News

Kingswood/ Royal Hockey encounter for the Lennie De Silva Memorial Trophy on 22 September 2023

Published

3 years ago

September 13, 2023

Editor

M.H.Yakeem

The annual Hockey encounter between Kingswood College Kandy stickers and Royal College Colombo stickers, for the Lennie De Silva Memorial Trophy, will be played on the 22nd of September 2023 at the University of Peradeniya ground, Peradeniya, Kandy.

The trophy was inaugurated in 2004 to honor and commemorate the services of Kingswoodian, Lennie De Silva. He was a well-rounded sportsman, as he played Cricket, Tennis, and Soccer for Kingswood College and Government Teachers’ Training College. Most notably, he introduced the game of Hockey to Royal in 1955 and was a part of the academic staff of both Kingswood College and Royal College.

Kingswood Hockey boasts a rich and proud history with a legacy that spans generations. When India’s National Hockey side toured Sri Lanka in the 1960s, former Kingswood College star players, Freddie White and Derrick Harvie got the opportunity to Captain the Ceylon Team in the game against India. Moreover, in the Indo-Ceylon test series, Kingswoodian Iqbal Jumar spearheaded the Mercantile Hockey team, while Roy De Silva captained the Kandy district Hockey team and was also the National Olympic Committee Chairman for several years.

In the recent past, Kingswoodians have been going through a purple patch. Particularly in 2023, Kingswood College stickers clinched the Championship of the under 20 Central Province Hockey tournament and also emerged as the Champions of the Ritzbury Thomian Hockey, all Island Schools 7’s as well. Certainly, they will be hoping to continue this winning momentum. Kingswood College, Kandy stickers will be Captained by S.D. Thushara and O.D. Ranathunga will be his deputy. A.B. Godigamuwa is the Head Coach and will be assisted by C.I. Sumanarathna.

Royal College, Colombo srickers will be Captained by Akash Wijesekera and Himsara Caldera will be his deputy. Head Coach, Insaka Samaranayake along with Assistant Coaches, Damith Panditharathne and Shahid Kuthubdeen, have been entrusted with the duties of the development of Hockey at Royal College.MIC Prabath Gallage, with Senior games MIC, Riyaz Aluhser has always been a tower of strength to these young lads. In the series, Royal College stickers are leading with 7 wins.

Caption Action from last year’s Kingswood/Royal encounter

News

Sri Lanka Dominates Saudi Arabia in Junior Davis Cup Qualifying!

Published

55 minutes ago

March 26, 2026

Editor

In the ongoing Junior Davis Cup Tennis Qualifying Tournament currently being held in Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka had a great weekend by defeating Saudi Arabia 3-0.

The team showed their dominance by winning both singles matches and then winning both doubles matches with comfortable margins.

Sri Lanka won the first singles match when Ashlin de Silva beat Mahdi Al Ibrahim 6-2, 7-5.

In the second singles match, Mayuran Kubern came back after losing the first set to defeat Ahmed Baha Sarouji 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Sri Lanka then continued their momentum into the doubles matches where Mayuran Kubern and Ashlin de Silva defeated the Saudi pair 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.

In the other doubles match, the Sri Lankan duo was ahead in the second set 4-6 when the Saudi pair of Mahdi Al Ibrahim and Souhail ElFarouki retired from the match.

With this comprehensive win, Sri Lanka is now in a very strong position within the tournament.

The team will have a day off on Monday and is scheduled to play in the Championship on Thursday.

Cricket

Nuwan Thushara Set to Miss IPL 2026 After SLC NOC Refusal

Published

5 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Editor

Nuwan Thushara is set to miss the upcoming IPL 2026 season in a significant setback for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), after Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) declined to issue him a No Objection Certificate (NOC).

The decision comes following SLC’s latest policy requiring all centrally contracted players to meet strict fitness standards before being cleared for overseas franchise leagues. Thushara reportedly failed to reach the required fitness benchmarks, leading to uncertainty over his participation and eventual exclusion.

RCB had secured the services of the Sri Lankan pacer for approximately INR 1.6 crore, viewing him as a valuable addition to their pace attack. However, his absence could now force the franchise to rethink their squad composition ahead of the tournament.

Interestingly, reports indicate that Thushara is not carrying any injury and remains available to bowl. Despite this, concerns over his overall fitness levels falling short of SLC’s criteria have ultimately ruled him out of the competition.

During his stint with RCB, Thushara featured in just one match, largely serving as a backup option. He made a notable impact in that appearance, returning figures of 1 for 26 with an impressive economy rate of 6.50, showcasing his potential when called upon.

Cricket

Sri Lanka Set for December White-Ball Tour of India

Published

5 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Editor

Sri Lanka will tour India in December 2026 for an exciting white-ball series featuring three ODIs and three T20Is. The tour promises competitive cricket action across multiple iconic venues, giving fans across the country a chance to witness the matches live.

The ODI series will begin on December 13 in Delhi, followed by the second match in Bengaluru on December 16. The third and final ODI will be played in Ahmedabad on December 19.
The T20I series will kick off on December 22 in Rajkot. The action will then move to Cuttack for the second T20I on December 24, before concluding in Pune on December 27.

ODI Series
•⁠ ⁠13 Dec – 1st ODI – Delhi
•⁠ ⁠16 Dec – 2nd ODI – Bengaluru
•⁠ ⁠19 Dec – 3rd ODI – Ahmedabad
T20I Series
•⁠ ⁠22 Dec – 1st T20I – Rajkot
•⁠ ⁠24 Dec – 2nd T20I – Cuttack
•⁠ ⁠27 Dec – 3rd T20I – Pune