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Janith Liyanage the saviour for Sri Lanka

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Zimbabwe tour of Sri Lanka 2024

Janith Liyanage notched up his maiden half century to guide Sri Lanka to a nerve tingling 2 wickets win over Zimbabwe in the second One dayer worked off at R. Premadasa Stadium Colombo on Monday.

Having won the toss, Zimbabwe skipper Craig Ervine elected to bat first under gloomy conditions in Colombo.

However, it was the hosts who got off to a flyer when Dilshan Madushanka gave the early breakthrough when Tinashe Kamunhukamwe (00) were caught behind in the third ball of the innings.

Despite a early setback, Wicket-keeper batter Joylord Gumble was joined by skipper Craig Ervine and the duo stitched a 60-run stand to get their team out of trouble, before Maheesh Theekshana castled Gumble after scoring 30 runs off 36 balls.

After the breakthrough Milton Shumba joined skipper Craig and the duo cautiously batted until the 25th over engaging in another 50 runs stand.

However Sri Lanka were rewarded with the wicket of Shumba who walked back to the pavilion for 26 runs.

To make things worse for the boys in Red, they were stuck with another quick wicket that of their star batter Sikandar Raza who departed for just 1 run.

At one stage Zimbabwe were on course for a strong total but a middle order collapse saw
the visitors slipped to 182/5 when their mainstay Craig Ervine also walked back for a well played 82 runs.

With half of their batters back in the pavilion the Zimbabwe lower order fell like a pack of cards as they lost their last 6 wickets for just 26 runs before being all out for below par score of 208 runs.

Maheesh Theekshana who didnt have a good outing in the last year World Cup in India was back among wickets when he ended with figures of 4-31.

In reply, Sri Lanka batters once again failed to impress as none of their star batters were among runs apart from Janith Liyanage who played a lone cameo of 95 runs to drag thier team over the line.

When the chips were down with scoreboard reading at 6-112 Maheesh Theekshana joined Janith Liyanage in the middle to rescue Sri Lanka from a humiliating defeat. The duo added a 56-run stand for the 7th wicket.

With another less than 40 runs required Sri Lanka were stuck with few quick wickets including the all important wicket of Janith Liayange’s when the 28 year old attempted a lofted shot over mid-off but ended straight at the hands of Ricard Ngarava.

The equation being more tougher to the host, with all the recognized batters back in the pavilion Dusmantha Chameera (18) and Jeffery Vandery (19) launch a late strike as the duo took Sri Lanka home with 6 balls to spare.

In bowling front Richard Ngarava picked up his maiden ODI fifer while Sikandar Raza picked two wickets.

After the thrilling win Sri Lanka are currently leading the three match Series 1-0 with one more game left to play. The two sides will
Meet again on Thursday (11) for the final game and move to shorter format of the game (T20I’s) starting from 14th January.

Brief scores: Zimbabwe 208 in 44.4 overs (Craig Ervine 82; Maheesh Theekshana 4-31) lost to Sri Lanka 211/8 in 49 overs (Janith Liyanage 95; Richard Ngarava 5-32) by two wickets.

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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