News
Sri Lanka slotted in Group ‘B’ alongside Ireland, Scotland, Oman, the UAE
World Cup qualifiers
1996 champions Sri Lanka have been slotted in group ‘B’ for the upcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier that will take place in Zimbabwe between 18 June and 9 July.
The ICC revealed the fixtures for the crucial three-week tournament on Tuesday, with Sri Lanka to face daunting opponents in Group B, with the island nation scheduled to play against Ireland, Scotland, Oman and the UAE.
Sri Lanka finished in 10th place on the Super League standings – one spot behind the West Indies – and will be looking for a top-two finish in Zimbabwe to ensure they maintain their excellent record of having participated in each edition of the World Cup.
Dasun Shanaka’s charges will need to be at their best if they are to book a spot at this year’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, with only the top-two sides from the 10-team tournament earning a ticket to the 50-over showcase in India at the end of the year.
On the other hand, the West Indies are drawn in Group A alongside tournament hosts Zimbabwe, European side the Netherlands, emerging Asian nation Nepal and the ever-improving USA.
The West Indies too have been to all 12 editions of the World Cup, while Zimbabwe are the next most successful side at the qualifier having participated in nine tournaments to date.
Nepal, USA and Oman have never made it through to the World Cup and will be looking to book their first appearance via a top-two finish at the qualifier.
Each team will play four matches during the group stage of the qualifier, with the top three sides from each group then progressing through to the Super Six stage.
All points won in the groups will be carried over to the Super Six stage apart from those gained against the bottom two from each group.
Teams will then play a further three matches against sides from the opposing group during the Super Six stage, with the top two teams at the completion of the Super Six stage earning a place in the World Cup and the qualifier final in Harare on 9 July.
Qualifier Fixtures
Sunday, 18 June
Zimbabwe v Nepal, Harare Sports Club
West Indies v USA, Takashinga Cricket Club
Monday, 19 June
Sri Lanka v UAE, Queen’s Sports Club
Ireland v Oman, Bulawayo Athletic Club
Tuesday, 20 June
Zimbabwe v Netherlands, Harare Sports Club
Nepal v USA, Takashinga Cricket Club
Wednesday, 21 June
Ireland v Scotland, Queen’s Sports Club
Oman v UAE, Bulawayo Athletic Club
Thursday, 22 June
West Indies v Nepal, Harare Sports Club
Netherlands v USA, Takashinga Cricket Club
Friday, 23 June
Sri Lanka v Oman, Queen’s Sports Club
Scotland v UAE, Bulawayo Athletic Club
Saturday, 24 June
Zimbabwe v West Indies, Harare Sports Club
Netherlands v Nepal, Takashinga Cricket Club
Sunday, 25 June
Sri Lanka v Ireland, Queen’s Sports Club
Scotland v Oman, Bulawayo Athletic Club
Monday, 26 June
Zimbabwe v USA, Harare Sports Club
West Indies v Netherlands, Takashinga Cricket Club
Tuesday, 27 June
Sri Lanka v Scotland, Queen’s Sports Club
Ireland v UAE, Bulawayo Athletic Club
Thursday, 29 June
Super 6: A2 v B2, Queen’s Sports Club
Friday, 30 June
Super 6: A3 v B1, Queen’s Sports Club
Playoff: A5 v B4, Takashinga Cricket Club
Saturday, 1 July
Super 6: A1 v B3, Harare Sports Club
Sunday, 2 July
Super 6: A2 v B1, Queen’s Sports Club
Playoff: A4 v B5, Takashinga Cricket Club
Monday, 3 July
Super 6: A3 v B2, Harare Sports Club
Tuesday, 4 July
Super 6: A2 v B3, Queen’s Sports Club
Playoff: 7th v 8th Takashinga Cricket Club
Wednesday, 5 July
Super Six: A1 v B2, Harare Sports Club
Thursday, 6 July
Super Six: A3 v B3, Queen’s Sports Club
Playoff: 9th v 10th Takashinga Cricket Club
Friday, 07 July
Super Six: A1 v B1, Harare Sports Club
Sunday, 09 July
Final, Harare Sports Club
අයර්ලන්තය, ස්කොට්ලන්තය, ඕමානය, එක්සත් අරාබි එමීර් රාජ්යය සමඟින් ශ්රී ලංකාව ‘බී’ කාණ්ඩයට ඇතුළත් විය.
ලෝක කුසලාන සුදුසුකම් ලැබීමේ තරඟ
1996 ජූනි 18 සිට ජූලි 9 දක්වා සිම්බාබ්වේහිදී පැවැත්වෙන ICC පිරිමි ලෝක කුසලාන ක්රිකට් සුදුසුකම් ලැබීමේ තරගය සඳහා 1996 ශූර ශ්රී ලංකාව ‘බී’ කාණ්ඩයට ඇතුළත් කර ඇත.
ICC විසින් අඟහරුවාදා තීරණාත්මක සති තුනක තරඟාවලියේ සවි කිරීම් හෙළිදරව් කරන ලද අතර, ශ්රී ලංකාව B කාණ්ඩයේ භයානක ප්රතිවාදීන්ට මුහුණ දීමට සිදු වන අතර, දිවයින ජාතිය අයර්ලන්තය, ස්කොට්ලන්තය, ඕමානය සහ එක්සත් අරාබි එමීර් රාජ්යයට එරෙහිව තරඟ කිරීමට නියමිතය.
ශ්රී ලංකාව සුපර් ලීග් ශ්රේණිගත කිරීම්වල 10 වැනි ස්ථානයට පත්ව ඇත – බටහිර ඉන්දීය කොදෙව්වන්ට වඩා එක් ස්ථානයක් පිටුපසින් – ලෝක කුසලානයේ සෑම සංස්කරණයකටම සහභාගී වීමේ විශිෂ්ට වාර්තාවක් ඔවුන් පවත්වා ගැනීම සහතික කිරීම සඳහා සිම්බාබ්වේ හි පළමු-දෙකක් අපේක්ෂා කරනු ඇත.
මෙවර අයිසීසී පිරිමි ක්රිකට් ලෝක කුසලානයේ ස්ථානයක් වෙන්කර ගැනීමට නම් දසුන් ශානකගේ චෝදනා උපරිමයෙන් තිබිය යුතු අතර, කණ්ඩායම් 10කින් සමන්විත තරගාවලියේ ඉහළම කණ්ඩායම් දෙකට පමණක් ඉන්දියාවේ පැවැත්වෙන ඕවර 50 ප්රදර්ශන සඳහා ප්රවේශ පත්රයක් ලැබේ. වසර අවසානයේ.
අනෙක් අතට, බටහිර ඉන්දීය කොදෙව්වන් තරඟාවලියේ සත්කාරක සිම්බාබ්වේ, යුරෝපීය පැත්ත නෙදර්ලන්තය, නැගී එන ආසියාතික රාජ්යයක් වන නේපාලය සහ දිනෙන් දින දියුණු වෙමින් පවතින එක්සත් ජනපදය සමඟ A කාණ්ඩයට ඇද ඇත.
බටහිර ඉන්දීය කොදෙව් කණ්ඩායමද ලෝක කුසලානයේ වාර 12ටම සහභාගී වී ඇති අතර සිම්බාබ්වේ මේ දක්වා තරඟාවලි 9කට සහභාගී වී ඇති සුදුසුකම් ලැබීමේ තරඟාවලියේ මීළඟ සාර්ථකම කණ්ඩායමයි.
නේපාලය, ඇමරිකා එක්සත් ජනපදය සහ ඕමානය කිසි විටෙක ලෝක කුසලානයට පිවිසී නැති අතර සුදුසුකම් ලැබීමේ තරගයේ පළමු ස්ථාන දෙක හරහා ඔවුන්ගේ පළමු පැමිණීම වෙන්කරවා ගැනීමට බලාපොරොත්තු වේ.
සුදුසුකම් ලැබීමේ වටයේ කාණ්ඩ අදියරේදී සෑම කණ්ඩායමක්ම තරග හතරක් ක්රීඩා කරනු ඇති අතර, සෑම කාණ්ඩයකින්ම ඉහළම කණ්ඩායම් තුන පසුව සුපර් සික්ස් අදියර දක්වා ඉදිරියට යයි.
එක් එක් කාණ්ඩයෙන් පහළම ස්ථාන දෙකට එරෙහිව ලබා ගන්නා ලකුණු හැර කාණ්ඩවල ජයග්රහණය කරන සියලුම ලකුණු සුපර් සික්ස් අදියර වෙත ගෙන යනු ලැබේ.
පසුව කණ්ඩායම් සුපර් සික්ස් අදියරේදී ප්රතිවාදී කණ්ඩායමේ පාර්ශ්වයන්ට එරෙහිව තවත් තරග තුනකට ක්රීඩා කරනු ඇති අතර, සුපර් සික්ස් අදියර අවසන් වන විට පළමු කණ්ඩායම් දෙක ලෝක කුසලානයට සහ සුදුසුකම් ලැබීමේ අවසන් තරගයට ජූලි 9 වැනිදා හරාරේ හි ස්ථානයක් ලබා ගනී.
සුදුසුකම් ලැබීමේ සවි කිරීම්
ජුනි 18 ඉරිදා
සිම්බාබ්වේ සහ නේපාලය, හරාරේ ක්රීඩා සමාජය
බටහිර ඉන්දීය කොදෙව් සහ ඇමරිකා එක්සත් ජනපදය, තකාෂිංග ක්රිකට් සමාජය
ජුනි 19 සඳුදා
ශ්රී ලංකාව සහ එක්සත් අරාබි එමීර් රාජ්යය අතර, ක්වීන්ස් ක්රීඩා සමාජය
අයර්ලන්තය සහ ඕමානය, බුලවායෝ මලල ක්රීඩා සමාජය
ජුනි 20 අඟහරුවාදා
සිම්බාබ්වේ සහ නෙදර්ලන්තය, හරාරේ ක්රීඩා සමාජය
නේපාලය සහ ඇමරිකා එක්සත් ජනපදය, තකාෂිංග ක්රිකට් සමාජය
ජූනි 21 බදාදා
අයර්ලන්තය සහ ස්කොට්ලන්තය, ක්වීන්ස් ක්රීඩා සමාජය
Oman v UAE, බුලවායෝ මලල ක්රීඩා සමාජය
ජුනි 22 බ්රහස්පතින්දා
බටහිර ඉන්දීය කොදෙව් සහ නේපාලය, හරාරේ ක්රීඩා සමාජය
Netherlands v USA, Takashinga Cricket Club
ජූනි 23 සිකුරාදා
ශ්රී ලංකාව සහ ඕමානය, ක්වීන්ස් ක්රීඩා සමාජය
Scotland v UAE, බුලවායෝ මලල ක්රීඩා සමාජය
ජුනි 24 සෙනසුරාදා
සිම්බාබ්වේ සහ බටහිර ඉන්දීය කොදෙව්, හරාරේ ක්රීඩා සමාජය
Netherlands v Nepal, Takashinga Cricket Club
ජුනි 25 ඉරිදා
ශ්රී ලංකාව සහ අයර්ලන්තය, ක්වීන්ස් ක්රීඩා සමාජය
ස්කොට්ලන්තය සහ ඕමානය, බුලවායෝ මලල ක්රීඩා සමාජය
ජුනි 26 සඳුදා
සිම්බාබ්වේ එදිරිව ඇමරිකා එක්සත් ජනපදය, හරාරේ ක්රීඩා සමාජය
බටහිර ඉන්දීය කොදෙව් සහ නෙදර්ලන්තය, තකාෂිංග ක්රිකට් සමාජය
ජුනි 27 අඟහරුවාදා
ශ්රී ලංකාව සහ ස්කොට්ලන්තය අතර, ක්වීන්ස් ක්රීඩා සමාජය
අයර්ලන්තය සහ එක්සත් අරාබි එමීර් රාජ්යය, බුලවායෝ මලල ක්රීඩා සමාජය
ජුනි 29 බ්රහස්පතින්දා
සුපිරි 6: A2 v B2, Queen’s Sports Club
ජූනි 30 සිකුරාදා
සුපිරි 6: A3 v B1, Queen’s Sports Club
තරගය: A5 v B4, Takashinga Cricket Club
ජූලි 1 සෙනසුරාදා
සුපිරි 6: A1 v B3, හරාරේ ක්රීඩා සමාජය
ජූලි 2 ඉරිදා
සුපිරි 6: A2 v B1, Queen’s Sports Club
තරගය: A4 v B5, Takashinga Cricket Club
ජූලි 3 සඳුදා
සුපිරි 6: A3 v B2, හරාරේ ක්රීඩා සමාජය
අඟහරුවාදා, ජූලි 4
සුපිරි 6: A2 v B3, Queen’s Sports Club
තරඟාවලිය: 7th v 8th Takashinga Cricket Club
බදාදා, ජූලි 5
සුපර් සික්ස්: A1 v B2, හරාරේ ක්රීඩා සමාජය
බ්රහස්පතින්දා, 6 ජූලි
Super Six: A3 v B3, Queen’s Sports Club
තරගය: 9 වැනි සහ 10 වැනි තකාෂිංග ක්රිකට් සමාජය
ජූලි 07 සිකුරාදා
සුපර් සික්ස්: A1 v B1, හරාරේ ක්රීඩා සමාජය
ජූලි 09 ඉරිදා
අවසාන, හරාරේ ක්රීඩා සමාජය
அயர்லாந்து, ஸ்காட்லாந்து, ஓமன், ஐக்கிய அரபு எமிரேட்ஸ் ஆகிய நாடுகளுடன் இலங்கை அணி ‘பி’ பிரிவில் இடம்பிடித்துள்ளது.
உலகக் கோப்பை தகுதிப் போட்டிகள்
ஜூன் 18 முதல் ஜூலை 9 வரை ஜிம்பாப்வேயில் நடைபெறவுள்ள ஐசிசி ஆடவர் உலகக் கோப்பை தகுதிச் சுற்றில் 1996 சாம்பியன்களான இலங்கை அணி ‘பி’ பிரிவில் இடம்பிடித்துள்ளது.
ஐசிசி செவ்வாயன்று முக்கியமான மூன்று வார போட்டிகளுக்கான போட்டிகளை வெளிப்படுத்தியது, குழு B இல் இலங்கை கடினமான எதிரிகளை எதிர்கொள்ளும், தீவு நாடு அயர்லாந்து, ஸ்காட்லாந்து, ஓமன் மற்றும் ஐக்கிய அரபு எமிரேட்களுக்கு எதிராக விளையாட திட்டமிடப்பட்டுள்ளது.
சுப்பர் லீக் தரவரிசையில் இலங்கை 10வது இடத்தைப் பிடித்தது – மேற்கிந்தியத் தீவுகளுக்குப் பின் ஒரு இடம் – மேலும் உலகக் கோப்பையின் ஒவ்வொரு பதிப்பிலும் பங்கேற்று சிறந்த சாதனையைத் தக்கவைத்துக்கொள்வதை உறுதிசெய்ய ஜிம்பாப்வேயில் முதல் இரண்டு இடங்களைப் பிடிக்கும்.
இந்த ஆண்டு ஐசிசி ஆடவர் உலகக் கோப்பையில் இடம் பிடிக்க வேண்டுமானால், தசுன் ஷனக்கவின் குற்றச்சாட்டுகள் சிறந்ததாக இருக்க வேண்டும், 10 அணிகள் கொண்ட போட்டியில் முதல் இரண்டு அணிகள் மட்டுமே இந்தியாவில் 50 ஓவர் ஷோகேஸுக்கான டிக்கெட்டைப் பெறுகின்றன. ஆண்டின் இறுதியில்.
மறுபுறம், மேற்கிந்தியத் தீவுகள் குழு A இல் போட்டியை நடத்தும் ஜிம்பாப்வே, ஐரோப்பிய அணி நெதர்லாந்து, வளர்ந்து வரும் ஆசிய நாடான நேபாளம் மற்றும் எப்போதும் முன்னேறி வரும் அமெரிக்காவுடன் சமநிலையில் உள்ளன.
மேற்கிந்தியத் தீவுகளும் உலகக் கோப்பையின் அனைத்து 12 பதிப்புகளிலும் பங்கேற்றுள்ளன, அதே நேரத்தில் ஜிம்பாப்வே தகுதிச் சுற்றில் இன்று வரை ஒன்பது போட்டிகளில் பங்கேற்று வெற்றிகரமான அணியாக உள்ளது.
நேபாளம், அமெரிக்கா மற்றும் ஓமன் ஆகிய நாடுகள் உலகக் கோப்பைக்கு ஒருபோதும் முன்னேறவில்லை, மேலும் தகுதிச் சுற்றில் முதல் இரண்டு இடங்களைப் பெறுவதன் மூலம் தங்கள் முதல் தோற்றத்தை பதிவு செய்ய விரும்புகின்றன.
தகுதிச் சுற்றின் குழுநிலையின் போது ஒவ்வொரு அணியும் நான்கு போட்டிகளில் விளையாடும், ஒவ்வொரு குழுவிலிருந்தும் முதல் மூன்று அணிகள் சூப்பர் சிக்ஸ் நிலைக்கு முன்னேறும்.
ஒவ்வொரு குழுவிலிருந்தும் கீழே உள்ள இரண்டு புள்ளிகளுக்கு எதிராகப் பெறப்பட்ட புள்ளிகளைத் தவிர, குழுக்களில் வெல்லும் அனைத்து புள்ளிகளும் சூப்பர் சிக்ஸ் நிலைக்கு கொண்டு செல்லப்படும்.
சூப்பர் சிக்ஸ் கட்டத்தின் போது அணிகள் எதிரணி குழுவில் உள்ள அணிகளுக்கு எதிராக மேலும் மூன்று போட்டிகளில் விளையாடும், சூப்பர் சிக்ஸ் கட்டத்தின் முடிவில் முதல் இரண்டு அணிகள் உலகக் கோப்பையிலும், ஜூலை 9ஆம் தேதி ஹராரேயில் நடக்கும் தகுதிச்சுற்று இறுதிப் போட்டியிலும் இடம் பெறும்.
தகுதி நிலைகள்
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ஜிம்பாப்வே v நேபாளம், ஹராரே ஸ்போர்ட்ஸ் கிளப்
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திங்கள், 19 ஜூன்
இலங்கை மற்றும் ஐக்கிய அரபு எமிரேட்ஸ், குயின்ஸ் ஸ்போர்ட்ஸ் கிளப்
அயர்லாந்து v ஓமன், புலவாயோ தடகள கிளப்
செவ்வாய், 20 ஜூன்
ஜிம்பாப்வே v நெதர்லாந்து, ஹராரே ஸ்போர்ட்ஸ் கிளப்
நேபாளம் v அமெரிக்கா, தகாஷிங்கா கிரிக்கெட் கிளப்
புதன், 21 ஜூன்
அயர்லாந்து v ஸ்காட்லாந்து, குயின்ஸ் ஸ்போர்ட்ஸ் கிளப்
ஓமன் VUAE, புலவாயோ தடகள கிளப்
வியாழன், 22 ஜூன்
வெஸ்ட் இண்டீஸ் v நேபாளம், ஹராரே ஸ்போர்ட்ஸ் கிளப்
நெதர்லாந்து எதிராக அமெரிக்கா, தகாஷிங்கா கிரிக்கெட் கிளப்
வெள்ளிக்கிழமை, 23 ஜூன்
இலங்கை V Oman, Queens Sports Club
ஸ்காட்லாந்து v UAE, புலவாயோ தடகள கிளப்
சனிக்கிழமை, 24 ஜூன்
ஜிம்பாப்வே வெஸ்ட் இண்டீஸ், ஹராரே ஸ்போர்ட்ஸ் கிளப்
நெதர்லாந்து v நேபாளம், தகாஷிங்கா கிரிக்கெட் கிளப்
ஞாயிறு, 25 ஜூன்
இலங்கை மற்றும் அயர்லாந்து, குயின்ஸ் ஸ்போர்ட்ஸ் கிளப்
ஸ்காட்லாந்து எதிராக ஓமன், புலவாயோ தடகள கிளப்
திங்கட்கிழமை, 26 ஜூன்
ஜிம்பாப்வே எதிராக அமெரிக்கா, ஹராரே ஸ்போர்ட்ஸ் கிளப்
வெஸ்ட் இண்டீஸ் v நெதர்லாந்து, தகாஷிங்கா கிரிக்கெட் கிளப்
செவ்வாய், 27 ஜூன்
இலங்கை மற்றும் ஸ்காட்லாந்து, குயின்ஸ் ஸ்போர்ட்ஸ் கிளப்
அயர்லாந்து V UAE, புலவாயோ தடகள கிளப்
வியாழன், 29 ஜூன்
சூப்பர் 6: A2 v B2, குயின்ஸ் ஸ்போர்ட்ஸ் கிளப்
வெள்ளிக்கிழமை, 30 ஜூன்
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பிளேஆஃப்: A5 v B4, தகாஷிங்கா கிரிக்கெட் கிளப்
சனிக்கிழமை, 1 ஜூலை
சூப்பர் 6: A1 v B3, ஹராரே ஸ்போர்ட்ஸ் கிளப்
ஞாயிறு, 2 ஜூலை
சூப்பர் 6: A2 v B1, குயின்ஸ் ஸ்போர்ட்ஸ் கிளப்
பிளேஆஃப்: A4 v B5, தகாஷிங்கா கிரிக்கெட் கிளப்
திங்கள், 3 ஜூலை
சூப்பர் 6: A3 v B2, ஹராரே ஸ்போர்ட்ஸ் கிளப்
செவ்வாய், 4 ஜூலை
சூப்பர் 6: A2 v B3, குயின்ஸ் ஸ்போர்ட்ஸ் கிளப்
பிளேஆஃப்: 7வது எதிர் 8வது தகாஷிங்கா கிரிக்கெட் கிளப்
புதன், 5 ஜூலை
சூப்பர் சிக்ஸ்: A1 v B2, ஹராரே ஸ்போர்ட்ஸ் கிளப்
வியாழன், 6 ஜூலை
சூப்பர் சிக்ஸ்: A3 v B3, குயின்ஸ் ஸ்போர்ட்ஸ் கிளப்
பிளேஆஃப்: 9வது v 10வது தகாஷிங்கா கிரிக்கெட் கிளப்
வெள்ளிக்கிழமை, 07 ஜூலை
சூப்பர் சிக்ஸ்: A1 v B1, ஹராரே ஸ்போர்ட்ஸ் கிளப்
ஞாயிற்றுக்கிழமை, 09 ஜூலை
இறுதி, ஹராரே ஸ்போர்ட்ஸ் கிளப்
Football
Sri Lanka Women Finish Qualifiers with 0 Goals, 20 Conceded – Who Will Take Responsibility?
Colombo, July 3 – Sri Lanka Women’s National Football Team wrapped up their AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers campaign with a third straight defeat — a 2-0 loss to Laos — confirming their position at the bottom of Group F, with 0 wins, 0 goals scored, and 18 conceded in just three games.
But beyond the scorelines lies a far more serious issue: a complete collapse of women’s football development in Sri Lanka. And this time, the blame does not lie on one individual — but on a system that has failed the sport, from top to bottom.

Match-by-Match Recap
Match 1: Sri Lanka 0 – 10 Uzbekistan
- Possession: 30%
- Shots on Target: 0
- xG: 0.0 vs Uzbekistan’s 3.60
- A game that exposed a lack of preparation, structure, and fitness from the very start.
Match 2: Sri Lanka 0 – 8 Nepal
- Possession: 50%
- Defensive errors gifted goals, including a hat-trick by Sabitra Bhandari.
- xG: Nepal 3.76 vs Sri Lanka 0.60
- Tactical breakdown: Midfield collapsed under pressure, backline failed to close space.
Match 3: Sri Lanka 0 – 2 Laos
- Possession: 50%
- Shots on Target: 5
- xG: 2.56 (Laos) vs 1.08 (Sri Lanka)
- A more balanced performance, but defensive lapses in the 73rd and 90+2 minutes led to defeat. Sri Lanka couldn’t convert chances despite their best game statistically.
Final Group Standings – Group F
Team | MP | GF | GA | GD | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
🇳🇵 Nepal | 2 | 17 | 0 | +17 | 6 |
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | 2 | 17 | 0 | +17 | 6 |
🇱🇦 Laos | 2 | 2 | 16 | -14 | 0 |
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | 3 | 0 | 20 | -20 | 0 |
Tactical Issues Across All Matches
- No clear formation or transition play.
- Lack of defensive coordination — players failed to track runners, especially on the flanks.
- No attacking identity — only 1.08 xG across three games.
- In-game management absent — few substitutions or tactical shifts despite being outplayed.
While public criticism often targets the President of the Football Federation, this decline in women’s football runs deeper:
Who Is Accountable? Not Just the President
Women’s Football Committee:
- Failed to organize any domestic tournament in recent years.
- Selected the squad via open trials, with no league performance data to back selections.
- No consistent training camps or fitness programs.
Executive Committee:
- Remains silent on the recurring failures.
- No inquiries, reviews, or structural reforms have followed Sri Lanka’s repeated humiliations — including the U20 Women’s SAFF defeat earlier this year.
Technical & Development Staff:
- No tactical framework or youth development.
- No modern coaching methods or international exposure for players.
The Bigger Problem: Silence and Stagnation
Sri Lanka is not just losing matches — it’s losing direction. The current state of women’s football is not the result of one bad campaign. It’s the product of years of neglect, political appointments, and a failure to treat women’s football with equal priority.
Even now, there is no explanation from the Executive Committee on how the women’s team was prepared or what plans exist for recovery.
Time for a Reset, Not Excuses
If Sri Lanka is serious about competing in international football, the following must be addressed:
- ✅ A national women’s league
- ✅ Provincial and school-level competitions
- ✅ Professional coaching staff and structured fitness programs
- ✅ Regular international friendlies and camps
- ✅ Transparent selection processes based on performance, not politics
🔚 Conclusion
Sri Lanka’s 2026 AFC campaign should not just be remembered for the scorelines — but as a call for change. It is time for every stakeholder — from the Women’s Committee to the Executive — to reflect, respond, and rebuild.
News
Sri Lanka Set to Face UAE in Crucial Rugby Clash Tomorrow in Colombo
The Sri Lanka national rugby team will lock horns with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in a much-anticipated international rugby encounter set to take place today (July 4) at the iconic Racecourse Ground, Colombo.
As part of their final preparations, the Sri Lankan team held an intensive training session today under the watchful eyes of the coaching staff. The team looked sharp, focused, and ready to bring their A-game to home soil.
This clash promises to be a key test for the Tuskers as they look to strengthen their footing in the regional rugby scene and gain momentum ahead of upcoming international competitions. UAE, a rising force in Asian rugby, will also be eyeing a big performance away from home.
Both teams are expected to field strong lineups, and the match is anticipated to draw significant interest from local fans eager to witness top-tier rugby action.
📍 Match Info
🗓️ Date: July 4, 2025
📍 Venue: Racecourse Rugby Grounds, Colombo
🕒 Kick-off: TBA
Stay tuned for live updates, photos, and post-match coverage on Sri Lankan Sports TV.
Football
Sri Lanka Women Crushed 8-0 by Nepal in AFC Qualifiers – Tactical Collapse Raises Alarm
Colombo, July 2 – Sri Lanka Women’s National Football Team suffered another brutal defeat in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, going down 8-0 to a confident and clinical Nepalese side. Coming just days after a 10-0 hammering by Uzbekistan, this latest loss highlights deeper tactical, technical, and structural issues within Sri Lanka’s women’s football system.
Full-Time Score: Sri Lanka 0 – 8 Nepal
Half-Time: 0 – 4
Venue: Group F – AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers
Key Match Statistics
Stat | Sri Lanka Women | Nepal Women |
---|---|---|
Possession | 50% | 50% |
Total Shots | 4 | 26 |
Shots on Target | 3 | 18 |
Shots off Target | 1 | 8 |
Expected Goals (xG) | 0.60 | 3.76 |
Corners | 0 | 14 |
Fouls | 4 | 6 |
Cards | 0 | 0 |
Offsides | 0 | 3 |
Tactical Breakdown – Why Sri Lanka Lost 8-0
Despite the possession being even at 50%, Sri Lanka was thoroughly outplayed. This is a classic case where possession stats mislead the reality on the pitch.
1. Poor Defensive Organization
- Sri Lanka conceded 14 corners and 18 shots on target, indicating that Nepal constantly penetrated both flanks and delivered into the box unchallenged.
- There was no compact defensive line, and Nepal exploited space behind Sri Lanka’s fullbacks repeatedly.
2. Ineffective Midfield Structure
- While Sri Lanka held possession equally, it was largely passive and in non-threatening zones.
- Nepal, on the other hand, converted their possession into 3.76 xG, showing how effective and vertical their transitions were.
3. Repeated Failures in Closing Down Key Players
- Sabitra Bhandari scored a hat-trick within 26 minutes (14’, 36’, 40’) and was left unmarked multiple times.
- Nepal’s attackers were given space and time to shoot – evident from the 18 shots on target.
4. No Offensive Threat
- Sri Lanka managed only 4 shots in the entire game, with an xG of just 0.60.
- With no corners and no real pressing, the team offered nothing going forward, allowing Nepal to push numbers up comfortably.
Back-to-Back Heavy Losses: Structural Failures Exposed
This defeat comes after a 10-0 loss to Uzbekistan, meaning Sri Lanka has now conceded 18 goals in two matches without scoring once.
This isn’t just a reflection of players’ on-field performance — it’s a glaring indictment of:
- FFSL’s failure to conduct any women’s football league in years
- A rushed team selection based on a short trial, without competitive match practice
- No structured coaching program or international exposure
- Lack of scouting, fitness programs, and tactical planning
Nepal, though not an Asian powerhouse, had better coaching structure, player chemistry, and clear tactics, which led to their dominance.
What’s Next for Sri Lanka?
If the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) and the Ministry of Sports continue to ignore these warning signs, Sri Lanka risks becoming irrelevant in women’s football on the Asian stage.
What’s needed:
- ✅ A proper national women’s league
- ✅ Regular youth-level competitions and scouting
- ✅ Appointing qualified coaching staff with modern tactical knowledge
- ✅ Consistent international exposure for players
Conclusion
An 8-0 defeat to Nepal isn’t just a bad result — it’s a mirror held up to a broken system. Unless real change is implemented beyond symbolic participation, these results will become Sri Lanka’s norm in women’s football.
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