up, boasting stars like Raya Rikaz, Yumna Safraz, Adnaan Ameen, and Nidurshan Mohan.

🏆 Colombo International’s Key Players:

  • U15 Girls: TISSL U16 runners-up, featuring top defender Khadeeja Niyas and striker Ozra.
  • U20 Girls: TISSL U20 runners-up, with Fioni Dedhia named Goalkeeper of the Tournament.
  • U20 Boys: Defending Big Match champions, looking to retain their title behind stars like Krishwen and Habib.

👀 Who will come out on top this time? Watch the action LIVE at the link below! 🎥👇

#BigMatch2025 #SchoolFootball #SriLankaFootball #StaffordVsCIS #RivalryRenewed

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Cricket

Shammi Silva Re-Elected as Sri Lanka Cricket President for Fourth Consecutive Term

Published

3 days ago

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April 1, 2025

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Shammi Silva has been re-elected as the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) president for the 2025-27 term, marking his fourth consecutive tenure at the helm of the nation’s cricket governing body. Silva secured the position uncontested at the 64th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Colombo on Monday.

A Controversial Yet Dominant Tenure

Silva’s leadership has not been without controversy. His previous term saw a high-profile clash with former Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe in 2023, which led to an interim committee being appointed after Sri Lanka’s poor performance in the ICC ODI World Cup. This move resulted in ICC suspending SLC, which led to Sri Lanka losing the hosting rights for the U19 Men’s World Cup, which was later held in South Africa.

Despite these setbacks, Silva regained control after a court ruling reinstated his administration, and he was later appointed as the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) in December 2023, replacing Jay Shah.

Challenges & Future Outlook

Sri Lanka Cricket has long been seen as a powerful and influential body, with internal politics often shaping its leadership. With financial mismanagement concerns highlighted in the Auditor General’s report, Silva’s administration faces the challenge of restoring credibility and ensuring better governance.

With the ICC ban lifted, Sri Lanka looks to rebuild its cricketing structure and improve performance on the international stage. The focus now shifts to upcoming bilateral series, the Asia Cup, and preparations for the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.

Stay tuned for more updates on Sri Lanka Cricket and the latest in the world of sports!

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Cricket

Stephen Fleming Defends MS Dhoni’s Batting Position Amid Criticism

Published

4 days ago

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March 31, 2025

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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming has defended MS Dhoni’s late entry in the batting order, stating that the legendary wicketkeeper-batsman cannot play an extended innings at full intensity due to lingering knee concerns.

The 43-year-old Dhoni faced criticism after coming in at No. 9 during CSK’s 50-run loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Chepauk. In the next match against Rajasthan Royals on March 30, 2025, he batted at No. 7 when CSK required 54 off 25 balls but managed just 16 off 11 as his team fell short by six runs.

Fleming’s Explanation on Dhoni’s Role

Fleming emphasized that Dhoni carefully assesses the match situation before deciding when to bat.

“It’s all about timing. MS judges his body and situation. His knees aren’t what they used to be, so he can’t bat for 10 overs at full intensity. He will step in based on the game’s demands,” Fleming explained at the post-match press conference.

The CSK coach reiterated that Dhoni remains too valuable to the team for his leadership and wicketkeeping and that sending him in too early could be a strategic misstep.

“From around the 13th or 14th over, he assesses the situation and decides. He trusts other batters early on but steps up when needed.”

CSK’s Struggles in the Powerplay Cost Them the Match

Fleming also pinpointed CSK’s poor powerplay performance as a key reason for their loss against Rajasthan Royals. While RR blasted 79/1 in the powerplay, CSK only managed 42/1,

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