News
The winners of the prestigious ICC Awards of the Decade
The winners of the prestigious ICC Awards of the Decade including the Rachel Heyhoe-Flint for Best Female Player and Sir Garfield Sobers for Best Male Player, were announced simultaneously across all ICC Digital channels, as well as the Star Sports Network, on Monday, December 28.
හොඳම කාන්තා ක්රීඩිකාව සඳහා රේචල් හෙයිහෝ-ෆ්ලින්ට් සහ හොඳම පිරිමි ක්රීඩිකාව සඳහා ශ්රීමත් ගාෆීල්ඩ් සොබර්ස් ඇතුළු දශකයේ කීර්තිමත් අයිසීසී සම්මාන උළෙලේ ජයග්රාහකයින් සියලු අයිසීසී ඩිජිටල් නාලිකා මෙන්ම ස්ටාර් ස්පෝර්ට්ස් ජාලය හරහා එකවර ප්රකාශයට පත් කරන ලදී.
சிறந்த பெண் வீரருக்கான ரேச்சல் ஹேஹோ-பிளின்ட் மற்றும் சிறந்த ஆண் வீரருக்கான சர் கார்பீல்ட் சோபர்ஸ் உள்ளிட்ட தசாப்தத்தின் மதிப்புமிக்க ஐ.சி.சி விருதுகளின் வெற்றியாளர்கள் அனைத்து ஐ.சி.சி டிஜிட்டல் சேனல்களிலும், ஸ்டார் ஸ்போர்ட்ஸ் நெட்வொர்க்கிலும் ஒரே நேரத்தில் டிசம்பர் 28 அன்று அறிவிக்கப்பட்டனர்.
Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Male Cricketer of the Decade – Virat Kholi

Virat Kohli, who had scored 20,396 runs in all international cricket during the time period, which is more than anyone else, was also part of team India that won the ICC CWC 2011 and ICC Champions Trophy 2013. He was also named ICC Cricketer of the Year in both 2017 and 2018, so it was no surprise that he emerged as the clear jury favorite with winning the Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Male Cricketer of the Decade.
Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Award for ICC Female Cricketer of the Decade – Ellyse Perry

Australia cricketer Ellyse Perry on Monday swept the ICC awards to be crowned the best women’s player of the past decade. Perry was unveiled as the winner of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Award for ICC Female Cricketer of the Decade, while also claiming both the ODI and T20I Cricketer of the Decade awards.
ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Decade – Steve Smith

Australia’s Steve Smith has been named the ICC Men’s Test Player of the Decade, having established himself as one of the best Test batsmen since Don Bradman. Australia’s Steve Smith has been named the ICC Men’s Test Player of the Decade, having established himself as one of the best Test batsmen since Don Bradman.
ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Decade – Virat Kholi

Kohli took home both the Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Male Cricketer of the Decade and the ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Decade. Kohli’s potential was evident as far back as in 2008, when he led India to a win in the ICC under-19 World Cup in 2008. He is nominated for the ICC Men’s ODI Player of the Decade award
ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Decade – Ellyse Perry

Australia’s Ellyse Perry has been named the ICC’s women’s cricketer of the decade, with Steve Smith winning the men’s Test player of the decade award. Perry took the overall honour and was also acclaimed as the ICC’s ODI and Twenty20 female player of the decade
ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Decade – Rashid Khan

Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan has been named as the ICC Men’s T20I Player of the Decade. Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan has been named as the ICC Men’s T20I Player of the Decade. He has an incredible record to date in the format, having amassed 89 wickets in 48 games, at an average of just 12.62.
ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Decade – Ellyse Perry

ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Decade – Kyle Coetzer

Scotland’s Kyle Coetzer and Kathryn Bryce honoured with the ICC Associate Player of the Decade awards. Scotland internationals Kyle Coetzer and Kathryn Bryce have been announced as the ICC’s Associate Player of the Decade.
ICC Women’s Associate Cricketer of the Decade – Kathryn Bryce

Kathryn Bryce (born 17 November 1997) is a Scottish cricketer who plays for the Scotland women’s cricket team. In December 2020, Bryce was named the ICC Associate Cricketer of the Decade
ICC Spirit of Cricket Award of the Decade – MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni has won the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award of the Decade following a fan vote, for his decision to recall Ian Bell after a controversial run out in the 2011 Nottingham Test between England and India. The incident won the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award in 2011
Cricket
Harbhajan Singh Criticizes Jayawardene and Malinga for Over-Involvement in MI Dugout During IPL Qualifier
In a surprising turn of events during IPL 2025 Qualifier 2, cricket legend and former Mumbai Indians player Harbhajan Singh has voiced concern over what he termed “excessive involvement” by Mahela Jayawardene and Lasith Malinga during Mumbai Indians’ defeat against Punjab Kings.
Speaking on his YouTube channel after MI’s seven-wicket loss at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Harbhajan took issue with the coaching staff’s frequent instructions from the dugout — especially during tense moments when MI bowlers were under pressure.
Too many signals, too much talking — even with someone like Jasprit Bumrah, who knows exactly what he’s doing,” Harbhajan remarked. “At times, you need a calm and collected environment, especially during high-pressure games. Coaches should guide, not command every move from the sidelines.
Punjab Kings chased down a formidable target of 204, with captain Shreyas Iyer anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 87 to secure a place in the final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Despite Mumbai posting a solid total, their bowlers failed to contain the opposition — a point that Harbhajan feels may have been worsened by the atmosphere in the MI dugout.
Jayawardene, MI’s Head of Global Performance, and Malinga, the bowling coach, were both seen actively engaging with players during the game, a move Harbhajan believes may have unintentionally undermined the confidence of seasoned campaigners like Bumrah.
I’ve been part of that setup. The coaching staff means well, but showing visible desperation can impact player morale,
Harbhajan added.
With this loss, Mumbai Indians miss out on a shot at their sixth IPL title, while discussions surrounding the balance between guidance and over-coaching during matches are sure to continue
Football
Fouzul Hameed Calls for Urgent Reforms in Sri Lankan Football: “Enough is Enough”
In a powerful and emotional statement, Fouzul Hameed — veteran football advocate, entrepreneur, and co-founder of the AC Milan Academy in Colombo — has delivered a scathing critique of Sri Lanka’s football administration, calling for immediate reforms to rescue the sport from what he describes as “chronic mismanagement and total collapse.
In a candid interview with Serendib News 🔗 Source, Hameed, who also captained Zahira College’s football team during his school days, expressed frustration over the decline of Sri Lankan football — both at grassroots and national levels.
“This is not personal—it’s a wake-up call. Especially at the school level, if we build a proper system, we might finally see decent results,”
Hameed emphasized.

“No Future in Football” – A Harsh Reality
Hameed admitted that he now encourages players to focus on their education instead of football due to the lack of career prospects in the sport. He lamented that football has become an elite pastime hijacked by individuals with no understanding or passion for the game.
There’s no future in it right now—no careers, no livelihood,” he said. “Talent doesn’t matter anymore. Football is now controlled by politics and greed.
School Football in Crisis
His strongest words were reserved for the school football system, which he described as being in complete disarray.
Our school system is a disaster. There’s no coaching, no nurturing of talent, and no proper calendar. Finals are played under harsh conditions, without basic facilities like medical support or crowd control.
Comparing football to the glamor of school rugby and cricket, Hameed pointed out how football is marginalized despite having deep roots and mass appeal.

Look at the attention rugby and cricket get. Meanwhile, school football finals happen in near silence. It’s disrespectful.
A Broken Federation
Hameed criticized the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) for its failure in leadership and planning.
The wrong people are running the game. They have no playing background, no vision, no strategy — they’re in it for the titles and benefits.
Highlighting Zahira College’s legacy of producing nearly 100 national players, he said that even his alma mater may withdraw from tournaments due to poor planning and conditions.
Give us one tournament and a proper venue — we’ll show you how it’s done.
Call to Clean House
Calling on the Ministry of Sports and the President of Sri Lanka, Hameed demanded a complete overhaul of the football governing body.
Football can unite this country, but it needs leaders with values and professionalism. We need people who genuinely care about the sport.
He referenced Sri Lanka’s recent humiliating 8-0 loss to India and the issue of national players wearing fake jerseys due to budgetary issues, calling it “a national disgrace.”
Final Word
This is not just a game — it’s identity, dignity, and hope. But it’s being destroyed by incompetence. Enough is enough.
Fouzul Hameed’s passionate appeal reflects a broader concern shared by players, fans, and former athletes alike — that Sri Lankan football is long overdue for reform, and that real change must begin with honest leadership and grassroots investment
Football
FFSL’s Suspension of Six Leagues Sparks Outrage Amid Governance Failures
Colombo – The Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) has suspended six regional football leagues, citing administrative and financial irregularities. However, this decision has triggered widespread criticism and raised serious questions about the federation’s own accountability and governance standards.
The suspended leagues are Embilipitiya, Hambantota, Jaffna, Kalkuda, Madhu Manthai West, and Point Pedro, with the FFSL alleging that they failed to submit annual reports, maintain financial accounts, or conduct football activities for over three years.
While FFSL claims these actions were taken to uphold its constitution, critics argue that FFSL itself has consistently failed to meet national governance standards, particularly those outlined in Sri Lanka’s Sports Act.
FFSL’s Own Compliance Under Fire
According to Section 32 of the Sports Act, national sports bodies like FFSL are legally required to submit their audited financial reports for the previous year on or before May 31st each year. However, the FFSL has reportedly failed to comply with this for multiple consecutive years — from 2022 to 2024 — placing it in clear violation of national law.
This failure gives the Ministry of Sports the legal authority to suspend FFSL’s registration, raising the possibility of a broader administrative intervention if reforms are not undertaken.
Lack of Support for Grassroots Development
Furthermore, FFSL’s lack of consistent funding and tournament organization for regional leagues has hampered football development:
- 2021: LKR 250,000 per league
- 2022: LKR 100,000
- 2023 & 2024: No funding
- 2025: Limited support to select leagues for a yet-to-be-played Y19 Youth League
Despite this, FFSL is now penalizing regional leagues for being inactive — an inactivity that many argue is the direct result of the federation’s own inaction and neglect.
Legal and Ethical Concerns
The suspension of Jaffna Football League, which is currently under judicial review, has also raised eyebrows. With a court case pending, legal experts question how FFSL can justify suspending a league under such circumstances without violating due process.
Hypocrisy in Action?
Despite citing “no financial reports” as a reason for suspension, FFSL has not published its own audited reports for three straight years. Observers call this an act of institutional hypocrisy, and many stakeholders are calling for the federation to hold itself to the same standards it demands of others.
If Sri Lanka is to progress in regional and international football, governance reform must begin at the top — starting with FFSL’s transparency, accountability, and genuine grassroots development efforts.

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