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Sri Lankan Lions who dominated the IPL

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The 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the actual inaugural edition of the Twenty20 League Cricket Tournament, essentially concluded yesterday with the inaugural Gujarat Titans emerging champions. This season of the Indian Premier League, which generally has attracted the attention of cricket fans all over the world, our players have been able to take Sri Lanka’s pride to the international level once again in a magnificent way. From here, we bring you an article to essentially appreciate the performance of the Sri Lankan players in this year’s Indian Premier League.

Cricket commentators for the most part have been focusing on Sri Lankan players since the Indian Premier League player auction, contrary to popular belief. Wanidu Hasaranga, who essentially has been a revolutionary player in the international arena for the past 20 years, essentially has joined the sort of Royal Challengers Bangalore team for a hefty sum at this year’s auction, contrary to popular belief. In addition, fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera was bought by the Lucknow Super Giants while other Sri Lankan players Maheesh Theekshana were selected for the Chennai team, Bhanuka Rajapaksa for the Punjab team and Chamika Karunaratne for the Kolkata Knight Riders team. The inclusion of Matheesha Pathirana, a young fast bowler who has not yet been selected for international cricket, in the Chennai Super Kings squad for a replacement also bodes well for the future of Sri Lankan cricket. Wanidu Hasaranga, one of the leading international Twenty20 bowlers last season, proved his mettle by becoming the second-highest wicket-taker of the tournament this year.  Wanidu Hasaranga, unfortunately, lost his highest wicket-taker purple helmet after a tense battle with Indian spinner Yuzvendra Chahal but managed to take 26 wickets throughout the tournament. Wanidu Hasaranga took five wickets for 18 essentially runs in the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Vanidu’s general spin partner Maheesh Theekshana has taken 12 wickets in nine IPL definite matches to mostly become the third very much the highest wicket-taker for the Chennai basically, Super Kings which is a real fair significant.

Dushmantha Chameera, the most powerful foreign fast bowler in the Lucknow basically Super Giants team, also took 9 wickets in this tournament generally, contrary to a popular belief. Certainly, a few years later a Sri Lankan batsman was definitely spotted in the Indian Premier League in a subtle way. Middle-order left-hander Bhanuka Rajapaksa mostly scored 206 really runs in nine matches for the Punjab Kings this season with an attacking pace of around 160 in a subtle way. Matheesha Pathirana took two wickets in his first two matches, signalling the future of Sri Lankan cricket. It is our sincere mostly wish as Sri Lankan citizens that Sri Lankan lions will generally be able to precisely carry the name of Sri Lanka to the world and literally continue to particularly maintain the very basic generally excel in the Indian Premier League next year.

IPL පිටියේ ජය කෙහෙලි නැංවූ සිංහ පුතුන් !!!

විස්සයි විස්ස ලීග් ක්‍රිකට් ආකෘතියේ මෞලීය මංගල්‍යය බදු ඉන්දීය ප්‍රිමියර් ලීග් තරගාවලියේ අභිමානවත් පහළොස්වන අදියර ඊයේ දිනයේදී නිමාවට පත් වූයේ IPL පිටියට කුලුදුල් ගුජරාට් ටයිටන්ස් කණ්ඩායම ශූරයන් ලෙසින් කිරුලු පලන්දවමිනි. ලොව පුරා ක්‍රිකට් ප්‍රේක්ෂකයන්ගේ අවදානය දිනාගත් ඉන්දීය ප්‍රිමියර් ලීග් තරගාවලියේ මෙවර තරග වාරය තුළදී ශ්‍රී ලාංකීය අභිමානය යළිත් වරක් ජාත්‍යන්තරය ඉදිරියට ගෙන යාමට අප ක්‍රීඩකයන් සමත්කම් දැක්වීය. මෙවර ඉන්දීය ප්‍රිමියර් ලීග් තරගාවලියේ ශ්‍රී ලංකා ක්‍රීඩකයන් දැක්වූ දක්ෂතා ඇගයීම උදෙසා අප ගෙන එන ලිපියක් මෙතැන් පටන්….

ඉන්දීය ප්‍රිමියර් ලීග් තරගාවලියේ ක්‍රීඩක වෙන්දේසියේ පටන් ශ්‍රී ලාංකික ක්‍රීඩකයන් කෙරෙහි ක්‍රිකට් විචාරකයන්ගේ අවධානය යොමු විය. පසුගිය කාලසීමාව තුළ විස්සයි විස්ස ජාත්‍යන්තර පිටියේ පෙරලිකාර දස්කම් පෑ වනිදු හසරංග මෙවර ක්‍රීඩක වෙන්දේසියෙහිදී දැවැන්ත මුදලකට රෝයල් චැලේන්ජර්ස් බැංගලෝර් කණ්ඩායමට එක් කොට ගැනුණි. මීට අමතරව වේගපන්දු යවන ක්‍රීඩක දුෂ්මන්ත චමීර ලක්නව් සුපර් ජයන්ට්ස් කණ්ඩායම විසින් මිළදී ගනිද්දී සෙසු ශ්‍රී ලංකා ක්‍රීඩකයන් වූ මහීෂ් තීක්ෂණ චෙන්නායි කණ්ඩායමටද ,භානුක රාජපක්ෂ පන්ජාබ් කණ්ඩායමට හා චාමික කරුණාරත්න, කොල්කටා නයිට්‍රයිඩර්ස් කණ්ඩායමට තෝරා ගැනුණි. තවමත් ජාත්‍යන්තර ක්‍රිකට් වරම් නොලද වේගපන්දු යවන යොවුන් ක්‍රීඩක මතීෂ පතිරණද ක්‍රීඩක ආදේශනයක් වෙනුවෙන් චෙන්නායි සුපර් කිංග්ස් කණ්ඩායමට එක් කොට ගැනීමද ශ්‍රී ලංකා ක්‍රිකට් අනාගතය පිළිබඳව සුබදායී ලකුණු පෙන්නුම් කරන්නට විය.

පසුගිය සමයේදී ජාත්‍යන්තර විස්සයි විස්ස පන්දු යවන්නන් අතරෙහි ප්‍රමුඛයා ලෙසින් වැජබුනු වනිදු හසරංග, තමා විශිෂ්ඨයෙකු බවට තවදුරටත් සනාථ කළේ මෙවර තරගාවලියේ දෙවන වැඩිම කඩුලු ලාභියා බවට පත් වෙමිනි. ඉන්දීය දගපන්දු යවන ක්‍රීඩක යුෂ්වේන්‍ද්‍රන් චහල් සමග තියුණු සටනකින් අනතුරුව වැඩිම කඩුලු ලාභියාට හිමි දම්පැහැති හිස්වැසුම අවාසනාවන්ත ලෙසින් වනිදු හසරංගට අහිමි වුවද තරගාවලිය පුරාවට කඩුලු 26ක් බිදහෙලමින් දස්කම් පාන්නට ඔහුට හැකිවිය. විස්සයි විස්ස පිටියේ සිය හොදම පන්දු යැවීම වාර්තා කරන්නට වනිදු හසරංග සමත් වූයේ සන්රයිසස් හයිද්‍රාබාද් කණ්ඩායම සමග පැවති තරගයේදී ලකුණු 18කට කඩුලු 5ක් බිදහෙලමිනි. ජාත්‍යන්තර ක්‍රිකට් පිටියේ වනිදුගේ දගපන්දු සගයා වන මහීෂ් තීක්ෂණ මෙවර IPL තරගාවලියේ තරග 9කට ක්‍රීඩා කරමින් කඩුලු 12ක් බිදහෙලූයේ චෙන්නායි සුපර් කිංග්ස් කණ්ඩායම වෙනුවෙන් තෙවන වැඩිම කඩුලු ලාභියා බවට පත් වෙමිනි.

ලක්නව් සුපර් ජයන්ට්ස් කණ්ඩායම සතුවූ ප්‍රබලතම විදෙස් වේගපන්දු යවන්නා වූ දුෂ්මන්ත චමීරද මෙවර තරගාවලියේදී කඩුලු 9ක් බිදහෙලන්නට සමත් විය. වසර කිහිපයකට පසු ශ්‍රී ලංකා පිතිකරුවකු ඉන්දීය ප්‍රිමියර් ලීග් පිටිය තුළ දැකගන්නට අවකාශය හිමි විය .මැදපෙළ වමත් පිතිකරු භානුක රාජපක්ෂ මෙවර පන්ජාබ් කිංග්ස් කණ්ඩායම නියෝජනය කරමින් තරග 9ක් තුළදී ලකුණු 206ක් රැස්කළේ 160ක පමණ ප්‍රහාරාත්මක වේගයක් රදවා ගනිමිනි. ශ්‍රී ලංකා ක්‍රිකට් අනාගතය පිළිබදව සුබදායක සලකුණු පළ කරමින් තමා ක්‍රීඩා කළ පළමු තරග ද්විත්වයේදී කඩුලු 2ක් බිදහෙලන්නට යොවුන් ක්‍රීඩක මතීෂ පතිරණ සමත්කම් දැක්වීය. ශ්‍රී ලංකා නාමය ලොවක් ඉදිරියට ගෙන යමින් එළඹෙන වසරේදීත් ඉන්දීය ප්‍රිමියර් ලීග් තරගාවලිය තුළ තවත් දස්කම් පාන්නට සිංහ පුතුනට හැකියාව ලැබේවායි යන්න අපගේ ඒකායන පැතුමයි…

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Football

Sri Lanka Women Finish Qualifiers with 0 Goals, 20 Conceded – Who Will Take Responsibility?

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Colombo, July 3 – Sri Lanka Women’s National Football Team wrapped up their AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers campaign with a third straight defeat — a 2-0 loss to Laos — confirming their position at the bottom of Group F, with 0 wins, 0 goals scored, and 18 conceded in just three games.

But beyond the scorelines lies a far more serious issue: a complete collapse of women’s football development in Sri Lanka. And this time, the blame does not lie on one individual — but on a system that has failed the sport, from top to bottom.

Match-by-Match Recap

Match 1: Sri Lanka 0 – 10 Uzbekistan

  • Possession: 30%
  • Shots on Target: 0
  • xG: 0.0 vs Uzbekistan’s 3.60
  • A game that exposed a lack of preparation, structure, and fitness from the very start.

Match 2: Sri Lanka 0 – 8 Nepal

  • Possession: 50%
  • Defensive errors gifted goals, including a hat-trick by Sabitra Bhandari.
  • xG: Nepal 3.76 vs Sri Lanka 0.60
  • Tactical breakdown: Midfield collapsed under pressure, backline failed to close space.

Match 3: Sri Lanka 0 – 2 Laos

  • Possession: 50%
  • Shots on Target: 5
  • xG: 2.56 (Laos) vs 1.08 (Sri Lanka)
  • A more balanced performance, but defensive lapses in the 73rd and 90+2 minutes led to defeat. Sri Lanka couldn’t convert chances despite their best game statistically.

Final Group Standings – Group F

TeamMPGFGAGDPoints
🇳🇵 Nepal2170+176
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan2170+176
🇱🇦 Laos2216-140
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka3020-200

Tactical Issues Across All Matches

  • No clear formation or transition play.
  • Lack of defensive coordination — players failed to track runners, especially on the flanks.
  • No attacking identity — only 1.08 xG across three games.
  • In-game management absent — few substitutions or tactical shifts despite being outplayed.

While public criticism often targets the President of the Football Federation, this decline in women’s football runs deeper:

Who Is Accountable? Not Just the President

Women’s Football Committee:

  • Failed to organize any domestic tournament in recent years.
  • Selected the squad via open trials, with no league performance data to back selections.
  • No consistent training camps or fitness programs.

Executive Committee:

  • Remains silent on the recurring failures.
  • No inquiries, reviews, or structural reforms have followed Sri Lanka’s repeated humiliations — including the U20 Women’s SAFF defeat earlier this year.

Technical & Development Staff:

  • No tactical framework or youth development.
  • No modern coaching methods or international exposure for players.

The Bigger Problem: Silence and Stagnation

Sri Lanka is not just losing matches — it’s losing direction. The current state of women’s football is not the result of one bad campaign. It’s the product of years of neglect, political appointments, and a failure to treat women’s football with equal priority.

Even now, there is no explanation from the Executive Committee on how the women’s team was prepared or what plans exist for recovery.

Time for a Reset, Not Excuses

If Sri Lanka is serious about competing in international football, the following must be addressed:

  • ✅ A national women’s league
  • ✅ Provincial and school-level competitions
  • ✅ Professional coaching staff and structured fitness programs
  • ✅ Regular international friendlies and camps
  • ✅ Transparent selection processes based on performance, not politics

🔚 Conclusion

Sri Lanka’s 2026 AFC campaign should not just be remembered for the scorelines — but as a call for change. It is time for every stakeholder — from the Women’s Committee to the Executive — to reflect, respond, and rebuild.

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Sri Lanka Set to Face UAE in Crucial Rugby Clash Tomorrow in Colombo

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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.

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Football

Sri Lanka Women Crushed 8-0 by Nepal in AFC Qualifiers – Tactical Collapse Raises Alarm

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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

StatSri Lanka WomenNepal Women
Possession50%50%
Total Shots426
Shots on Target318
Shots off Target18
Expected Goals (xG)0.603.76
Corners014
Fouls46
Cards00
Offsides03

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.

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