Cricket
Sri Lanka thump New Zealand By An Inning and 154 Runs
New Zealand tour of Sri Lanka (second test)
Sri Lanka pulled off a historic Test series victory against New Zealand by defeating the Kiwis by an inning and 154 runs in the second Test match in Galle on Sunday. The hosts won the first Test match by 63 runs at the same venue.
Day 4 started with Sri Lanka needing five wickets and New Zealand trailing by 315 runs in the match. The overnight battersTom Blundell (60 off 64) and Glenn Phillips (78 off 99) batted well and added 95 runs for the sixth wicket.
Debutant Nishan Peiris broke the partnership with an LBW. He dismissed Phillips next to complete his maiden five-wicket haul. He finished the match with nine wickets.
Mitchell Santner fought hard and remained at the crease till last but only delayed the result of the match. His 67 off 115 balls was the second-best score for New Zealand in this Test. He also played a vital 29-run knock in the first inning.
Earlier, it was Kamindu Mendis who gained attention during the Sri Lankan inning when he made an unbeaten 182 to complete his 1000 Test runs in just 13 innings. He equalled Sir Don Bradman while achieving this feat. Herbert Sutcliffe and Everton Weekes (12 innings) hold the joint record for the fastest to reach 1000 Test runs.
It was his fifth Test ton in just the eighth Test match. He equalled another record of Sir Don Bradman to complete five Test hundreds in 13 innings. He also became the fastest Asian cricketer to reach the milestone. Earlier, Pakistan’s Fawad Alam hold the record with 22 innings.
Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Mendis also scored centuries but the buzz was more for Kamindu Mendis. Since his Test debut against Australia in 2022, Mendis has played eight Test matches so far and has made a fifty-plus score in all the matches. He is the first cricketer in Test cricket’s 147-year existence to achieve this feat.
After declaring the first inning on 602/5, Sri Lanka bundled out the Black Caps to 88 runs in the first innings. Prabath Jayasuriya took six wickets and completed
New Zealand were asked to bat again as they failed to avoid a follow-on. The Tim Southee-led Kiwi side started well but lost key wickets on the third day. Kane Williamson and Devon Conway got fine starts but they failed to convert them into big knocks.
Kamindu Mendis was given the Player of the Match and Prabath Jayasuriya won the Player of the Series award.
New Zealand will visit India next for a bilateral series consisting of three Test matches starting on 16 October 2024. Sri Lanka will host West Indies for a white-ball series starting on 13 October in Dambulla.
Earlier in teh first innings New Zealand was forced to bat again after being unable to avoid the follow-on. The team, led by Tim Southee, began their innings positively but lost crucial wickets on the third day. Both Kane Williamson and Devon Conway made promising starts but were unable to translate those into substantial scores. Kamindu Mendis was awarded the Player of the Match, while Prabath Jayasuriya received the Player of the Series accolade.
Sri Lanka will next host the West Indies for a white-ball series starting on 13 October in Dambulla.
June 11, Lord’s – ICC World Test Championship Final
The much-anticipated ICC World Test Championship Final 2025 kicked off at Lord’s with South Africa taking early control by reducing Australia to 67/4 at lunch on Day 1.
After winning the toss and electing to field first under overcast conditions, South Africa’s pace attack made immediate inroads into Australia’s top order. Marco Jansen was the pick of the bowlers in the opening session, claiming 2 wickets for 27 runs in 7.2 overs. Wiaan Mulder offered excellent support, keeping things tight with 3 maidens in his 6-over spell.
Australia Struggle Under Pressure
Veteran batter Steve Smith remained at the crease with a fighting 26 off 51 balls, trying to anchor the innings after early setbacks. He will be joined by Travis Head (11*) as Australia looks to rebuild post-lunch.
Current Score: Australia 67/4 (23.2 overs)
Fall of Wickets: 67/4
Session: Day 1 – Lunch
World Test Championship 2023–25 Standings (Before Final)
| Pos | Team | Pld | Pts | PCT (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Africa | 12 | 100 | 69.44 |
| 2 | Australia | 19 | 154 | 67.54 |
| 3 | India | 19 | 114 | 50.00 |
| 4 | New Zealand | 14 | 81 | 48.21 |
| 5 | England | 22 | 114 | 43.18 |
| 6 | Sri Lanka | 13 | 60 | 38.46 |
| 7 | Bangladesh | 12 | 45 | 31.25 |
| 8 | West Indies | 13 | 44 | 28.21 |
| 9 | Pakistan | 14 | 47 | 27.98 |
Top 2 teams qualify for the final. Teams are ranked by percentage of points won. Points deductions apply for slow over rates.
Top Performers This Cycle
Batting Leaders:
- Joe Root (ENG) – 1,968 runs | Avg: 54.66 (40 innings)
- Yashasvi Jaiswal (IND) – 1,798 runs | Avg: 52.88 (36 innings)
- Ben Duckett (ENG) – [Stats not fully available]
Bowling Leaders:
- Jasprit Bumrah (IND) – 77 wickets | Avg: 15.09 (28 innings)
- Pat Cummins (AUS) – 73 wickets | Avg: 24.54 (33 innings)
- Mitchell Starc (AUS) – 72 wickets | Avg: 27.27 (35 innings)
Sri Lanka’s Position
Sri Lanka sits at 6th on the table with 60 points from 13 matches and a 38.46% win rate. With one more cycle ahead before the next WTC final in 2027, the Lions have plenty to play for as they look to rise up the rankings.
Cricket
KSCA Officials Resign Over Chinnaswamy Stampede; RCB Faces FIR in Tragic Victory Celebration Fallout
In a tragic turn of events following Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) historic IPL 2025 title win, a deadly stampede at the celebratory event held at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium claimed 11 lives and injured several others. The aftermath has sparked controversy and accountability issues, leading to major resignations and legal action.
Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) secretary A Shankar and treasurer ES Jairam resigned on Friday, citing “moral responsibility” for the incident. Their resignations were submitted to KSCA president Raghuram Bhat, as questions mount over mismanagement and negligence at the overcrowded venue.
The Bengaluru Police have filed an FIR listing RCB, DNA Entertainment (event partner), and KSCA as accused parties. Police confirmed that the event had not been granted official permission. In a swift move, Nikhil Sosale, RCB’s head of marketing and revenue, was arrested—raising further scrutiny over organizational lapses.
KSCA has filed a writ petition calling the FIR a “knee-jerk” reaction under political pressure. They argued that crowd control and gate management were the responsibilities of RCB and the event organizers, not KSCA.
RCB has announced INR 10 lakh compensation for each victim and committed to covering all medical expenses of the injured. However, the franchise has yet to make a comprehensive public statement.
This incident raises serious concerns about sports event management and safety standards, casting a shadow over what was supposed to be a moment of celebration in Indian cricket
Cricket
Sachithra Senanayake Indicted in Landmark Match-Fixing Case Under Sri Lanka’s Anti-Corruption Law
Former Sri Lankan cricketer Sachithra Senanayake has been formally indicted before the Hambantota High Court, marking a historic first in Sri Lanka’s efforts to criminalize corruption in sports. The charges stem from an alleged match-fixing attempt during the 2020 Lanka Premier League (LPL), making Senanayake the first player to face prosecution under Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Offences Related to Sports Act No. 24 of 2019.
Senanayake, currently out on bail, is accused of attempting to influence Colombo Kings player Tharindu Ratnayake to underperform during the tournament. The incident reportedly occurred via a WhatsApp message, which was later flagged by a local anti-corruption officer, prompting an official investigation in 2020.
The case falls under the landmark legislation introduced in 2019 by then Sports Minister Harin Fernando, which criminalizes match-fixing and related offenses in the country. If convicted, Senanayake could face a prison term of up to 10 years, a fine reaching Rs. 100 million, or both.
The indictment signals a serious shift in Sri Lanka’s approach to tackling corruption in sports. Authorities hope this high-profile case will serve as a strong deterrent against similar offenses in the future.
Senanayake, once a celebrated off-spinner and a member of Sri Lanka’s victorious 2014 ICC T20 World Cup squad, now faces the grim prospect of being remembered not for his achievements on the field, but for his role in one of Sri Lanka’s most significant match-fixing scandals.
As the case unfolds, it casts a spotlight on the broader issue of corruption in sports and reinforces the urgent need for integrity, vigilance, and transparent governance across all levels of competition in Sri Lanka
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