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Players who missed the World Cup due to extraordinary reasons
- Devon Conway – He missed the 2021 finals due to hitting his bat.
The New Zealand wicket-keeper batsman was involved in one of the worst injuries in cricket history. Conway injured himself during the T20 World Cup 2021 semi-final against England on 10 November and was eventually ruled out of the final clash against Australia.
Chasing a target of 167, Conway was stumped by Jos Buttler off Liam Livingston. Conway was batting with 46 off 37 balls and New Zealand needed 72 more to win. Conway was clearly frustrated with himself and when he hit the bat with his right hand, despite the glove, he broke his finger.
A scan after the game confirmed a fractured finger and he was ruled out of the final due to a self-inflicted injury. Conway was consistent with 129 in six innings, but he missed the final against Australia due to a moment of frustration.
- Jofra Archer – Lost the World Cup due to a fish tank
The England fast bowler has been going through a tough spell due to injuries and has not played international cricket since March 2021. Archer is currently struggling with a recurrence of a broken bone in his lower back. But before that, he had to undergo two operations on his elbow.
But strangely, in January 2021, he injured a tendon in his right arm while cleaning a fish tank. During the scan, the England medical team found a small piece of glass, which was later surgically removed.
After surgery, Archer played in the state championship in July. But the issue with his right elbow was not over, which ultimately ruled him out of the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE and the 2021-22 Ashes. Archer has recently returned to nets training and is likely to make his comeback during England’s one-day tour of South Africa in February-March 2023.
- Jonny Bairstow – missed the World Cup because of golf
Bairstow, a must-win batsman in the England team, is not part of the England squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 after sustaining a fractured left leg following an accident on the golf course. A few days before the accident, he was named in the England squad for the 2022 T20 World Cup, but was eventually pulled out due to his injury.
Bairstow took to social media to reveal that on September 2 he slipped and injured his lower leg.
England can replace the likes of Alex Hales and Phil Salt, but Bairstow’s current form makes him indispensable for a tournament like the T20 World Cup.
අසාමාන්ය හේතූන් මත ලෝක කුසලාන මග හැරුණු ක්රීඩකයින්
- Devon Conway – ඔහු විසින් ඔහුගේ පිත්තට පහර දීම හේතුවෙන් 2021 අවසාන මහා තරගය මග හැරිණි.
නවසීලන්ත කඩුලු රකින පිතිකරුවා ක්රිකට් ඉතිහාසයේ බිහිසුණුම තුවාල සිදුවීමකට සම්බන්ධ විය. නොවැම්බර් 10 වැනිදා එංගලන්තයට එරෙහිව පැවති T20 ලෝක කුසලාන 2021 අවසන් පූර්ව තරගයේදී කොන්වේ තමාටම තුවාල සිදු වූ අතර අවසානයේ ඔහු ඕස්ට්රේලියාවට එරෙහි අවසන් ගැටුමෙන් ඉවත් විය.
ලකුණු 167ක ඉලක්කයක් හඹා යමින් සිටියදී ලියම් ලිවින්ග්ස්ටන්ගේ පන්දුවකට ජොස් බට්ලර්ගේ පන්දුවක් හමුවේ කොන්වේ ස්ටම්ප් කිරීමකට ලක්විය. කොන්වේ පන්දු 37කදී ලකුණු 46ක් ලබාගෙන පන්දුවට පහර දෙමින් සිටි අතර නවසීලන්තයට ජයග්රහණය සඳහා තවත් ලකුණු 72ක් අවශ්ය විය. කොන්වේ පැහැදිලිවම තමා ගැන කලකිරී සිටි අතර ඔහුගේ දකුණු අතෙන් පිත්තට පහර දුන් විට අත්වැසුම් තිබියදීත්, ඔහුගේ ඇඟිල්ල කැඩී ගියේය.
ක්රීඩාවෙන් පසු ස්කෑන් පරීක්ෂණයකින් ඔහුගේ ඇඟිල්ලේ අස්ථි බිඳීමක් තහවුරු වූ අතර ස්වයං-කරගත් තුවාලයක් හේතුවෙන් ඔහු අවසාන මහා තරගයෙන් ඉවත් විය. කොන්වේ ඉනිම හයක් තුළ ලකුණු 129ක් ලබා ගනිමින් ස්ථාවර මට්ටමක සිටි නමුත් ඔහුට ඔස්ට්රේලියාවට එරෙහිව අවසන් තරගය අහිමි වූයේ මොහොතක කලකිරීමක් හේතුවෙනි.
- Jofra Archer – මාළු ටැංකියක් නිසා ලෝක කුසලානය අහිමි විය
එංගලන්තයේ සුපිරි වේගපන්දු යවන්නා ආබාධ හේතුවෙන් දුෂ්කර කාල පරිච්ඡේදයක් පසුකරමින් සිටින අතර 2021 මාර්තු මාසයේ සිට ජාත්යන්තර ක්රිකට් ක්රීඩා කර නැත. Archer මේ වන විට ඔහුගේ යටි පතුලෙහි අස්ථි බිඳීමක් නැවත ඇතිවීම හේතුවෙන් අරගල කරමින් සිටී. නමුත් ඊට පෙර ඔහුගේ වැලමිට සම්භන්ධයෙන් සැත්කම් දෙකකට මුහුණ දීමට සිදු විය.
නමුත් අමුතු ආකාරයකට, 2021 ජනවාරි මාසයේදී මාළු ටැංකියක් පිරිසිදු කිරීමේදී ඔහුගේ දකුණු අතේ කණ්ඩරාවක් තුවාල විය. ස්කෑන් කිරීමේදී එංගලන්ත වෛද්ය කණ්ඩායමට කුඩා වීදුරු කැබැල්ලක් හමු වූ අතර පසුව එය ශල්යකර්මයකින් පසුව ඉවත් කරන ලදී.
ශල්යකර්මයෙන් පසුව, ආචර් ජූලි මාසයේදී ප්රාන්ත ශූරතාවලියට ක්රීඩා කළේය. නමුත් ඔහුගේ දකුණු වැලමිට සම්බන්ධ ප්රශ්නය අවසන් වූයේ නැත, එය අවසානයේ ඔහුව 2021 UAE හි පැවති T20 ලෝක කුසලානයෙන් සහ 2021-22 අළු බඳුනෙන් ඉවත් කළේය. ආචර් මෑතකදී දැල් පුහුණුවීම්වලට පැමිණ ඇති අතර 2023 පෙබරවාරි-මාර්තු මාසවල දකුණු අප්රිකාවේ පැවැත්වෙන එංගලන්ත එක්දින සංචාරයේදී ඔහුගේ නැවත පැමිණීමට ඉඩ ඇත.
- Jonny Bairstow – ගොල්ෆ් ක්රීඩාව නිසා ලෝක කුසලානය මඟ හැරිණී
එංගලන්ත කණ්ඩායමේ අවශයම පිතිකරුවෙකු වන Bairstow 2022 එළඹෙන T20 ලෝක කුසලානය සඳහා වන එංගලන්ත කණ්ඩායමේ කොටසක් නොවේ, ගොල්ෆ් පිටියේදී සිදු වූ හදිසි අනතුරක් හේතුවෙන් වම් පාදය කැඩී ගියේය. අනතුරට දින කිහිපයකට පෙර, ඔහු 2022 T20 ලෝක කුසලානය සඳහා වන එංගලන්ත සංචිතයට නම් කරන ලද නමුත් අවසානයේ ඔහුගේ ආබාධය හේතුවෙන් ඉවත් විය.
බෙයාර්ස්ටෝ මේ සම්බන්ධයෙන් සමාජ මාධ්ය සටහනක් තබා ඇති අතර සැප්තැම්බර් 2 වන දින ඔහු ලිස්සා ගොස් ඔහුගේ යටි පාදයට තුවාල වූ බව හෙළි කළේය.
එංගලන්තයට ඇලෙක්ස් හේල්ස් සහ ෆිල් සෝල්ට්ගේ වැනි ක්රීඩකයන් ආදේශනය කළ හැක, නමුත් Bairstow ගේ වර්තමාන ස්වරූපය ඔහු T20 ලෝක කුසලානය වැනි තරඟාවලියක් සදහා අත්යවශ්යම ක්රීඩකයෙකි.
அசாதாரண காரணங்களால் உலகக் கோப்பையை தவறவிட்ட வீரர்கள்
- டெவோன் கான்வே – 2021 இறுதிப் போட்டியை அவரது மட்டையைத் தாக்கியதால் தவறவிட்டார்.
நியூசிலாந்து விக்கெட் கீப்பர் பேட்ஸ்மேன் கிரிக்கெட் வரலாற்றில் மிக மோசமான காயம் ஒன்றில் சிக்கினார். நவம்பர் 10 அன்று இங்கிலாந்துக்கு எதிரான டி20 உலகக் கோப்பை 2021 அரையிறுதியின் போது கான்வே காயம் அடைந்தார், இறுதியில் ஆஸ்திரேலியாவுக்கு எதிரான இறுதி மோதலில் இருந்து வெளியேற்றப்பட்டார்.
167 என்ற இலக்கை துரத்திய கான்வே, லியாம் லிவிங்ஸ்டனின் பந்து வீச்சில் ஜோஸ் பட்லரால் ஸ்டம்பிங் செய்யப்பட்டார். கான்வே 37 பந்துகளில் 46 ரன்களுடன் பேட்டிங் செய்து கொண்டிருந்தார், நியூசிலாந்து வெற்றிக்கு இன்னும் 72 ரன்கள் தேவைப்பட்டது. கான்வே தன்னைப் பற்றி தெளிவாக விரக்தியடைந்தார், மேலும் அவர் தனது வலது கையால் மட்டையை அடித்தபோது, கையுறை இருந்தபோதிலும், அவர் தனது விரலை உடைத்தார்.
விளையாட்டிற்குப் பிறகு ஸ்கேன் செய்ததில் விரலில் எலும்பு முறிவு உறுதிசெய்யப்பட்டது, மேலும் அவர் சுயமாக ஏற்படுத்திய காயம் காரணமாக இறுதிப் போட்டியில் இருந்து வெளியேற்றப்பட்டார். கான்வே ஆறு இன்னிங்ஸ்களில் 129 ரன்களுடன் சீராக இருந்தார், ஆனால் ஒரு கணம் விரக்தியின் காரணமாக ஆஸ்திரேலியாவுக்கு எதிரான இறுதிப் போட்டியில் அவர் தவறவிட்டார்.
- ஜோஃப்ரா ஆர்ச்சர் – மீன் தொட்டியால் உலகக் கோப்பையை இழந்தார்
இங்கிலாந்து வேகப்பந்து வீச்சாளர் காயங்கள் காரணமாக கடுமையான எழுத்துப்பிழைகளை அனுபவித்து வருகிறார் மற்றும் மார்ச் 2021 முதல் சர்வதேச கிரிக்கெட்டில் விளையாடவில்லை. ஆர்ச்சர் தற்போது தனது கீழ் முதுகில் உடைந்த எலும்புடன் மீண்டும் போராடி வருகிறார். ஆனால் அதற்கு முன், அவரது முழங்கையில் இரண்டு அறுவை சிகிச்சைகள் செய்ய வேண்டியிருந்தது.
ஆனால் வித்தியாசமாக, ஜனவரி 2021 இல், மீன் தொட்டியை சுத்தம் செய்யும் போது அவரது வலது கையில் தசைநார் காயம் ஏற்பட்டது. ஸ்கேன் செய்ததில், இங்கிலாந்து மருத்துவக் குழு ஒரு சிறிய கண்ணாடித் துண்டைக் கண்டுபிடித்தது, பின்னர் அது அறுவை சிகிச்சை மூலம் அகற்றப்பட்டது.
அறுவை சிகிச்சைக்குப் பிறகு, ஆர்ச்சர் ஜூலை மாதம் மாநில சாம்பியன்ஷிப்பில் விளையாடினார். ஆனால் அவரது வலது முழங்கையின் பிரச்சினை முடிவடையவில்லை, இது இறுதியில் 2021 UAE இல் நடந்த T20 உலகக் கோப்பை மற்றும் 2021-22 ஆஷஸ் ஆகியவற்றிலிருந்து அவரை விலக்கியது. ஆர்ச்சர் சமீபத்தில் வலைகள் பயிற்சிக்குத் திரும்பினார், மேலும் பிப்ரவரி-மார்ச் 2023 இல் தென்னாப்பிரிக்காவில் இங்கிலாந்து ஒரு நாள் சுற்றுப்பயணத்தின் போது மீண்டும் வருவார்.
- ஜானி பேர்ஸ்டோ – கோல்ஃப் காரணமாக உலகக் கோப்பையைத் தவறவிட்டார்
இங்கிலாந்து அணியில் கட்டாயம் வெற்றி பெற வேண்டிய பேட்ஸ்மேனான பேர்ஸ்டோ, கோல்ஃப் மைதானத்தில் ஏற்பட்ட விபத்தில் இடது காலில் எலும்பு முறிவு ஏற்பட்டதால், 2022 டி20 உலகக் கோப்பைக்கான இங்கிலாந்து அணியில் இடம் பெறவில்லை. விபத்துக்கு சில நாட்களுக்கு முன்பு, அவர் 2022 டி 20 உலகக் கோப்பைக்கான இங்கிலாந்து அணியில் இடம் பெற்றார், ஆனால் இறுதியில் அவரது காயம் காரணமாக வெளியேற்றப்பட்டார்.
செப்டம்பர் 2 ஆம் தேதி அவர் தனது கீழ் காலில் தவறி விழுந்து காயம் அடைந்ததாக சமூக ஊடகங்களில் பேர்ஸ்டோ வெளிப்படுத்தினார்.
இங்கிலாந்து அலெக்ஸ் ஹேல்ஸ் மற்றும் பில் சால்ட் போன்றவர்களை மாற்ற முடியும், ஆனால் பேர்ஸ்டோவின் தற்போதைய வடிவம் அவரை டி20 உலகக் கோப்பை போன்ற போட்டிகளுக்கு இன்றியமையாததாக ஆக்குகிறது.
Football
Heritage Derby Trophy Goes to Hameed Al Husseinie College
Colombo – Hameed Al Husseinie College emerged victorious in the prestigious Heritage Derby Trophy football encounter against Zahira College, Maradana, securing a 3–1 win at the Colombo Racecourse grounds yesterday.
The match kicked off under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, adding special significance to this annual football rivalry.
Hameed Al Husseinie College took control early, leading 2–0 at halftime before sealing the victory with a third goal in the second half. Zahira College managed to pull one back, but it was not enough to challenge the dominant performance of the winners.
The trophy presentation was held soon after the final whistle, with the principals of both schools — Rizvi Marikkar of Zahira College and Mrs. Dain of Hameed Al Husseinie College — present to witness the celebrations.
This latest victory adds another chapter to the rich history of the Heritage Derby, further cementing Hameed Al Husseinie College’s reputation in school football.
Football
Exclusive: AFC Fines Sri Lankan Footballer Over “Free Palestine” Message
Colombo – June 13
Sri Lankan national footballer Mohamed Thilham, who recently made headlines after displaying a “PRAY FOR FREE PALESTINE” message on his undershirt during post-match celebrations, has now been officially penalized by international football authorities.
Following Sri Lanka’s 3-1 victory over Chinese Taipei in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers on June 10 at the Colombo Racecourse Stadium, Thilham—a non-playing substitute—unveiled the message, drawing both praise and criticism from various quarters.

⚠️ AFC Sanctions Player with USD 2,000 Fine
FIFA, in coordination with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), has now issued a formal disciplinary notice to the player, imposing a USD 2,000 fine. This letter, according to sources within the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL), was sent addressing to Thilham, underscoring AFC stance on politically charged expressions at official matches.
According to FIFA’s Disciplinary Code, players are prohibited from displaying political, religious, or personal slogans during matches or official ceremonies. While Thilham’s gesture occurred after the final whistle, FIFA and AFC treat any action within the stadium environment as part of official conduct.
⚽ FFSL Under Scrutiny for Disciplinary Action
FFSL President Jaswar Umar previously stated that the act “was not authorized by the federation” and “violates international football disciplinary norms.” He also confirmed that the FFSL would take internal disciplinary action against the player.
However, this incident has reignited public debate over the role of athletes in social advocacy and the limits imposed by international sports law. While some supporters see Thilham’s actions as courageous and morally driven, others have raised concerns about the player’s career stability and future opportunities under increasing scrutiny.
📝 Editorial Insight
At Sri Lankan Sports TV, we initially chose to withhold the content of the message in our match coverage—out of responsibility to the player’s career and to respect global sports protocol. However, the message went viral after several social media users circulated the full image, seemingly with the intention of sparking controversy.
The resulting spotlight has unfortunately led to a formal penalty, underscoring the real-world consequences that athletes may face when international regulations intersect with personal conviction.
Football
Part 2: FIFA Funds Squandered – Inside the Financial Collapse of Sri Lanka Football
In continuation of Sri Lankan Sports TV’s exclusive coverage of the Kusala Sarojini Inquiry Report, this feature focuses on the financial irregularities uncovered within the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL)—which played a central role in the nation’s football crisis.
The Special Inquiry Committee, chaired by Retired High Court Judge Mrs. Kusala Sarojini Weerawardena, exposes how over a decade of misusing FIFA and AFC development funds directly contributed to the collapse of Sri Lankan football.
“It could be observed that financial procedure which follows proper methodology has not been maintained in the Football Federation of Sri Lanka since before 2014.”
— FIFA Sri Lanka Inquiry Report (2023)
Millions in Global Funding – Little to Show on the Pitch
Between 2018 and 2022, the FFSL received consistent international grants, including:
- USD 500,000 annually from FIFA
- USD 500,000 annually from the AFC
- USD 100,000 annually for equipment purchases
- USD 200,000 for air tickets for international competitions
- COVID emergency funding during 2021 and 2022
However, the report confirms that most of these funds were misused or misappropriated, with little to no investment in grassroots development or player welfare.
“Although FFSL had a Chartered Accountant, the financial powers were concentrated among elected officials, and payments were made without transparency, contrary to proper accounting practices.”
— Sri Lanka Inquiry Report, p. 10
Highlights of Financial Mismanagement
Ticket Scandals & Undocumented Spending
- Rs. 16 million was spent on 230 Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022 tickets, but:
- No records of buyers
- No receipts
- No profits to FFSL
- Rs. 12 million paid for footballs that were never delivered; transaction done via WhatsApp—no contract or supplier identified
“Not only were proper procurement methods not followed, in many cases there was no documentation at all.”
— Inquiry Committee
Reckless Dollar Transfers Amid National Crisis
- During Sri Lanka’s 2022 dollar shortage, FFSL moved USD 500,000 to a rupee account without Executive Committee approval, causing an estimated loss of Rs. 75 million.
“Transfer of dollars without a justifiable need during a high exchange rate period inflicted a significant financial loss on the Federation.”
— Report Section: Financial Control
Crony Contracts & Fake Tenders
- Catering contracts were awarded to individuals connected to former FFSL executives without calling quotations.
- In most instances, approvals were made based on verbal instructions or internal memos, bypassing required board procedures.
Ghost Coaches, Unused Staff
A coach hired for the U-23 national team was paid Rs. 200,000/month, even though no team was ever formed.
- “Coordination officers” across Sri Lanka were paid monthly with no service rendered.
- PAYE taxes were paid (Rs. 3.3 million) for foreign coaches with no clear deliverables.
“Despite making these payments, youth development remained stagnant and the national teams were not properly formed or trained.”
— Committee Observation
Rs. 100 Million Used as Election Bribe?
- A Rs. 100 million fixed deposit—intended as a financial reserve—was used to send 73 league officials to Malaysia, allegedly in exchange for future votes.
“This action was considered as a bribe given to them with the purpose of getting votes in the future.”
— Page 11, Report
A System Without Checks
The Committee notes that former FFSL President Mr. Jaswar Umaru Lebbe held dual powers as President and Chairman of the Finance Committee, enabling unchecked control over finances.
“This situation was extremely inappropriate and harmful.”
— Inquiry Report, p. 16
Payments were routinely authorized by Mr. Jaswar and a few close allies, without proper board oversight or documentation.
The Fallout – A Sport in Decline
As a result of this mismanagement:
- Sri Lanka’s men’s team plummeted to 207th in FIFA rankings by 2022
- FFSL was suspended by FIFA in January 2023
- National youth programs, women’s football, futsal, and coaching development were completely inactive
A Glimmer of Recovery – Ranking Now 196th
Since early 2023, now, Sri Lanka’s FIFA ranking has climbed to 196th—a 10-place improvement. However, the report warns that structural reform is essential to ensure this progress is not lost.
“Financial control and administration must be independent, transparent, and free from political interference.”
— Official Recommendation by Kusala Sarojini-led Committee
What Must Happen Now?
The committee strongly recommends:
- Forensic audit of FFSL finances since 2012
- Criminal complaints under Sections 386, 389, and 403 of the Penal Code
- Legal reform to prevent future abuse:
- Term limits for officials
- Ban on combining finance and executive powers
- Mandatory procurement audits
- Quarterly public financial disclosures
“A system must be developed to prevent elected officials from having unilateral control over funds.”
— Report, p. 17The Final Word
The Inquiry, led by Justice Kusala Sarojini, leaves no doubt:
Sri Lanka’s football didn’t fail from a lack of funds—it failed because those funds were looted by those entrusted to protect the game.
“If transparency, legal action, and governance reform are not implemented, this country’s football will have no future.”
— Inquiry Report, Final Section
Coming Up in Part 3:
How fake leagues, ghost clubs, and vote-buying tactics poisoned the electoral system of Sri Lankan football.
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