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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

Kamindu Mendis Shines as Sunrisers Hyderabad Break Chepauk Curse, Crush CSK’s Playoff Hopes | IPL 2025

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Sri Lankan all-rounder Kamindu Mendis delivered under pressure, helping Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) script a historic first-ever win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium during the IPL 2025 season.

Chasing a tricky target of 155, Mendis played a composed and crucial unbeaten knock of 32 off 22 balls, stitching an unbroken 49-run partnership with Nitish Kumar to seal a five-wicket victory with eight balls to spare. His calm presence at the crease when the game was delicately poised underlined his growing stature in T20 cricket.

Earlier, the Chennai Super Kings, once invincible at home, continued their disastrous 2025 campaign — suffering a fourth consecutive home defeat. Batting first, CSK stumbled despite a promising start, collapsing to 154 all out. Dewald Brevis impressed briefly on debut with a quickfire 42 runs, but it was Harshal Patel’s brilliant spell (4 wickets for 28 runs) that broke CSK’s backbone.

For CSK, promising youngster Ayush Mhatre shone early, but a middle-order collapse proved costly. Even skipper M.S. Dhoni’s tactical gamble of giving Sam Curran two overs backfired, as SRH batters capitalized to turn the game.

In the SRH chase, despite early hiccups — losing Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head quickly — Ishan Kishan’s fluent 44 and Kamindu Mendis’ finishing touch ensured Hyderabad stayed alive in the playoff race.

Meanwhile, in the updated IPL 2025 points table, Sunrisers Hyderabad now sits 8th with 6 points, while CSK languishes at the bottom with just 4 points from 9 games, effectively ending their playoff dreams.

Mendis’ all-round contribution, including a key wicket earlier, and his coolness in the chase were pivotal. While Harshal Patel deservedly took the Player of the Match award, Sri Lanka can proudly celebrate Kamindu’s evolving prowess on the IPL stage.


Points Table Update (After SRH vs CSK Match):

  • GT, DC, and RCB are leading the race with 12 points each.
  • PBKS and MI are close behind with 11 and 10 points.
  • CSK and RR are at the bottom with just 4 points, all but knocked out of the playoffs.
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Kaya Daluwatte and Reshan Algama Shine at 16th Faldo Series Asia Grand Final in Vietnam

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Sri Lanka’s promising golf talents Kaya Daluwatte and Reshan Algama showcased their growing international class with stellar performances at the prestigious 16th Faldo Series Asia Grand Final, held at the stunning Laguna Golf Lang Co in Vietnam.

Facing off against the finest junior golfers from the Asia-Pacific region—including representatives from Australia, England, Japan, India, and Wales—both Kaya and Reshan rose to the occasion, underlining Sri Lanka’s emerging strength in the sport.

Kaya Daluwatte delivered one of her career-best performances, finishing as the runner-up in the Girls’ Under-16 category. After three composed rounds, she posted a remarkable final score of even-par 216, highlighted by an impressive 2-under-par finish in the final round. Despite Japan’s Al Goto clinching the title with a score of 213, Kaya’s climb up the leaderboard captured widespread admiration. Her poise, precision, and birdies during the crucial back-nine holes showcased a maturity well beyond her years.

This runner-up finish at one of Asia’s top junior championships marks a historic achievement for Sri Lankan golf, signaling that the nation’s junior golfers are ready to challenge the region’s traditional powerhouses.

In the Boys’ Under-16 category, Reshan Algama also left his mark by securing a strong fourth-place finish with a gross score of 218. Although his final round did not match the brilliance of his earlier efforts, Reshan displayed commendable composure against a highly competitive international field. His consistency across top-level tournaments reflects his rapid development into a serious contender on the global junior golf circuit.

Vietnam’s Tuan Anh Nguyen dominated the Boys’ division, leading from start to finish to claim the title with a superb score of 205. India’s Arshvant Srivastava and Kanav Chauhan finished second and third, with scores of 214 and 216 respectively.

Kaya and Reshan’s performances not only bring pride to Sri Lanka but also signal a bright future for the country’s junior golfing scene on the Asian stage.

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SAFF Championship Postponement Exposes Deeper Issues Within FFSL

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The much-anticipated SAFF Championship, originally scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka in July 2025, has now been officially postponed to 2026—a move that has raised serious concerns over the competence and credibility of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL).

According to the SAFF Executive Committee, the decision to delay the tournament stemmed largely from pressure exerted by its marketing partner, Sportfive, which advocated for a home-and-away format to increase commercial value. Furthermore, it is reported that Sportfive preferred the event be hosted in Bangladesh or India, citing better sponsor access and commercial feasibility in those countries if the tournament were to follow a centralized model.

However, beyond external pressure, this development highlights a troubling reality: the FFSL’s inability to effectively organize and defend Sri Lanka’s hosting rights on the international stage. This isn’t merely a scheduling issue—it reflects a deeper pattern of administrative shortcomings, lack of vision, and prioritization of media narratives over tangible development.

As previously reported by Sri Lankan Sports TV, the FFSL continues to focus more on optics and media stunts rather than on the foundational work required to uplift football in the country. The failure to safeguard Sri Lanka’s opportunity to host a major regional tournament not only affects the sport’s growth domestically but also damages the nation’s reputation within South Asian football.

For a federation that has long promised reform and transparency, this latest setback exposes how little progress has actually been made. When commercial partners have more sway than the national football body itself, it’s a clear indication that local football governance is being undermined by weak leadership and poor planning.

This should be a wake-up call—not just for the FFSL, but for every stakeholder invested in the future of Sri Lankan football. The time for slogans and staged announcements is over. Sri Lanka needs action, accountability, and genuine commitment to building a sustainable footballing culture. Until then, headlines like this will only continue to reflect a sport lost in mismanagement.

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