News

St. Joseph’s College stickers end up third at the under-20 All Island Schools Games

Published

2 years ago

November 2, 2023

Editor

M.H.Yakeem

St.Joseph’s College, Colombo stickers pocketed the 3rd place at the under 20 All Island Schools Hockey tournament 2023, beating Vijaya College Matale by 3 goals to 2, in an exciting encounter, organized and conducted by the Ministry of Education, played at St. Peter’s College ground, Colombo-04 last Friday.

St.Joseph’s College, Colombo stickers beat Richmond College, Galle by 4 goals to 1 in the quarter-final and lost to Kingswood College, Kandy by 3 goals to nil in the semi-final, while Vijaya College, Matale beat Ananda College, Colombo on penalty strokes ( 4/2), after the game ended in a 1 all draw and lost to St.Thomas College, Matale by 1 goal to nil in the semi-final.

In the decider of the third place, Induwara Jayasinghe opened the scoring within a few minutes of the start of play to give Vijaya, Matale a 1-nil lead and followed to score his second goal to make it 2-nil. St. Joseph’s College, Colombo bounced back to the game with Bright Fernando scoring the goal and at the half time, Vijaya College, Matale was leading by 2 goals to 1. In the second half of the game, both teams showcasing their skills and talents, Bright Fernando scored his second goal for St.Joseph’s College to make it 2 all. Both teams played out their best and with few minutes left for the end of play, St.Joseph’s, Colombo went ahead with Abner Fernando scoring the goal to win this decider by 3 goals to 2 and pocket the 3rd place of the under 20 All Island Schools Games 2023. St. Joseph’s College is coached by Shane Ratnam an ex-Josephian, also the coach of the Sri-Lanka Junior Hockey team, and Kavindu Nayomal, assistant coach, who is assigned to the development and upliftment of St.Joseph’s College

23 Teams from 9 Provinces qualified to play in this tournament, out of the 23 teams, 17 teams took part. The teams are Kingswood College Kandy, St John’s College Jaffna, Sandalalankawa NS, St. Thomas College Matara, Dharmadutha College Badulla, Richmond College Galle, Parakramabahu NS Polgahawela, St. Joseph’s College Colombo, Joseph Vaz Wennappuwa, St. Thomas College Mount Lavinia, Uva College Badulla, St. Thomas College Matale, Vaddukodai College Jaffna, Vipulananda Central College Kalmunai, Vijaya College Matale, Ananda College Colombo, St. Aloysius College Galle.

Lahiru Weerasooriya, T.K. Heendeniya, I R.K. Wilwalaarachchi, S. Abeykoon, Abeetha Fernando, Ishan Kulatunga, Kusal Thilakasiri, D.J. Prakash, T.M.S.D. Aberathne, T.M.M D. Abeyrathne, was assigned to officiate at this tournament, while H.M.C.H. Bandara and A.H.M. Hanafi as Technical Officers.

St.Joseph’s College stickers comprise Keith Joshua, Bright Fernando, Abner Fernando, Adrian Fernando, Joel Sheron, Koshikan M. Pillai, Richi Victoria, Abishek Yogadeb, Tharindu Pradeeparajan, Imesh Perera, Mark Victoria, Dihen Samarasinghe, Isira Manawadu, Ravin Rathnayake, Udana Botheju, Jarad Rex, Thilukshan Selvakumar, Jerome Fernando

Caption

St. Joseph’s College, Colombo Hockey team.

Cricket

Sri Lanka–Afghanistan Series Postponed Amid Regional Tensions

Published

1 day ago

March 7, 2026

Editor

Sri Lanka Cricket has decided to postpone the upcoming limited-overs series against Afghanistan in the United Arab Emirates due to the current situation in the Middle East, sources confirmed.

The series, which was scheduled to run from March 13 to 25, included three T20 internationals in Sharjah and three ODIs in Dubai. However, growing security concerns following reports of Iranian strikes across parts of the region have forced officials to reconsider travel and hosting arrangements.

Both cricket boards are understood to be in discussions to reschedule the fixtures once conditions improve. The decision comes at a time when Sri Lanka is also focusing on strengthening its domestic fitness programme, with selectors emphasizing that physical readiness will be a key factor in future squad selections.

Cricket

Jayasuriya Hands Over Resignation as Sri Lanka Head Coach

Published

3 days ago

March 6, 2026

Editor

Cricket legend Sanath Jayasuriya has formally handed over his resignation as Head Coach of the Sri Lanka national team, following the side’s disappointing World Cup campaign.

It is learnt, the resignation was submitted on Thursday after discussions with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Shammi Silva. Jayasuriya, who took charge with hopes of reviving the team’s fortunes, decided to step aside after the tournament’s poor showing.

Despite stepping down, Jayasuriya will remain involved in Sri Lankan cricket. In a significant transition, he has been assigned to lead the High Performance Centre, where he will oversee player development and the broader cricketing structure.

Sri Lanka Cricket has yet to announce a replacement for the head coach role, but officials confirmed that talks are underway to identify a candidate capable of steering the national side forward.

Cricket

Afghanistan Names New Captains for Sri Lanka Series as Rashid Khan Steps Down

Published

4 days ago

March 5, 2026

Editor

Afghanistan cricket has entered a new phase of leadership as selectors announced sweeping changes ahead of their upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka. Following the team’s early exit from the ICC T20 World Cup, star all-rounder Rashid Khan has been relieved of his captaincy duties. Ibrahim Zadran will now lead the T20 side, while Hashmatullah Shahidi has been entrusted with the ODI captaincy.

Despite losing the armband, Rashid remains a key figure in Afghanistan’s plans, with his name included in both squads. The selectors have opted for a balanced mix of seasoned performers and promising youngsters, signaling a strategy to rebuild while maintaining stability.

The T20 squad features explosive opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz, alongside Ibrahim Zadran, who will captain the side. Veteran Mohammad Nabi adds experience, while spin remains Afghanistan’s strongest weapon with Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Sharafuddin Ashraf forming a formidable attack. Young talents like Sediqullah Atal and Darwish Rasooli have also been given opportunities, reflecting the selectors’ intent to groom the next generation.

On the other hand, Hashmatullah Shahidi will lead the ODI side, supported by experienced campaigners such as Rahmat Shah and Mohammad Nabi. The batting unit includes Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, while wicketkeeping duties will be shared between Gurbaz and Ikram Alikhil. The bowling attack is spearheaded by Rashid Khan, with support from Zia ur Rahman Sharifi, Farid Ahmad Malik, and Nangyal Kharotai. Reserves include Qais Ahmad, M. Saleem Safi, and Bashir Ahmad, ensuring depth across departments.

Security Concerns Cloud Series
The series, scheduled from March 13 to 25, was to feature three T20Is in Sharjah and three ODIs in Dubai. However, escalating regional tensions—sparked by reports of Iranian strikes and claims surrounding the death of Iran’s supreme leader in alleged U.S.–Israeli attacks—have raised serious doubts about security and travel. Cricket authorities are monitoring the situation closely, with contingency plans under discussion.

ODI Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (Captain), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Darwish Rasooli, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Ikram Alikhil (WK), Rashid Khan, A.M. Ghazanfar, Zia ur Rahman Sharifi, Farid Ahmad Malik, Nangyal Kharotai, Bila Saim.
Reserves: Qais Ahmad, M. Saleem Safi, Bashir Ahmad.

T20I Squad: Ibrahim Zadran (Captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Noor Rahman (WK), Shahidullah Kamal, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Zia ur Rahman Sharifi, Fareed Malik, Abdullah Ahmadzai.