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The way we lost the series is a worry, says dejected Naveed Nawaz

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After facing a thumping loss at the hands of New Zealand in the third ODI at Hamilton, Sri Lanka assistant coach Naveed Nawaz stressed that than losing the series, the way Sri Lanka lost is a worry.

“To be honest, losing the series the way we lost is a huge disappointment. We are a team full of talent, but unfortunately, players failed to play to their potential”, said a dejected Naveed Nawaz at the post-match conference.

The defeat also saw Sri Lanka fail to snatch the eighth spot in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League table. Sri Lanka failed to overtake West Indies (88 points) for the final direct qualification spot. The Islanders ended their CWCSL campaign with 81 points.

Calling it right at the toss, Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka opted to bat first in the crucial encounter. But the Sri Lankan batters failed to fire yet again, struggling against the pace and bounce of the New Zealand bowlers.

Matt Henry (3/14), Henry Shipley (3/32) and Daryl Mitchell (3/32) were all outstanding with the ball, as Sri Lanka huffed and puffed to cross the 150-run mark.

For Sri Lanka, Pathum Nissanka (57 off 64), Dasun Shanaka (31 off 36) and Chamika Karunaratne (24 off 42) were the only batters to show any form of resistance. The visitors were bowled out for 157 in 41.3 overs, with their bowlers now facing a herculean task of getting their side over the line.

In reply, New Zealand’s chase got off to a rocky start as they lost three wickets within the first seven overs. Four of their batters – Chad Bowes, Tom Blundell, Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham – failed to reach the double-digit mark.

But Will Young and Henry Nicholls played vital knocks to get the hosts over the line. The pair established a partnership of 100 runs with Young scoring 86* and Nicholls 44* to seal a six-wicket win for New Zealand.

With the victory in Hamilton, New Zealand secured a 2-0 win in the three-match ODI series.

Sri Lanka will now travel to Zimbabwe in June to compete in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier and look to secure their place in the 2023 edition of the tournament later this year.

“We will have to play the qualifiers now. I think we should regroup and put up a good performance in Zimbabwe to book a slot in the World cup 2023. Only Two teams will qualify for the World Cup. We should play a good brand of cricket because we cannot underestimate any team. In the modern cricketing world, every team plays competitive cricket so it will be a huge challenge for us”, Nawaz added.

Asked about what should be improved when heading to Zimbabwe for the qualifiers Nawaz went on to say,

“We should raise our bars in all three departments; especially in 50 over cricket, our batters should learn how to build an innings. Zimbabwe conditions are not familiar to us so the players should know what should be and not be done in those conditions”.

New Zealand ended in the top spot of the CWCSL standings, accumulating 175 points in their campaign.

West Indies could still be pipped in the race for the eighth spot by South Africa (78 points) and Ireland (68 points). South Africa will play a two-match ODI series against the Netherlands starting today, while Ireland has a three-match ODI series against Bangladesh in May.

අපි කතා මාලාව පැරදුණු ආකාරය කණගාටුදායකයි, කලකිරුණු නවීඩ් නවාස් පවසයි

හැමිල්ටන්හිදී පැවැති තුන්වැනි එක්දින තරගයේදී නවසීලන්තය හමුවේ අන්ත පරාජයකට මුහුණ දීමෙන් අනතුරුව ශ්‍රී ලංකා සහය පුහුණුකරු නවීඩ් නවාස් අවධාරණය කළේ තරගාවලිය පරාජයට වඩා ශ්‍රී ලංකාව පරාජය වූ ආකාරය කණගාටුවට කරුණක් බවයි.

“ඇත්තම කියනවා නම්, අපි පැරදුණු ආකාරයටම තරඟාවලිය අහිමි වීම විශාල බලාපොරොත්තු සුන්වීමක්. අපි දක්ෂතාවයෙන් පිරි කණ්ඩායමක්, නමුත් අවාසනාවකට, ක්‍රීඩකයින් ඔවුන්ගේ හැකියාවන්ට අනුව ක්‍රීඩා කිරීමට අපොහොසත් විය.

මෙම පරාජයත් සමග ICC පිරිමි ක්‍රිකට් ලෝක කුසලාන සුපර් ලීග් ලකුණු සටහනේ 8 වැනි ස්ථානය උදුරා ගැනීමට ශ්‍රී ලංකාව අසමත් විය. ශ්‍රී ලංකාව බටහිර ඉන්දීය කොදෙව් (ලකුණු 88) අභිබවා අවසන් සෘජු සුදුසුකම් ලබාගැනීමට අපොහොසත් විය. Ilanders ඔවුන්ගේ CWCSL ව්‍යාපාරය ලකුණු 81කින් අවසන් කළේය.

කාසියේ වාසිය දිනාගත් ශ්‍රී ලංකා නායක දසුන් ශානක තීරණාත්මක තරගයේ පළමුවෙන් පන්දුවට පහරදීමට තීරණය කළේය. එහෙත් නවසීලන්ත පන්දු යවන්නන්ගේ වේගයට සහ පිතිකරණයට එරෙහිව දැඩි සටනක නිරත වෙමින් ශ්‍රී ලංකා පිතිකරුවන් යළිත් වෙඩි තැබීමට අපොහොසත් විය.

මැට් හෙන්රි (3/14), හෙන්රි ෂිප්ලි (3/32) සහ ඩැරිල් මිචෙල් (3/32) පන්දුවෙන් විශිෂ්ට දස්කම් දැක්වූ අතර, ශ්‍රී ලංකා පිල ලකුණු 150 සීමාව පසුකර යාමට දැඩි උත්සාහයක් ගත්තේය.

ශ්‍රී ලංකාව වෙනුවෙන් පැතුම් නිශ්ශංක (පන්දු 64 කින් 57), දසුන් ශානක (පන්දු 36 කින් 31) සහ චාමික කරුණාරත්න (ලකුණු 42 කින් 24) ඕනෑම ආකාරයක ප්‍රතිරෝධයක් පෙන්නුම් කළ එකම පිතිකරුවෝ වූහ. නරඹන්නන් ඕවර 41.3කදී ලකුණු 157කට දැවී ගිය අතර, ඔවුන්ගේ පන්දු යවන්නන්ට දැන් තම කණ්ඩායම සීමාව ඉක්මවා යාමේ දුෂ්කර කාර්යයකට මුහුණ දීමට සිදු විය.

පිළිතුරු ඉනිම ක්‍රීඩා කළ නවසීලන්ත පිලේ පළමු ඕවර හත තුළ කඩුලු 3ක් දැවී ලකුණු හඹා යාමේ ආරම්භය සාර්ථක විය. ඔවුන්ගේ පිතිකරුවන් හතර දෙනා – Chad Bowes, Tom Blundell, Daryl Mitchell සහ Tom Latham – ඉලක්කම් දෙකේ ලකුණට ළඟා වීමට අසමත් විය.

නමුත් විල් යන්ග් සහ හෙන්රි නිකොල්ස් සත්කාරකයින් සීමාව ඉක්මවා යාම සඳහා වැදගත් පහරවල් ක්‍රීඩා කළහ. යංග් ලකුණු 86ක් සහ නිකොල්ස් ලකුණු 44ක් සමගින් ලකුණු 100ක සබඳතාවක් ගොඩනැගූ අතර නවසීලන්තයට කඩුලු 6ක ජයක් අත්කර දුන්නේය.

හැමිල්ටන්හිදී පැවැති ජයග්‍රහණයත් සමඟ තරග තුනකින් සමන්විත එක්දින තරගාවලිය 2-0ක් ලෙස ජයගැනීමට නවසීලන්තය සමත්විය.

ශ්‍රී ලංකාව දැන් ජූනි මාසයේදී සිම්බාබ්වේ වෙත ගොස් ICC පිරිමි ක්‍රිකට් ලෝක කුසලාන සුදුසුකම් ලැබීමේ තරඟයට සහභාගී වන අතර මෙම වසර අගදී තරඟාවලියේ 2023 සංස්කරණයේදී ඔවුන්ගේ ස්ථානය තහවුරු කර ගැනීමට අපේක්ෂා කරයි.

“අපට දැන් සුදුසුකම් ලැබීමේ තරඟ ක්‍රීඩා කිරීමට සිදුවනු ඇත. මම හිතන්නේ අපි 2023 ලෝක කුසලානයේ ස්ථානයක් වෙන්කරවා ගැනීම සඳහා සිම්බාබ්වේ හි හොඳ දස්කම් දැක්වීමක් නැවත එකතු කර ගත යුතුයි. ලෝක කුසලානයට සුදුසුකම් ලබන්නේ කණ්ඩායම් දෙකක් පමණි. කිසිම කණ්ඩායමක් අවතක්සේරු කළ නොහැකි නිසා අපි හොඳ ක්‍රිකට් ක්‍රීඩාවක් කළ යුතුයි. නූතන ක්‍රිකට් ලෝකයේ සෑම කණ්ඩායමක්ම තරඟකාරී ක්‍රිකට් ක්‍රීඩා කරන නිසා එය අපට විශාල අභියෝගයක් වේවි”, නවාස් වැඩිදුරටත් පැවසීය.

සුදුසුකම් ලැබීමේ තරඟ සඳහා සිම්බාබ්වේ බලා යන විට වැඩිදියුණු කළ යුතු දේ ගැන නවාස්ගෙන් විමසූ විට නවාස් මෙසේ පැවසීය.

“අපි දෙපාර්තමේන්තු තුනේම අපේ බාර් ඉහළ දැමිය යුතුයි; විශේෂයෙන්ම පන්දුවාර 50 ක්‍රිකට් ක්‍රීඩාවේදී අපේ පිතිකරුවන් ඉනිමක් ගොඩනගන්න ඉගෙන ගත යුතුයි. සිම්බාබ්වේ තත්ත්වය අපට හුරු නැති නිසා ක්‍රීඩකයන් දැනගත යුත්තේ එම තත්ත්වයන් තුළ කළ යුතු දේ සහ නොකළ යුතු දේයි.”

නවසීලන්තය CWCSL ශ්‍රේණිගත කිරීම්වල ප්‍රථම ස්ථානයට පත් වූයේ ඔවුන්ගේ ප්‍රචාරණයේදී ලකුණු 175 ක් රැස් කරමිනි.

දකුණු අප්‍රිකාව (ලකුණු 78) සහ අයර්ලන්තය (ලකුණු 68) විසින් අටවැනි ස්ථානය සඳහා වන තරඟයේදී බටහිර ඉන්දීය කොදෙව්වන් තවමත් ඉදිරියෙන් සිටිය හැකිය. දකුණු අප්‍රිකාව නෙදර්ලන්තයට එරෙහිව තරඟ දෙකකින් යුත් එක්දින තරඟාවලියක් අද ආරම්භ වන අතර, අයර්ලන්තයට බංග්ලාදේශයට එරෙහිව තරඟ තුනකින් යුත් එක්දින තරඟාවලියක් මැයි මාසයේ දී පැවැත්වේ.

நாங்கள் தொடரை இழந்த விதம் கவலையளிக்கிறது என்கிறார் நவீத் நவாஸ்

ஹாமில்டனில் நடந்த மூன்றாவது ஒருநாள் போட்டியில் நியூசிலாந்தின் கைகளில் அபாரமான தோல்வியை சந்தித்த பிறகு, இலங்கை துணை பயிற்சியாளர் நவீத் நவாஸ், தொடரை இழந்ததை விட, இலங்கை இழந்த விதம் கவலை அளிக்கிறது.

“உண்மையைச் சொல்வதானால், நாங்கள் இழந்ததைப் போலவே தொடரை இழந்தது பெரும் ஏமாற்றம். நாங்கள் திறமைகள் நிறைந்த அணி, ஆனால் துரதிர்ஷ்டவசமாக, வீரர்கள் தங்கள் திறமைக்கு ஏற்றவாறு விளையாடத் தவறிவிட்டனர்” என்று போட்டிக்குப் பிந்தைய மாநாட்டில் நவீத் நவாஸ் வருத்தமடைந்தார்.

இந்த தோல்வியால் ஐசிசி ஆடவர் உலகக் கோப்பை சூப்பர் லீக் அட்டவணையில் எட்டாவது இடத்தைப் பிடிக்க இலங்கை தவறிவிட்டது. இறுதி நேரடி தகுதி இடத்திற்கு மேற்கிந்திய தீவுகளை (88 புள்ளிகள்) பின்னுக்குத் தள்ள இலங்கை தவறிவிட்டது. தீவுவாசிகள் தங்கள் CWCSL பிரச்சாரத்தை 81 புள்ளிகளுடன் முடித்தனர்.

இந்த முக்கியமான சந்திப்பில் முதலில் டாஸ் வென்ற இலங்கை கேப்டன் தசுன் ஷனகா முதலில் பேட்டிங் தேர்வு செய்தார். ஆனால் நியூசிலாந்து பந்துவீச்சாளர்களின் வேகம் மற்றும் பந்துவீச்சுக்கு எதிராக போராடிய இலங்கை வீரர்கள் மீண்டும் சுடத் தவறினர்.

மாட் ஹென்றி (3/14), ஹென்றி ஷிப்லி (3/32), டேரில் மிட்செல் (3/32) ஆகியோர் சிறப்பாக பந்து வீச, இலங்கை அணி 150 ரன்களைக் கடந்தது.

இலங்கை அணியில் பதும் நிஸ்ஸங்க (64 பந்துகளில் 57), தசுன் ஷனக (36 பந்துகளில் 31), சமிக கருணாரத்ன (42 பந்துகளில் 24) ஆகியோர் மட்டுமே எந்த விதமான எதிர்ப்பையும் வெளிப்படுத்தினர். பார்வையாளர்கள் 41.3 ஓவர்களில் 157 ரன்களுக்கு ஆட்டமிழந்தனர், அவர்களின் பந்துவீச்சாளர்கள் இப்போது தங்கள் பக்கத்தை எல்லைக்கு மேல் கொண்டு வருவதற்கான கடினமான பணியை எதிர்கொண்டனர்.

பதிலுக்கு துடுப்பெடுத்தாடிய நியூசிலாந்தின் துரத்தல் ஆரம்பமானது முதல் ஏழு ஓவர்களுக்குள் மூன்று விக்கெட்டுகளை இழந்திருந்தது. அவர்களின் நான்கு பேட்டர்கள் – சாட் போவ்ஸ், டாம் ப்ளூன்டெல், டேரில் மிட்செல் மற்றும் டாம் லாதம் – இரட்டை இலக்கத்தை எட்ட முடியவில்லை.

ஆனால் வில் யங் மற்றும் ஹென்றி நிக்கோல்ஸ் ஆகியோர் புரவலர்களை வரிசைக்கு மேல் பெறுவதற்கு முக்கியமான நாக்ஸை விளையாடினர். இந்த ஜோடி யங் 86* மற்றும் நிக்கோல்ஸ் 44* ரன்களுடன் 100 ரன்களின் பார்ட்னர்ஷிப்பை நிறுவி நியூசிலாந்திற்கு ஆறு விக்கெட் வித்தியாசத்தில் வெற்றியைத் தேடித்தந்தது.

ஹாமில்டனில் நடந்த வெற்றியின் மூலம் மூன்று போட்டிகள் கொண்ட ஒருநாள் தொடரை 2-0 என்ற கணக்கில் நியூசிலாந்து கைப்பற்றியது.

ஐசிசி ஆடவர் உலகக் கோப்பை தகுதிச் சுற்றில் போட்டியிடுவதற்காக இலங்கை இப்போது ஜூன் மாதம் ஜிம்பாப்வேக்குச் சென்று, இந்த ஆண்டின் இறுதியில் 2023 ஆம் ஆண்டு போட்டித் தொடரில் தங்கள் இடத்தைப் பாதுகாக்கும்.

“நாங்கள் இப்போது தகுதிச் சுற்றில் விளையாட வேண்டும். 2023 உலகக் கோப்பையில் ஒரு இடத்தைப் பதிவு செய்ய ஜிம்பாப்வேயில் நாங்கள் மீண்டும் ஒருங்கிணைத்து ஒரு நல்ல ஆட்டத்தை வெளிப்படுத்த வேண்டும் என்று நினைக்கிறேன். இரண்டு அணிகள் மட்டுமே உலகக் கோப்பைக்கு தகுதி பெறும். எந்த அணியையும் குறைத்து மதிப்பிட முடியாது என்பதால், நாங்கள் ஒரு நல்ல பிராண்ட் கிரிக்கெட்டை விளையாட வேண்டும். நவீன கிரிக்கெட் உலகில், ஒவ்வொரு அணியும் போட்டி கிரிக்கெட்டை விளையாடுவதால், அது எங்களுக்கு மிகப்பெரிய சவாலாக இருக்கும்” என்று நவாஸ் மேலும் கூறினார்.

ஜிம்பாப்வேக்கு தகுதிச் சுற்றுக்கு செல்லும்போது என்ன மேம்படுத்த வேண்டும் என்று கேட்டதற்கு நவாஸ் கூறியதாவது:

“மூன்று துறைகளிலும் நாம் நமது தடைகளை உயர்த்த வேண்டும்; குறிப்பாக 50 ஓவர் கிரிக்கெட்டில், எப்படி ஒரு இன்னிங்ஸை உருவாக்குவது என்பதை நமது பேட்டர்கள் கற்றுக் கொள்ள வேண்டும். ஜிம்பாப்வே நிலைமைகள் எங்களுக்குப் பரிச்சயமானவை அல்ல, எனவே அந்த நிலைமைகளில் என்ன செய்ய வேண்டும் மற்றும் செய்யக்கூடாது என்பதை வீரர்கள் அறிந்திருக்க வேண்டும்.

நியூசிலாந்து தனது பிரச்சாரத்தில் 175 புள்ளிகளைக் குவித்து, CWCSL தரவரிசையில் முதலிடத்தில் முடிந்தது.

தென்னாப்பிரிக்கா (78 புள்ளிகள்) மற்றும் அயர்லாந்து (68 புள்ளிகள்) ஆகியவற்றால் எட்டாவது இடத்திற்கான போட்டியில் மேற்கிந்தியத் தீவுகள் இன்னும் பின்னுக்குத் தள்ளப்படலாம். தென்னாப்பிரிக்கா இன்று தொடங்கும் நெதர்லாந்துக்கு எதிராக இரண்டு போட்டிகள் கொண்ட ஒருநாள் தொடரில் விளையாடவுள்ளது, அதே நேரத்தில் அயர்லாந்து வங்காளதேசத்திற்கு எதிராக மே மாதத்தில் மூன்று போட்டிகள் கொண்ட ஒருநாள் தொடரை விளையாட உள்ளது.

Cricket

“I Just Wanted to Score a Few Boundaries” – Kamindu Mendis Stars as Sri Lanka Beat Ireland in T20 World Cup Opener

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Sri Lanka’s decision to draft in Kamindu Mendis at the last moment proved inspired, as the all-rounder produced a match-turning knock to guide the hosts to a 20-run victory over Ireland in their opening match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday.

Coming in with Sri Lanka in trouble at 86 for 4, Kamindu counter-attacked with a blistering 44 off just 19 deliveries, striking four boundaries and two sixes to swing momentum firmly in the hosts’ favour. His innings transformed a faltering batting effort into a competitive total of 163.

I just wanted to score a few boundaries and put a partnership with Kusal Mendis

Kusal was outstanding today. He deserves a lot of credit. We wanted someone to bat through the innings.

Kusal Mendis played the anchor role to perfection, remaining unbeaten on a composed half-century and ensuring Sri Lanka batted through their 20 overs — something that looked unlikely during the middle phase of the innings.

Sri Lanka’s bowling unit then delivered a disciplined performance, led by their spin trio of Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga and Dunith Wellalage, who shared seven wickets to derail Ireland’s chase. Hasaranga claimed three scalps, taking his overall T20 World Cup wicket tally to 40 — second only to Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan (50).

There was a brief scare for Sri Lanka when Hasaranga limped off after his second over, sparking concern over his fitness. However, the skipper returned to complete his spell, easing fears ahead of the remaining group matches.

Ireland showed early promise, with George Dockrell returning impressive figures of 2 for 17 and a solid 49-run partnership between Lorcan Tucker and Harry Tector keeping them in the contest. But once spin was introduced in tandem, the visitors struggled to maintain momentum.

From 105 for 2, Ireland lost wickets in quick succession and were eventually bowled out for 143 in 19.5 overs, with Matheesha Pathirana picking up two wickets in the final over.

They got about 15 runs too many,” admitted Ireland captain Paul Stirling.

We were a bit sloppy in the field and we’ve got plenty of work to do before the next game. Spin is going to play a big role in this tournament, and that’s something we need to adapt to quickly.

Co-hosting the 20-team tournament alongside defending champions India, Sri Lanka could not have asked for a better start. The victory not only earned crucial points but also injected confidence into a campaign that carries high expectations on home soil

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Cricket

Pakistan–India Match Uncertainty Could Cost Sri Lanka Up to US$30 Million at ICC T20 World Cup 2026

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Sri Lanka is facing a potential financial setback of up to US$25–30 million amid growing uncertainty over the highly anticipated Pakistan vs India clash at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, according to reports from local media and industry sources.

The island nation, which is set to co-host the global tournament, had been preparing to stage the marquee encounter on 15 February 2026 at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. However, reports suggesting that Pakistan may boycott the fixture against India have raised serious concerns among Sri Lankan cricket officials and key stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality sectors.

The Pakistan–India contest is widely regarded as the single biggest commercial driver of any ICC tournament, attracting massive global television audiences, sold-out stadiums and premium sponsorship interest. Sri Lanka had positioned the fixture as a major economic catalyst, with expectations of a sharp spike in international arrivals and record revenues across multiple sectors.

While no official cancellation has been announced, uncertainty surrounding Pakistan’s participation — reportedly linked to directives from the Pakistan government — has already begun to impact projected earnings. Tourism industry sources indicate that hotel bookings in Colombo and surrounding areas have slowed, with some early cancellations reported as fans and tour operators await clarity.

The potential fallout could be significant for Sri Lanka’s tourism-dependent economy, which increasingly relies on high-profile international sporting events to drive short-term visitor inflows and spending.

Commercial and Tourism Impact

Ticket sales for the India–Pakistan match were expected to be among the highest of the tournament, featuring premium pricing and early sell-outs typical of fixtures involving the two rivals. A boycott would likely result in major losses from ticket revenue, sponsorship activations, stadium advertising and broadcast-linked commercial agreements.

Beyond cricketing revenue, the ripple effect would be felt across airlines, travel agencies, restaurants, transport providers and small businesses operating around event venues. Informal sector workers — including vendors, drivers and temporary service staff — also stand to lose a crucial source of short-term income tied to matchday demand.

Sri Lanka Cricket Appeals to PCB

In an effort to prevent a damaging outcome, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Shammi Silva has formally written to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), urging it to reconsider reports that Pakistan may skip the February 15 fixture in Colombo.

In the letter, SLC stated that it had learned through media reports that while Pakistan is expected to participate in the tournament, a decision may have been taken to avoid the match against India. Sri Lanka Cricket emphasized that all commercial, logistical, security and operational arrangements for hosting the tournament have already been finalized.

SLC further highlighted that ticket sales for matches scheduled in Sri Lanka — particularly the India–Pakistan clash — had recorded exceptionally strong demand, underlining the scale of public interest and commercial expectations attached to the fixture.

Sri Lanka Cricket warned that Pakistan’s absence from such a high-profile match could have far-reaching economic consequences, including reduced tourism inflows, substantial revenue losses and broader impacts on businesses linked to the event.

With the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 drawing closer, stakeholders across Sri Lanka are now anxiously awaiting clarity, hoping that diplomacy and dialogue can preserve cricket’s biggest rivalry — not only for the integrity of the tournament, but for the country’s economic interests as well.

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Cricket

Eshan Malinga Set to Miss T20 World Cup After Suffering Shoulder Injury

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Sri Lanka fast bowler Eshan Malinga is likely to be ruled out of the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after sustaining a shoulder injury during the second T20 International against England at Pallekele on Sunday, dealing a significant setback to Sri Lanka’s World Cup preparations.

Malinga picked up the injury while fielding in the latter stages of the match and was forced to leave the field in visible discomfort, immediately raising concerns among the team management. He is scheduled to travel to Colombo for detailed medical scans, which will determine the extent of the injury.

According to team sources, early assessments suggest a possible shoulder dislocation. If confirmed, the recovery period is expected to range between four to six weeks, effectively ruling the young fast bowler out of the T20 World Cup, which is just days away.

The injury comes at an unfortunate time for both Malinga and the national side. Viewed as a key component of Sri Lanka’s pace attack, Malinga had been firmly in the selectors’ plans due to his ability to generate pace and strike at crucial moments. His absence would significantly weaken Sri Lanka’s fast-bowling options heading into the global tournament.

With Malinga’s availability now in serious doubt, selectors may be forced to reassess their squad composition. From the current 25-member World Cup preparation pool, Nuwan Thushara and Pramod Madushan remain the other specialist fast bowlers expected to shoulder additional responsibility.

Sri Lanka Cricket also has other pace options to consider, including Binura Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, and Asitha Fernando, depending on form, fitness, and team balance. Further clarity on Malinga’s condition is expected once medical evaluations are completed.

England Seal Series in Rain-Affected Encounter

Meanwhile, England sealed an unassailable 2–0 lead in the three-match T20I series with a dramatic six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the rain-affected contest.

Batting first, Sri Lanka made a positive start, with Pathum Nissanka attacking early, including a six off Jofra Archer. Kusal Mendis and Pavan Rathnayake maintained momentum through the middle overs, but wickets from Liam Dawson and Adil Rashid slowed the innings. Sri Lanka eventually posted 189 for 5, with Rathnayake providing a late flourish.

England’s chase was interrupted by rain with the visitors behind the required rate. After the restart, Tom Banton took charge with a composed unbeaten 54 off 33 balls, while Harry Brook added a rapid 36. England held their nerve under pressure to reach the revised target of 168 with two balls to spare, clinching both the match and the series.

Sri Lanka now face growing concerns ahead of the T20 World Cup, with injury setbacks and form issues adding pressure as preparations enter their final phase

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