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Thirty-year record, Sri Lanka beats Australians and sealed the series with one match to spare!!

Published

3 years ago

June 22, 2022

Editor

The fourth ODI between Sri Lanka and Australia was played yesterday at the R Premadasa Stadium. The opening two matches of the previous three matches were played in Pallekele and the third match was played in Colombo. Despite losing the tournament’s first match, “Yaksha Pataw” returned to the Premadasa Stadium today with a vital victory momentum by winning the second and third matches and preparing for a record victory.

After winning the ODI series between the two countries in Australia in 2012 against Australia, Sri Lanka has not been able to defeat them so far. Also, the Sri Lankan team has not been able to defeat the Kangaroos in Sri Lanka since 1992.

The Australians won the toss and elected to field. Wanindu Hasaranga was named in the Sri Lanka squad to replace the injured Dushmantha Chameera with only one change Sri Lanka came to the match.

Even though Sri Lankans lost three wickets for 34 runs, Charith Asalanka and Dhananjaya de Silva put on 101 for the fourth wicket. Dhananjaya scored 60 off 61 balls while Charith scored his maiden ODI century scoring 110 off 106 balls. At the end of 49 overs, Sri Lanka was all out for 258 and set a target of 259 for Australians.

Although in the chase Chamika Karunaratne did not allow Australia to get off to a flourishing start, David Warner was able to stay on the pitch at one end and establish a stable partnership from time to time, pushing the victory towards Australia. However, the Sri Lankan bowlers were able to take wickets from the other end of the pitch whereas Warner alone at one end. Chamika Karunaratne took two wickets for 19 runs in five overs, with each spinner taking at least one wicket to put pressure on the Australians.

Sri Lankan bowlers set a target of 19 runs in the final over to win the match, the skipper Dasun Shanaka took the responsibility on his own to bowl the final over of the match. The Australians scored only 14 off the first five balls of the final over and expected to score 5 runs in the final ball. Fortunately, Dasun was able to get rid of the final wicket of the match in the last ball the match and seal the match and series. Sri Lanka won the match by 4 runs. Sri Lanka won the five-match ODI series 3-1 with one match to spare.

තිස් වසරක වාර්තාවක් අලුත් වේ, ශ්‍රී ලංකාව ඕස්ට්‍රේලියානුවන්ව වේලාසනම පරදවයි.

ශ්‍රී ලංකාව සහ ඕස්ට්‍රේලියාව අතර පැවත්වෙන සිව්වන එක්දින තරඟය අද කොළඹ ආර්. ප්‍රේමදාස ක්‍රීඩා පිටියේදී පැවත්විණි. මීට පෙර පැවති තරඟ ත්‍රිත්වයෙන් ආරම්භක තරඟ ද්විත්වය පල්ලෙකැළේදීත් තෙවන තරඟය කොළඹදීත් පැවත්විණි. තරඟාවලියේ පළමු තරඟය පරාජයට පත් වූවත් දෙවන සහ තෙවන තරඟ ජයග්‍රහණය කරමින් ප්‍රබල අන්දමින් නැවත තරඟාවලි ජයක් පෙනෙන මානයට අවතීර්න වූ “යක්ෂ පැටව්” අද ප්‍රේමදාස පිටියට පැමිණියේ වාර්තාගත ජයක් සඳහා සූදානමින්.

ඕස්ට්‍රේලියානුවන්ට එරෙහිව ඕස්ට්‍රේලියාවේදීම 2012 වසරේදී දෙරට අතර එක්දින තරඟාවලිය ජයගැනීමෙන් පසු මේ වන තෙක් ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට ඔවුන්ව පරාජය කිරීමට හැකි වී නොතිබිණි. එමෙන්ම 1992 වසරෙන් පසු මෙරටදී කැන්ගරුවන්ව පරාජය කිරීමටද ශ්‍රී ලංකා කණ්ඩායමට හැකියාවක් ලැබී නොතිබිණි.

තීරණාත්මක සිව්වන තරඟයේ කාසියේ වාසිය ඕස්ට්‍රේලියානුවන් හිමි කරගත් අතර ප්‍රථමයෙන් පන්දු රැකීමට ඔවුන් තීරණය කළහ. ශ්‍රී ලංකා කණ්ඩායම එක් වෙනස්කමක් පමණක් සිදු කරමින් වනිඳු හසරංගව සංචිතයට කැඳවා තිබුණේ ආබාධයට ලක් වූ දුෂ්මන්ත චමීර වෙනුවටයි.

ආරම්භයේදීම ප්‍රබල තරඟයක් ලබාදුන් ඕස්ට්‍රේලියානු පිළ ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ මුල් පෙළ පිතිකරුවන් තිදෙනාම මුලු ලකුණු සංඛ්‍යාව 34ක් වන විට ක්‍රීඩාගාරයට හරවා යැවූ අතර සිව්වන කඩුල්ල සඳහා ලකුණු 101ක සබඳතාවක් පිහිටවීමට චරිත් අසලංක සහ ධනංජය දි සිල්වාට හැකි විය. ධනංජය පන්දු 61න් ලකුණු 60ක් ලබාගද්දී චරිත් සිය මංගල එක්දින ශතකය වාර්තා කරේ පන්දු 106ට ලකුණු 110ක් රැස් කරමින්. පන්දුවාර 49ක් අවසානයේ සියල්ලන් දැවී ශ්‍රී ලංකා කණ්ඩායම ලකුණු 258ක් රැස් කරගත් අතර ඕස්ට්‍රේලියානුවන්ට හිමි වූ ඉලක්කය ලකුණු 259ක්.

ඕස්ට්‍රේලියාවට සාර්ථක ආරම්භයක් ලබාගැණීමට චාමික කරුණාරත්න ඉඩ ලබා නොදුන්නත් ඩේවිඩ් වෝර්නර් එක් අන්තයක සිටිමින් විටින් විට ස්ථාවර සබඳතා පිහිටුවීමට සමත් වූයේ ජයග්‍රහනය ඕස්ට්‍රේලියාව වෙත නැඹුරු කරම්නින්. කෙසේවෙතත් එක් අන්තයක වෝනර් තනිකරම්නින් අනෙක් අන්තයෙන් කඩුලු දවාගැනීමට ශ්‍රී ලංකා පන්දු යවන්නන්ට හැකියාව ලැබුණි. විශිෂ්ට පන්දු යැවීමක නිරත වූ චාමික කරුණාරත්න පන්දුවාර 5ක් ලකුණු 19ට යොමු කරමින් තීරණාත්මක කඩුලු ද්විත්වයක් බිඳ හෙලූ අතර කණ්ඩායමේ සෑම දඟ පන්දු යවන්නෙක්ම එක් කඩුල්ලක් බැගින් හෝ රැගෙන ඕස්ට්‍රේලියානු පිළට පීඩනයක් එල්ල කිරීමට සමත් වූහ.

තරඟයේ අවසන් පන්දුවාරයට ලකුණු 19ක ඉලක්කයක් ඕස්ට්‍රේලියානු පිළට හිමි වූ අතර එම පන්දුවාරය යොමු කීරීමේ වගකීමලබාගත්තේ නායක දසුන් ශානක විසින්ය. අවසන් පන්දුවාරයේ ප්‍රථම පන්දු 5ට ලකුණු 14ක් රැස් කරගැනීමට ඕස්ට්‍රේලියානුවන් සමත් වූ අතර අවසන් පන්දුවට හිමි වූ ඉලක්කය ලකුණු 5ක්. අවසන් පන්දුවෙන් ඕස්ට්‍රේලියානු අවසන් කඩුල්ල දවාගනිමින් තරඟය අවසන් මොහොතේ ජයග්‍රහණය කිරීමට ශ්‍රී ලංකා පිළට හැකියාව ලැබුණේ ලකුණු 4න්. මේ අනුව තරඟ 5න් සමන්විත එක්දින තරඟාවලිය එක් තරඟයක් ඉතුරු කරමින්ම 3-1ක් ලෙස ජයග්‍රහණය කළේ ශ්‍රී ලංකා කන්ඩායමයි.

முப்பது வருட சாதனை, ஆஸ்திரேலியர்களை வீழ்த்தி ஒரு போட்டி மீதம் உள்ள நிலையில் தொடரை கைப்பற்றிய இலங்கை!!

இலங்கை மற்றும் அவுஸ்திரேலியா அணிகளுக்கு இடையிலான நான்காவது ஒருநாள் போட்டி நேற்று ஆர் பிரேமதாச மைதானத்தில் நடைபெற்றது. முந்தைய மூன்று போட்டிகளின் தொடக்க இரண்டு போட்டிகள் பல்லேகலவிலும் மூன்றாவது போட்டி கொழும்பிலும் நடைபெற்றது. போட்டியின் முதல் போட்டியில் தோல்வியடைந்த போதிலும், இரண்டாவது மற்றும் மூன்றாவது போட்டிகளில் வெற்றி பெற்று சாதனை வெற்றிக்கு தயாராகி இன்றியமையாத வெற்றி வேகத்துடன் “யக்ஷா படவ்” இன்று பிரேமதாச மைதானத்திற்கு திரும்பியது.

கடந்த 2012ஆம் ஆண்டு அவுஸ்திரேலியாவுக்கு எதிராக இரு நாடுகளுக்கும் இடையில் அவுஸ்திரேலியாவில் இடம்பெற்ற ஒருநாள் தொடரை கைப்பற்றிய இலங்கையினால் இதுவரை அவர்களை தோற்கடிக்க முடியவில்லை. மேலும், 1992ஆம் ஆண்டு முதல் இலங்கையில் கங்காருக்களை இலங்கை அணியால் தோற்கடிக்க முடியவில்லை.

டாஸ் வென்ற ஆஸ்திரேலிய அணி பந்து வீச்சை தேர்வு செய்தது. இலங்கை அணியில் காயம் அடைந்த துஷ்மந்த சமீரவுக்கு பதிலாக வனிந்து ஹசரங்க ஒரே ஒரு மாற்றத்துடன் இலங்கை அணியில் சேர்க்கப்பட்டார்.

இலங்கை அணி 34 ஓட்டங்களுக்கு 3 விக்கெட்டுகளை இழந்திருந்தபோதும் சரித் அசலங்கா மற்றும் தனஞ்சய டி சில்வா ஆகியோர் நான்காவது விக்கெட்டுக்காக 101 ஓட்டங்களை குவித்தனர். தனஞ்சய 61 பந்துகளில் 60 ரன்கள் எடுத்தார், சரித் தனது முதல் ஒருநாள் சதத்தை 106 பந்துகளில் 110 ரன்கள் எடுத்தார். 49 ஓவர்கள் முடிவில் இலங்கை அணி 258 ரன்களுக்கு ஆல் அவுட்டாகி ஆஸ்திரேலிய அணிக்கு 259 ரன்கள் இலக்காக நிர்ணயித்தது.

துரத்தலில் சாமிக்க கருணாரத்ன அவுஸ்திரேலியாவை செழுமையாக ஆரம்பிப்பதற்கு இடமளிக்காத போதிலும், டேவிட் வார்னர் ஒரு முனையில் ஆடுகளத்தில் நிலைத்து நின்று, அவ்வப்போது நிலையான இணைப்பாட்டத்தை ஏற்படுத்தி வெற்றியை அவுஸ்திரேலியாவை நோக்கித் தள்ளினார். இருப்பினும், இலங்கை பந்துவீச்சாளர்கள் ஆடுகளத்தின் மறுமுனையில் இருந்து விக்கெட்டுகளை வீழ்த்த முடிந்தது, அதே நேரத்தில் வார்னர் மட்டும் ஒரு முனையில் இருந்தார். சமிக கருணாரத்ன ஐந்து ஓவர்களில் 19 ஓட்டங்களுக்கு இரண்டு விக்கெட்டுகளை வீழ்த்தினார், ஒவ்வொரு சுழற்பந்து வீச்சாளரும் குறைந்தது ஒரு விக்கெட்டையாவது வீழ்த்தி அவுஸ்திரேலிய அணிக்கு அழுத்தம் கொடுத்தார்.

கடைசி ஓவரில் 19 ரன்கள் கொடுத்தால் தோல்வி என்ற இலக்குடன் களமிறங்கிய இலங்கை கேப்டன் தசுன் ஷனக போட்டியின் இறுதி ஓவரை வீசும் பொறுப்பை தானே ஏற்றார். இறுதி ஓவரின் முதல் ஐந்து பந்துகளில் 14 ரன்கள் மட்டுமே எடுத்த ஆஸ்திரேலிய அணி, கடைசி பந்தில் 5 ரன்கள் எடுக்கும் என எதிர்பார்க்கப்பட்டது. போட்டியின் கடைசி பந்தில் ஆட்டத்தின் இறுதி விக்கெட்டை வீழ்த்தி போட்டியையும் தொடரையும் தசுன் கைப்பற்றினார். இந்தப் போட்டியில் இலங்கை அணி 4 ரன்கள் வித்தியாசத்தில் வெற்றி பெற்றது. ஐந்து போட்டிகள் கொண்ட ஒருநாள் தொடரை ஒரு போட்டி எஞ்சியுள்ள நிலையில் 3-1 என இலங்கை கைப்பற்றியது.

Football

Lifebuoy Bodywash Ball Blaster 2025 Kicks Off in Grand Style!

Published

6 days ago

October 9, 2025

Editor

Colombo, October 9, 2025 – The wait is finally over! The Lifebuoy Bodywash Ball Blaster 1st Eleven Football Challenge Trophy 2025 officially kicked off on October 4th with a spectacular start, marking another milestone in Sri Lanka’s school football journey.

Organized under the guidance of the Ministry of Education and in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Schools Football Association (SLSFA), the event is proudly organized and broadcast by Sri Lankan Sports TV (SLSTV). The tournament showcases the best of young Sri Lankan football talent from across the island, with 16 leading Division I schools vying for national glory.

Tournament Overview

The competition features 16 top football schools divided into four groups (A–D), competing in 24 matches during the group stages.
Following the intense group battles, the top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals, followed by semi-finals and the grand finale scheduled for November 9, 2025.

The opening day witnessed Gateway College and St. Joseph’s College, Colombo setting the tone with a thrilling curtain-raiser, while matches in Gampola, Eravur, Kalutara, and Jaffna are already electrifying local crowds with football fever.

Group Line-up

Group A

Zahira College, Colombo
Darrusalam College
Gampola Zahira College
Kingswood College, Kandy

Group B

Aligar Central College, Eravur
Kalutara Muslim Central College
Maristella College, Negombo
Royal College, Colombo

Group C

St. Joseph’s College, Colombo
St. Patrick’s College, Jaffna
St. Benedict’s College, Colombo
Gateway College

Group D

Hameed Al Husseinie College, Colombo
Al Falah College, Negombo
Baduriya Central College, Mawanella
Waddakachchi Central College, Kilinochchi

Key Fixtures

Oct 4: Gateway College vs St. Joseph’s College (City League, 2.00 PM)
Oct 6: Zahira College vs Darrusalam College (City League, 4.30 PM)
Oct 9: St. Benedict’s College vs Gateway College (University Grounds)
Oct 12: St. Patrick’s College vs St. Benedict’s College (City League, 3.30 PM)
Oct 19: St. Patrick’s College vs St. Joseph’s College (Jaffna Durayappa, 4.00 PM)
Oct 25–26: Quarter Finals
Nov 2: Semi Finals
Nov 9: 3rd Place Match & Grand Final

Proud Partners Behind the Tournament

The success of the Ball Blaster 2025 is powered by the commitment and partnership of Sri Lanka’s leading brands:

🧴 Title Sponsor: Lifebuoy Bodywash – Promoting health, hygiene, and youth empowerment through sport.
🥤 Refreshing Partner: Elephant House Lemonade – Keeping players and fans refreshed throughout the intense tournament.
✈️ Travel Partner: Sky Market Travel – Supporting smooth team travel and logistics across the island.
👕 Clothing Partner: Aacty Wear – Outfitting players, officials, and referees with professional-grade sportswear.

A Celebration of Youth Football

“The Lifebuoy Bodywash Ball Blaster 2025 is not just a tournament—it’s a celebration of youth, energy, and sporting excellence,” said the organizing team of Sri Lankan Sports TV. “With the support of our sponsors and partners, we are elevating the standard of school football in Sri Lanka and inspiring the next generation of athletes.”

Watch the Action Live

Fans can experience every thrilling moment of the Ball Blaster 2025 through Sri Lankan Sports TV’s exclusive coverage, including:
🎥 Live match broadcasts
📸 Highlights and interviews
📲 Digital updates on social media

👉 Visit Sri Lankan Sports TV Online for full fixtures, results, and exclusive stories.

The Future of School Football

The Lifebuoy Bodywash Ball Blaster 2025 has already captured the hearts of fans nationwide. With passion, teamwork, and the roar of young lions on full display, the journey toward the championship promises unforgettable footballing moments that define the future of the game in Sri Lanka.

Football

Lifebuoy Ball Blaster 2025: Sri Lanka’s Biggest School Football Showdown Gears Up

Published

4 weeks ago

September 19, 2025

Editor

Colombo, September 19 – The countdown is on for the Lifebuoy Ball Blaster 1st Eleven Football Challenge Trophy 2025, the most anticipated school football tournament of the year, set to bring together the best young footballing talent from across Sri Lanka.

Organized under the guidance of the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Schools Football Association (SLSFA), and broadcast by Sri Lankan Sports TV, the championship is expected to raise the standard of school football while creating unforgettable memories for players and fans alike.

Tournament Structure

This year’s edition will feature 16 Division 1 schools, divided into four groups of four teams. Over the course of the first round, a total of 24 matches will be played across Colombo, starting in the first week of October with a grand opening ceremony at 2:00 pm.

Opening Match: Hameed Al Hussaini College vs. Al Falah College, Negombo
Curtain Raiser: Zahira College, Colombo (defending champions) vs. Darrussaalam College, Colombo

The top two teams from each group will progress to the quarter-finals, followed by the semi-finals, before the Grand Finale in the first week of November. The final venue will be chosen based on the teams that qualify, ensuring equal support and excitement from school fans.

Sponsorship Partnerships

A strong line-up of sponsors is powering Ball Blaster 2025, making it a professionally executed tournament.

Title Sponsor – Lifebuoy: Leading the way, Lifebuoy continues to champion youth empowerment through sport, health, and hygiene, reinforcing its mission to build healthier, more active communities.

Refreshing Partner – Elephant House Lemonade: A timeless favorite in Sri Lankan households, Lemonade will keep players and fans refreshed as the heat of competition rises.

Official Travel Partner – Sky Market Travel: Supporting the smooth logistics of the event, ensuring school teams across regions can fully focus on their football journey.

Official Clothing Partner – Aacty Wear: Outfitting players, referees, and officials with professional, stylish gear that elevates the identity of school football and promotes local sportswear excellence.

First-Time Milestones

For the first time in history, the tournament has launched its very own official anthem, adding an extra layer of pride, passion, and identity to Ball Blaster 2025. The anthem’s lyrical video has already captured the excitement of fans, building momentum as kick-off draws near.

Furthermore, in a significant step towards supporting schools, the organizers have taken the initiative to provide all participating teams with playing kits and official kits. This move ensures equal opportunity and professionalism across the competition, uplifting both the players’ experience and the overall image of the championship.

A Celebration of Youth & Football

“The Lifebuoy Ball Blaster is not just a football tournament; it’s a celebration of youth, talent, and sportsmanship,” the organizers stated. “With the support of our valued partners Lifebuoy, Elephant House Lemonade, Sky Market Travel, and Aacty Wear, we are committed to elevating school football in Sri Lanka.”

Fans nationwide can look forward to live telecasts, highlights, and digital updates on Sri Lankan Sports TV, ensuring the energy of the matches reaches every corner of the country.

As excitement builds, one thing is clear – Ball Blaster 2025 is set to be more than just a tournament; it’s a stage for the next generation of Sri Lankan football stars to shine.

Football

AIFF Faces FIFA, AFC Ban Threat as October 30 Deadline Looms

Published

2 months ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

Indian football is staring at yet another international suspension as FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have jointly warned the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to ratify its long-pending constitution by October 30, 2025, or risk a complete ban from world football.

In a strongly-worded two-page letter sent on Tuesday (August 26) to AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey, FIFA and AFC expressed “profound concern” over the failure to finalise and implement a revised constitution, a matter pending before India’s Supreme Court since 2017.

If suspended, India’s national teams and clubs would be barred from all international competitions, while the country’s ambitious 2036 Olympic Games bid in Ahmedabad could also be thrown into uncertainty.

FIFA & AFC Ultimatum

The letter, signed by FIFA’s Chief Member Associations Officer Elkhan Mammadov and AFC Deputy General Secretary Vahid Kardany, set out three urgent requirements for the AIFF:

1. Obtain a definitive Supreme Court order approving the revised constitution.

2. Ensure full compliance with FIFA and AFC statutes.

3. Formally ratify the constitution at the next AIFF General Meeting.

Failure to comply, they warned, would trigger sanctions, including full suspension of AIFF membership.

Previous Suspension in 2022

This is not the first governance crisis to hit Indian football. In August 2022, FIFA suspended the AIFF for “third-party interference” after a court-appointed Committee of Administrators temporarily ran the federation. That ban lasted just two weeks, lifted only after fresh elections were held in which Kalyan Chaubey defeated football legend Bhaichung Bhutia.

Domestic Fallout – ISL in Crisis

The deadlock has already disrupted Indian football at the domestic level. The Indian Super League (ISL), India’s top-tier professional league, has been put “on hold” by Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), the AIFF’s commercial partner, due to uncertainty over its Master Rights Agreement, which expires in December 2025.

At least three clubs have suspended operations or delayed salaries, while all 11 ISL clubs have warned of an “existential crisis.” Reports from FIFPRO further highlight cases of players’ contracts being terminated, leaving livelihoods at risk.

The Supreme Court of India will hear the matter again on August 28, a session that could determine the immediate future of the ISL and India’s football calendar.

What’s at Stake

If AIFF fails to meet the October deadline, India could lose:

• Participation in FIFA and AFC tournaments.

• Entry rights for national teams and clubs in international competitions.

• Momentum in its 2036 Olympics bid.

• Credibility with players, fans, and commercial partners.

For now, the football fraternity in India waits anxiously for the Supreme Court’s verdict and AIFF’s ability to steer through yet another governance storm