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Nishan Madushka’s ton, Dilshan Madushanka’s four-fer help Sri Lanka level series 1-1.

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2 years ago

June 7, 2023

Editor

South Africa ‘A’ tour of Sri Lanka 2023

Opener Nishan Madushka hit a match-winning century while spearhead Dilshan Madushanka picked up a four-fer to help Sri Lanka outplay South Africa ‘A’ by 7 wickets and level the series 1-1.

Surprisingly both match winners Nishan Madushka and Dilshan Madushanka have been overlooked by the selectors for the ongoing Afghanistan series and hopefully, after their top performance, the selectors will keep a close eye on the duo before they finalize their squad for the upcoming world cup qualifiers in June-July in Zimbabwe.

Earlier winning the toss and electing to bat first in a humid day at Pallekele international cricket stadium the visitors didn’t have the best of starts as they were struggling right from the first ball to be bowled out for 176 runs eventually.

None of the batters were comfortable in the middle, especially against Dilshan Madushanka, who was all over the South Africa batting order.

Madushanka ripped through the South Africa top batting lineup to end with figures of 4 for 33.

At one stage it looked like the Proteas would be unable to go past at least the 100-run mark, as they were struggling at 7-42, but a 111-run partnership for the 8th wicket between Tristan Stubbs and Gerald Coetzee saw the innings revived where they went onto score 175 runs.

When the chips were down low order batter Coetzee top scored with a brilliant 89 ball 77 runs while Stubbs chipped in with 59 runs.

In reply, Sri Lanka achieved the target in just 29 overs thanks to
Nishan Madushka’s watchful 107 runs off 85 deliveries, including 13 boundaries and two sixes.

Madushka along with all-rounder Sahan Arachchige were engaged in a match-winning 104-run partnership for the 4th wicket to seal the match for the Lankan lads. Arachchige also scored an unbeaten half-century.

The two sides will next meet on Thursday (8) to play the third and final match at the same venue.

Brief Scores:
South Africa A: 175 all out (43.2) (Gerald Coetzee 77, Tristan Stubbs 59, Dilshan Madushanka 4/33)
Sri Lanka A: 178-3 (29) (Nishan Madushka 107, Sahan Arachchige 50, Lizaad Williams 1/25, Tshepo Moreki 1/25)

දකුණු අප්‍රිකා ‘ඒ’ හා ශ්‍රී ලංකා සංචාරය 2023

නිශාන් මධුෂ්කගේ ශතකය හා ඩිල්ෂාන් මධුශංක කඩුළු හතර සමඟින් ශ්‍රී ලංකාව තරඟාවලිය 1-1ක් ලෙස සමකරයි.

ආරම්භක පිතිකරු නිශාන් මධුෂ්ක තරගයේ ජයග්‍රාහී ශතකයක් වාර්තා කළ අතර ඉදිරියෙන් සිටි ඩිල්ෂාන් මධුශංක කඩුළු හතරක් ලබා ගනිමින් දකුණු අප්‍රිකා ‘ඒ’ පිල කඩුලු 7කින් පරදවා තරගාවලිය 1-1ක් ලෙස සම කිරීමට ශ්‍රී ලංකා පිලට හැකි විය.

පුදුමයකට මෙන් තරඟ ජයග්‍රාහකයින් වන නිශාන් මධුෂ්ක සහ ඩිල්ෂාන් මධුශංක යන දෙදෙනාම දැනට පැවැත්වෙන ඇෆ්ගනිස්ථාන තරඟාවලිය සඳහා තේරීම් කමිටුව විසින් නොසලකා හැර ඇති අතර ඔවුන්ගේ මෙම දක්‍ෂතාවයෙන් පසුව එළඹෙන ජූනි – ජූලි හි සිම්බාබ්වේ හි පැවැත්වෙන ලෝක කුසලාන සුදුසුකම් ලැබීමේ තරඟ සඳහා ඔවුන්ගේ සංචිතය අවසන් කිරීමට පෙර තේරීම් කමිටුව ඔවුන් දෙදෙනා කෙරෙහි දැඩි අවධානයෙන් සිටිනු ඇතැයි අපේක්ෂා කෙරේ.

පල්ලෙකැලේ ජාත්‍යන්තර ක්‍රිකට් ක්‍රීඩාංගණයේ පැවැති මෙම තරඟය කාසියේ වාසිය දිනා පළමුවෙන් පන්දුවට පහර දීමට පිටියට පිවිසි දකුණු අප්‍රිකානු කණ්ඩායමට නිසිලෙස ආරම්භය නොලැබීම හේතුවෙන් අවසානයේදි ඔවුන් ලකුණු 176කට දැවී ගියහ.

විශේෂයෙන්ම දකුණු අප්‍රිකානු මැදපෙළ පිතිකරුවන්ට තරඟය පුරාවටම ඩිල්ෂාන් මධුශංකට එරෙහිව රිසි සේ ක්‍රීඩාකිරීමට අවකාශයක් නොලැබුණි. එහිදී, මධුශංක ලකුණු 33කට කඩුලු 4ක් ලබා ගනිමින් දකුණු අප්‍රිකාවේ පිතිකරණ ලැයිස්තුව බිඳ දැමූවේය.

දකුණු අප්‍රිකානු කණ්ඩායමට ලකුණු 7-42ක් ලෙස අසීරු තත්ත්වයක සිටි මොහොතකදි ට්‍රිස්ටන් ස්ටබ්ස් සහ ජෙරල්ඩ් කොට්සි අතර 8 වැනි කඩුල්ල සඳහා ලකුණු 111ක සබඳතාවක් ගොඩනැගුණු අතර එහිදී ඉනිම යළි ගොඩනැගුනද ඔවුන් අවසානයේ ලකුණු 175කට දැවී ගියහ.

පන්දු 89කින් ලකුණු 77ක් රැස්කළ අතර, අවසන් පෙළ පිතිකරු Coetzee ලකුණු 77ක් රැස් කළ අතර ස්ටබ්ස් ලකුණු 59ක් රැස් කළේය.

පිළිතුරු ඉනිම ක්‍රීඩා කළ ශ්‍රී ලංකා කණ්ඩායම පන්දුවාර 29කදී එම ඉලක්කය සපුරා ගැනීමට සමත් වූ අතර නිශාන් මධුෂ්ක පන්දු 85කදී හතරේ පහර 13ක් සහ හයේ පහර 2ක් සමඟින් ලකුණු 107ක් රැස් කළේය.

මධුෂ්ක සහ තුන් ඉරියව් ක්‍රීඩක සහන් ආරච්චිගේ 4 වැනි කඩුල්ලට ලකුණු 104ක සබඳතාවක් පවත්වමින් ශ්‍රී ලංකාව වෙනුවෙන් තරගයේ ජය තහවුරු කළහ. ආරච්චිගේ නොදැවී අර්ධ ශතකයක් ද රැස් කළේය.

දෙපිලම මීළඟට බ්‍රහස්පතින්දා (8) තුන්වැනි සහ අවසන් තරගය එකම ක්‍රීඩාංගණයේදීම ක්‍රීඩා කිරීමට නියමිතය.

දකුණු අප්‍රිකාව A: සියලු දෙනා දැවී 175 (43.2) (ජෙරල්ඩ් කෝට්සි 77, ට්‍රිස්ටන් ස්ටබ්ස් 59, ඩිල්ෂාන් මධුශංක 4/33)
ශ්‍රී ලංකා ඒ: 178-3 (29) (නිෂාන් මධුෂ්ක 107, සහන් ආරච්චිගේ 50, ලිසාඩ් විලියම්ස් 1/25, ෂෙපෝ මොරෙකි 1/25)

நிஷான் மதுஷ்கவின் சதம் மற்றும் டில்ஷான் மதுஷங்கவின் நான்கு விக்கெட்டுகளால் இலங்கை அணி தொடரை 1-1 என சமன் செய்தது.

தொடக்க ஆட்டக்காரர் நிஷான் மதுஷ்கா ஆட்டத்தை வென்ற சதம் மற்றும் முன்னணி தில்ஷான் மதுஷங்க நான்கு விக்கெட்டுகளை வீழ்த்த, இலங்கை தென்னாப்பிரிக்கா ‘ஏ’ அணியை 7 விக்கெட் வித்தியாசத்தில் தோற்கடித்து தொடரை 1-1 என சமன் செய்தது.

வியக்கத்தக்க வகையில் மேட்ச்-வின்னர்களான நிஷான் மதுஷ்கா மற்றும் தில்ஷான் மதுஷங்க இருவரும் தற்போது நடைபெற்று வரும் ஆப்கானிஸ்தான் தொடருக்கான தேர்வாளர்களால் புறக்கணிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர், மேலும் அவர்களின் செயல்திறனைத் தொடர்ந்து ஜூன்-ஜூலை ஜிம்பாப்வேயில் நடைபெறவுள்ள உலகக் கோப்பை தகுதிச் சுற்றுக்கான அணியை இறுதி செய்வதற்கு முன்பு தேர்வாளர்கள் அவர்களை நீக்கியுள்ளனர். நெருக்கமாக கண்காணிக்க வேண்டும்.

பல்லேகல சர்வதேச கிரிக்கெட் மைதானத்தில் நடைபெற்ற இப்போட்டியில், நாணய சுழற்சியில் வென்ற தென்னாபிரிக்க அணி முதலில் துடுப்பெடுத்தாட களம் இறங்கியது.

குறிப்பாக தென்னாபிரிக்க மிடில் ஆர்டர் பேட்ஸ்மேன்களுக்கு போட்டி முழுவதும் தில்ஷான் மதுஷங்கவுக்கு எதிராக அவர்கள் விரும்பிய அளவுக்கு விளையாட இடம் கொடுக்கப்படவில்லை. அங்கு, மதுஷங்க 33 ரன்களுக்கு 4 விக்கெட்டுகளுடன் தென்னாப்பிரிக்காவின் பேட்டிங் தரவரிசையை தகர்த்தார்.

தென்னாப்பிரிக்க அணி 7-42 என்ற நிலையில் திணறிக் கொண்டிருந்த நேரத்தில் டிரிஸ்டன் ஸ்டப்ஸ் மற்றும் ஜெரால்ட் கோட்ஸி ஜோடி 8வது விக்கெட்டுக்கு 111 ரன்கள் சேர்த்தனர்.

89 பந்துகளில் 77 ரன்கள், கடைசி பேட்ஸ்மேன் கோட்ஸி 77 ரன்கள் மற்றும் ஸ்டப்ஸ் 59 ரன்கள் எடுத்தனர்.

பதிலுக்கு துடுப்பெடுத்தாடிய இலங்கை அணி 29 ஓவர்களில் வெற்றி இலக்கை எட்டியதுடன் நிஷான் மதுஷ்க 85 பந்துகளில் 13 பவுண்டரிகள் 2 சிக்ஸர்களுடன் 107 ஓட்டங்களைப் பெற்றார்.

மதுஷ்கா மற்றும் சஹான் ஆராச்சியின் 4வது விக்கெட்டுக்கு 104 ரன்கள் குவித்தது இலங்கையின் வெற்றியை உறுதி செய்தது. ஆராச்சிகே ஆட்டமிழக்காமல் அரைசதம் அடித்தார்.

இரு அணிகளும் வியாழக்கிழமை (8) அதே மைதானத்தில் மூன்றாவது மற்றும் கடைசி ஆட்டத்தில் விளையாடுகின்றன.

தென்னாப்பிரிக்கா ஏ: 175 ஆல் அவுட் (43.2) (ஜெரால்ட் கோட்ஸி 77, டிரிஸ்டன் ஸ்டப்ஸ் 59, தில்ஷன் மதுஷங்க 4/33)
இலங்கை ஏ: 178-3 (29) (நிஷான் மதுஷ்கா 107, சஹான் ஆராச்சிகே 50, லிசார்ட் வில்லியம்ஸ் 1/25, ஷெப்போ மோரேகி 1/25)

Football

Sri Lanka’s Performance at AFC U-17 Asian Cup Qualifiers: Full Technical Review and Group A Outlook

Published

16 hours ago

November 26, 2025

Editor

Sri Lanka’s U-17 national football team continues its AFC U-17 Asian Cup Qualifiers campaign in Group A, delivering a mix of promising moments and clear tactical challenges. After three matches, Sri Lanka sits on three points with one win and two defeats, and the remaining fixtures against China PR and Timor-Leste will determine their final group standings.

Strong Start: Sri Lanka Defeat Brunei 4–0

Sri Lanka opened the qualifiers with an impressive 4–0 victory over Brunei Darussalam. The team showcased fast transitional play, effective pressing in the attacking third, and confident finishing. Their use of wide areas and quick movement off the ball allowed Sri Lanka to control the pace of the match. The defensive unit had limited pressure but remained well-organised. This result highlighted Sri Lanka’s ability to dominate against opponents of similar ranking.

Competitive but Costly Defeat: Bahrain 2–1 Sri Lanka

Against Bahrain, Sri Lanka produced a competitive performance but were undone by defensive inconsistencies. Bahrain repeatedly exploited the spaces between fullbacks and centre-backs, taking advantage of gaps during transitions. Sri Lanka struggled to track midfield runners, allowing Bahrain to create sustained pressure. Despite these issues, Sri Lanka produced quality attacking sequences, including a well-worked equaliser. Goalkeeper Mohamed Kathafi delivered several key saves to keep Sri Lanka in the contest. This match illustrated both the team’s potential and the areas requiring structural improvement.

Bangladesh Expose Sri Lanka’s Structural Weaknesses

Bangladesh outplayed Sri Lanka in a 5–0 defeat, using a high-pressing system that Sri Lanka struggled to manage. The defensive line dropped too deep, creating large spaces in midfield that Bangladesh exploited. Sri Lanka were unable to build out from the back or maintain possession under pressure. Fatigue and gaps between lines contributed to the widening scoreline in the second half. This performance underscored the need for stronger defensive compactness, improved press resistance, physical conditioning, and better management of transitions.

Overall Assessment

Sri Lanka’s strengths lie in quick counter-attacks, energetic wing play, and reliable goalkeeping. However, weaknesses remain evident in defensive organisation, ball retention under pressure, central creativity, and physical match endurance. The campaign continues to provide critical experience for long-term youth development.

Upcoming Match Analysis

Sri Lanka vs China PR

China PR enters the fourth match with exceptional form, scoring 30 goals and conceding none. Their physicality, structured build-up, and high press are expected to challenge Sri Lanka heavily. Based on form and tactical profiles, China are strong favourites to secure a large-margin victory.

Sri Lanka vs Timor-Leste

Sri Lanka’s final fixture against Timor-Leste offers a favourable opportunity. Timor-Leste have conceded heavily in all matches and have yet to score or collect a point. Sri Lanka will likely control transitions and attacking phases, making this a realistic chance to secure a second win in the group.

Projected Final Group A Standings Based on Current Form

Rank	Team	P	W	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	China PR	5	5	0	~40	0	+40	15
2	Bangladesh	5	4	1	~23	6	+17	12
3	Bahrain	5	3	2	~10	8	+2	9
4	Sri Lanka	5	2	3	~8	18	-10	6
5	Timor-Leste	5	0	5	~2	28	-26	0
6	Brunei	5	0	5	~0	32	-32	0

A win against Timor-Leste would confirm Sri Lanka’s place in the top four and provide a positive conclusion to their AFC U-17 Asian Cup Qualifying campaign.

Football

Under-16 Division II Football Championship 2025 Kicks Off in Negombo

Published

17 hours ago

November 26, 2025

Editor

Negombo, November 26–27, 2025 — The Sri Lanka Schools Football Association (SLSFA) has officially commenced the Under-16 Division II National Football Championship 2025, bringing together schools from all corners of the island for two days of intense competition in Negombo.

A total of 21 schools are grouped into seven groups (A–G), with matches taking place across four venues:

St. Mary’s College Ground
Kurana Mejaraaj Ground
Don Bosco Ground
Katunayaka 18 Kanuwa Ground

The tournament will be played in a first-round group stage, followed by a 2nd round knockout stage, leading to the crowning of the Division II champions.

Group Allocations & Schools (First Round)

Group A – St. Mary’s College Ground

Aligar National School – Batticaloa
Abdul Majeed – Kinniya
Stafford International School – Colombo

Group B – St. Mary’s College Ground

Zahira College – Mawanella
Vidyialoka College – Galle
Gateway College – Kandy

Group C – Kurana Mejaraaj Ground

St. Mary’s College – Chilaw
Zahira College – Matale
Gateway College – Colombo

Group D – Don Bosco Ground

Maris Stella College – Negombo
Maliyadeva Model School – Kurunegala
Al Minhaj National School – Nuwara Eliya

Group E – Don Bosco Ground

Jailani National School – Balangoda
Arafa National School – Weligama
Al-Falal College – Negombo

Group F – Kurana Mejaraaj Ground

Uva College – Badulla
Malhara Suliya MV – Galle
Thopawewa National School – Polonnaruwa

Group G – Katunayake 18 Kanuwa Ground

Jinaraja Boys’ College – Gampola
Zahira College – Puttalam
Al Fahiriya – Panadura

Day 1 Match Schedule – 26 November 2025

St. Mary’s College Ground (Groups A & B)

8.00 AM: Aligar NS vs Abdul Majeed
9.30 AM: Zahira Mawanella vs Vidyialoka Galle
10.30 AM: Abdul Majeed vs Stafford IS
11.30 AM: Vidyialoka Galle vs Gateway Kandy
1.00 PM: Aligar NS vs Stafford IS
2.00 PM: Zahira Mawanella vs Gateway Kandy

Kurana Mejaraaj Ground (Groups C & F)

8.00 AM: St. Mary’s Chilaw vs Zahira Matale
9.30 AM: Uva College vs Malhara Suliya MV
10.30 AM: Zahira Matale vs Gateway Colombo
11.30 AM: Malhara Suliya MV vs Thopawewa NS
1.00 PM: St. Mary’s Chilaw vs Gateway Colombo
2.00 PM: Uva College vs Thopawewa NS

Don Bosco Ground (Groups D & E)

8.00 AM: Jailani NS vs Arafa NS
9.30 AM: Maris Stella Negombo vs Maliyadeva MS
10.30 AM: Arafa NS vs Al-Falal College
11.30 AM: Maliyadeva MS vs Al Minhaj NS
1.00 PM: Jailani NS vs Al-Falal College
2.00 PM: Maris Stella vs Al Minhaj NS

Katunayake 18 Kanuwa Ground (Group G)

8.00 AM: Jinaraja Boys’ College vs Zahira Puttalam
9.30 AM: Zahira Puttalam vs Al Fahiriya Panadura
10.30 AM: Jinaraja Boys’ College vs Al Fahiriya

Knockout Stage – Second Round

The winners of Groups A, B, C, D, E, F, and G will advance to the Knockout Stage scheduled after the completion of group matches

. Match pairings will be finalized based on group rankings.

A Platform for Young Talent

The Under-16 Division II Championship continues to be a pivotal tournament in identifying and elevating Sri Lanka’s rising footballers. Teams will fight for qualification to higher divisions and for national-level recognition.

Sri Lankan Sports TV will provide live updates, match scores, photos, and special coverage throughout the tournament.

Football

Sri Lanka Champions League Kicks Off – 14 Teams, New Format & A New Era for Domestic Football

Published

4 days ago

November 23, 2025

Editor

The Champions League, the second-tier elite tournament of Football Sri Lanka (FFSL), returns with a revamped structure and a renewed vision for elevating the domestic game. A total of 14 top clubs have been drawn into two competitive groups, setting the stage for one of the most dynamic football seasons in recent years.

Tournament Format

14 teams will compete in two groups.
The top 4 teams from each group will advance to the prestigious Super 8 Round.
In the Super 8, all eight teams will battle each other in a league format.
The team with the highest points at the end of the Super 8 will be crowned Champions League winners.

This structure ensures more high-level matches, stronger competition, and maximum exposure for players and clubs across the country.

A Message That Marks a New Era — Exclusive to Sri Lankan Sports TV

President of Football Sri Lanka, Jaswar Umar, delivered a powerful and forward-thinking message reflecting the transformation happening within the game:

“We have now invested and elevated the domestic game with a world-class Champions League experience, delivering top-level match operations, enhanced presentation, commercial partnerships, and live TV broadcasts for all matches—an unprecedented milestone for local football.

The tournament not only provides advanced facilities for teams, players, coaches, and referees, but also launches a major social initiative: the ‘No to Drugs’ campaign, using football to educate communities and inspire rejection of drugs.

The Champions League marks a new era and a transformative step forward for football in Sri Lanka.

I request all teams, players and coaches to take maximum benefits from the facilities given.

This is – One Game. One Heart.”
— Jaswar Umar, FFSL President