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World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle commences with the England-Australia series

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Australia begins their defence of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) title in a high-profile series against England after winning the second edition with an emphatic 209-run victory over India in the final at The Oval on Sunday.

The five-match Ashes series begins in Birmingham on Friday with Lord’s, Leeds, Manchester and The Oval hosting the remaining matches. 

Australia play nine matches in this cycle away from home, which include two-Test series against New Zealand and Sri Lanka. At home, they play against India (five), Pakistan (three) and the West Indies (two), for a total of 10 Tests.

England feature in 10 Tests at home and 11 away. They host the West Indies (3) and Sri Lanka (2) apart from Australia, while playing away in India (five), Pakistan (3) and New Zealand (3).

India’s two-Test tour of the West Indies, where they play in Dominica and Trinidad next month, is also part of the third edition of the WTC.

The structure of the nine-team WTC remains the same with each team playing three home and three away series over a two-year period culminating in the final of a one-off Test. The points percentage system used in the previous edition will determine the leaderboard with teams getting 12 points for a win, six for a tie and four for a draw. 

The series in the championship remains as per the Men’s FTP announced last year. The media release distributed at the time of the announcement of the Men’s FTP is available here.

Wasim Khan, ICC’s General Manager of Cricket said the WTC had been great in enhancing interest in Test cricket and wished players all the best ahead of the new cycle.

Wasim Khan: “The third edition of the ICC World Test Championship begins on Friday with another highly anticipated series between England and Australia. 

“This championship has invigorated Test match cricket, bringing context for players and fans, and a high level of competitiveness as teams battle it out to be crowned World Test Champions at the end of the two-year cycle. 

“The big turnout out at The Oval over the five days and the incredible viewership levels across the globe for the final is testimony to the continued popularity of Test cricket.   

“I would like to thank the Member Boards for their continued support of this exciting concept and wish the players all the very best as they commence their journey towards becoming World Test Champions in 2025”.  

Captains Ben Stokes of England and Pat Cummins of Australia said they were excited and hoped to start well.

Ben Stokes: “We are looking forward to the new cycle of the World Test Championship, and hope we get off to a good start.

“The Ashes combined with World Test Championship points makes it an intriguing series against Australia. I am sure fans worldwide will be following the proceedings with eagerness. We are excited, for what the English summer holds.”

Pat Cummins: “It has been a very enjoyable and rewarding journey through this World Test Championship and we very much look forward to the next cycle. 

“It was a goal of ours to reach the final and the fact we were able to win is a great outcome for the group. It’s a great start to our UK tour but there’s plenty of hard work still to be done over the next five Test matches.”

WTC Fixtures Table

WTC 3HomeAway
2023-25Opp1HOpp2HOpp3HOpp1AOpp2AOpp3A
AUSIND5WI2PAK3NZ2ENG5SL2
BANNZ2SA2SL2IND2WI2PAK2
ENGAUS5WI3SL2NZ3IND5PAK3
INDNZ3ENG5BAN  2AUS5WI2SA2
NZAUS2ENG3SA2IND3BAN2SL2
PAKENG  3WI2BAN2AUS3SA2SL2
SAIND2PAK2SL2NZ2WI2BAN2
SLNZ2AUS2PAK2ENG2SA2BAN2
WIIND2SA2BAN2AUS2ENG3PAK2

Cricket

Chamudi Praboda to Lead Sri Lanka U19 Women on India Tour

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The Sri Lanka Cricket Selection Panel has named a 15-member Sri Lanka Under-19 Women’s squad for the upcoming tour of India, where the young cricketers will compete in both T20 and One Day formats.

Chamudi Praboda has been appointed captain of the side, while Sanjana Kavindi will serve as vice-captain and wicketkeeper. The tour is expected to provide valuable international exposure and competitive experience for the emerging players.

Sri Lanka will play three T20 matches in Chennai on June 22, 24 and 27, followed by three One Day matches in Pondicherry on June 30 and July 3 and 6.

The series will offer Sri Lanka’s young talents an important opportunity to test their skills against strong opposition and gain experience in challenging Indian conditions as they continue their development at international level.

The squad comprises Chamudi Praboda (Captain), Sanjana Kavindi (WK, Vice-Captain), Nethmi Upeksha, Manudi Nanayakkara, Limansa Thilakarathna, Umayangana Peiris, Danodya Sewmini, Nethagi Isuranjali, Pramudi Methsara, Yesali Jithara, Vimoksha Balasooriya, Sanuki Pathirage, Chamodi Herath, Aseni Thalagune and Daria Dissanayaka.

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Athletics

Rumesh Tharanga Reaches Historic World No. 3 Ranking

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Sri Lankan javelin star Rumesh Tharanga has achieved a remarkable milestone by climbing to World No. 3 in the latest global rankings, bringing pride and recognition to Sri Lankan athletics on the international stage.

Tharanga now holds 1,324 ranking points, placing him among the world’s elite javelin throwers. His rise to third place marks the highest-ever ranking achieved by a Sri Lankan male athlete in world athletics history, highlighting his dedication, hard work, and consistent performances over recent years.

The achievement is even more significant as Tharanga has become Asia’s highest-ranked javelin athlete, surpassing India’s celebrated thrower Neeraj Chopra. This accomplishment reflects the growing strength of Sri Lankan athletics and demonstrates the country’s ability to compete with the best athletes in the world.
Sports officials and fans across the island have welcomed the news with great enthusiasm.

Many view Tharanga’s success as an inspiration for young athletes who aspire to represent Sri Lanka on the global stage. His journey from a promising talent to one of the world’s top-ranked competitors showcases the rewards of perseverance and commitment to excellence.

His achievement stands as a proud moment for Sri Lanka and a significant chapter in the country’s sporting history.

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News

Dinara and Aahil Reach Finals at SSC ITF J30 Week 2

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Sri Lanka’s Dinara de Silva and Aahil Kaleel advanced to the girls’ and boys’ singles finals respectively at the ITF J30 Week 2 Junior Tennis Tournament being held at the SSC Courts from 2 to 8 June.

Dinara secured a dominant semifinal victory over the Maldives’ Karin Saizan, while Aahil battled through a tough three-set encounter against India’s Vivaan Mirdha to keep Sri Lankan hopes alive in the boys’ competition.

In the girls’ singles semifinals, Dinara produced an impressive display to defeat Karin Saizan 4-1, 4-0. Fellow Sri Lankan Yuhansa Peiris also booked her place in the final after overcoming India’s Aahida Singh 5-4, 4-0. Their victories set up an all-Sri Lankan championship clash.

The boys’ singles semifinals featured a thrilling contest between Aahil and Vivaan Mirdha. After winning the first set 4-2 and dropping the second 2-4, Aahil held his nerve to claim the match tie-break 10-7. In the other semifinal, India’s Shiok Chauhan defeated compatriot Punith Manchira 5-3, 4-2 to reach the final.

The girls’ final will see Dinara face Yuhansa, while Aahil will take on Chauhan in the boys’ title match.

Dinara enters the final in outstanding form, having won the Week 1 singles title. She also teamed up with Yuhansa to capture the Week 1 girls’ doubles championship. The tournament is particularly significant for Dinara as it marks her final ITF Junior tournament appearance on Sri Lankan soil before embarking on the next stage of her international tennis journey.

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