Sri Lanka’s emerging tennis players are set to represent the country at the 2026 Billie Jean King Cup Juniors – Asia/Oceania under-16 Final Qualifying tournament, which will be held in Shymkent, Kazakhstan from May 11 to 15, 2026.

The prestigious junior competition will bring together leading teams from across the region, including Australia, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Thailand, Singapore, and Sri Lanka, among others, all competing for regional supremacy and qualification progress.

Sri Lanka will be led by top-ranked junior player Annaya Norbet of Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya, who will take the position of number one player in the squad. She will be joined by Akeesha Silva of Newstead College, Negombo, selected as the second player, while Bovindee Jithsara from Bishop’s College completes the main trio.

Sandithi Usgoda Arachchi of Musaeus College has been named as the standby player, providing additional support to the team if required during the competition.

The squad will be coached by Anupa Maththamagoda, an experienced figure tasked with guiding the young team through the demanding international event.

Sri Lanka Cricket has revised the player eligibility criteria for the upcoming Lanka Premier League Season 6, removing a controversial requirement linked to social media popularity after widespread criticism from fans and members of the cricket community.

The latest edition of the LPL Season 6 Player Registration and Draft Guide, released as Version 1.5 on May 9, no longer contains any minimum follower count requirements for players registering under the Icon, Star, or Gold categories.

The change comes just a day after Version 1.4 of the guide drew backlash for introducing social media-based benchmarks alongside cricketing qualifications. Under the earlier rules, players in the Icon and Star categories were expected to maintain more than 250,000 social media followers, while Gold category players were required to have at least 150,000 followers.

The previous guidelines described top-tier players as individuals with strong commercial value and a significant online audience, prompting criticism that the league was prioritizing digital influence over cricketing merit.

Following the backlash, Sri Lanka Cricket removed all references to follower counts in the revised document while keeping the existing cricket-related qualifications intact. Players will still be assessed based on factors such as international T20 experience, franchise league participation, and recent competitive appearances.

The original social media clause triggered debate across online platforms, with many questioning the contradiction between the new LPL criteria and Sri Lanka Cricket’s past messaging encouraging national players to limit distractions from social media and focus on performance.

Critics also argued that a player’s standing in the tournament should be determined by achievements on the field rather than online popularity.

Although the revised regulations eliminate follower-based eligibility requirements, the LPL framework continues to place considerable importance on marketing and fan engagement. Players are still expected to participate in promotional campaigns, fan interaction events, media activities, and scheduled social media promotions throughout the tournament.

Dambulla crowned themselves champions of the National Super League four-day tournament after sealing a convincing 119-run victory over Colombo in the final played at the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday.

Resuming the final day on 154 for 4 in pursuit of a challenging 299-run target, Colombo still harboured hopes of pulling off a successful chase with captain Charith Asalanka firmly at the crease. However, Dambulla’s bowlers produced a devastating morning spell to dismantle the batting lineup and secure the title in emphatic fashion.

Fast bowler Mohamed Shiraz led the charge with an impressive return of 4 for 38, while Nisala Abeyrathne provided excellent support with 2 for 23. Colombo’s innings quickly unraveled as the side added only 25 runs before losing their remaining six wickets to be bowled out for 179.
Earlier in the contest, Dambulla laid the foundation for victory after electing to bat first and posting 222 for 9 declared. Valuable middle-order contributions from Sonal Dinusha (51) and Anjala Bandara (40) helped steady the innings with a crucial 53-run partnership for the sixth wicket.

Colombo struggled in response and were dismissed for 146, thanks largely to a superb spell from paceman Kavindu Pathiratne, who captured 5 wickets for 51 runs to earn the Player of the Final award. Veteran spinner Akila Dhananjaya also played a key role with figures of 3 for 17.

Dambulla faced difficulties again in their second innings after slipping to 133 for 7, but Akila Dhananjaya produced a determined unbeaten 53 to rescue his side. Together with Bandara, who contributed 32 runs, he added a valuable 55-run partnership that lifted Dambulla to 222 and set Colombo a formidable fourth-innings target.

Colombo’s chase initially gathered momentum through opener Dhananjaya Lakshan, who struck a fluent 84 to keep his team in contention. At 154 for 3, Colombo appeared well placed to push for victory before the decisive breakthrough arrived.

Dambulla captain Dhananjaya de Silva, introduced for his only over of the match, removed the dangerous Lakshan and triggered a dramatic collapse. From that point onward, Colombo failed to recover as Dambulla wrapped up the innings and celebrated a memorable championship triumph.

Scores
Dambulla – 222/9 declared & 222
(Nishan Madushka 43, Vishad Randika 21, Lasith Croospulle 14, Sonal Dinusha 12, Anjala Bandara 32, Akila Dhananjaya 53*; Chamod Battage 4/55, Prabath Jayasuriya 3/16, Pramod Madushan 2/48)
Colombo – 146 & 179
(Dhananjaya Lakshan 84, Nuwanidu Fernando 23, Charith Asalanka 35; Mohamed Shiraz 4/38, Nisala Abeyrathne 2/23)