Sports
Valvoline joins Lanka Premier League as sponsor
Valvoline, the premium brand of lubricant from USA , proudly announces its momentous partnership as the official associate sponsor for the Lanka Premier League (LPL).
In addition to its role as the associate sponsor for LPL, Valvoline is delighted to announce its partnership with the esteemed Galle Gladiators team, spearheaded by the dynamic Sri Lankan ODI cricket captain, Dasun Shanaka. This alliance underscores Valvoline’s dedication to supporting cricket and fostering a deeper connection with its local consumers.
Commenting on the sponsorship, Valvoline Country Manager for Sri Lanka & Maldives, Dinushka Jayatissa, said, “Valvoline has been a part of Sri Lanka for over two decades through our local distributor, United Motors Lanka PLC. We look forward to actively engaging with our local customers during this exciting tournament and beyond.”
Dating back to its inception in 1866, Valvoline has forged an extraordinary global legacy, etching its name as one of the most revered lubricant brands across the world. With a relentless pursuit of innovation and an unwavering emphasis on quality, Valvoline has risen to become a benchmark for excellence in the lubricant industry. Its products have garnered the trust of millions, driving industries and powering vehicles on both land and water.
Over the years, Valvoline has continuously evolved, expanding its reach to every corner of the globe. This evolution has solidified its position as one of the most recognized and respected brands worldwide. As it continues to blaze new trails in lubrication technology, Valvoline remains devoted to meeting the diverse needs of its customers across various sectors.
Valvoline’s recent takeover by one of the largest companies in the world, Aramco marks a transformative milestone in the brand’s journey, promising to reinforce its position as a global leader in lubricants. With Aramco’s unparalleled expertise and resources, Valvoline is set to unleash a new era of strength, innovation, and quality. The synergistic partnership will empower Valvoline to enhance its product range, delivering even higher-quality lubricants tailored to diverse industry needs. As the LPL continues, Sri Lankan cricket enthusiasts can expect an unforgettable tournament. Valvoline remains committed to fostering strong connections with the Sri Lankan community and looks forward to embarking on more initiatives of this nature in the future.
Sports
Kishan leads India’s batting show in warm-up win over South Africa
India’s explosive batting juggernaut rolled on to the doorstep of the men’s T20 World Cup 2026, helping them beat South Africa by 30 runs in the warm-up fixture at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. The margin of defeat only reduced because of two overs of 22 and 20 against Shivam Dube at the death.
Opting to bat at a ground which saw teams preferring to chase in the first leg of WPL 2026, Ishan Kishan got India off to an explosive start. He rollicked to a 20-ball 53, which included a sequence of 6, 6, 4, 6 in the fifth over from Anrich Nortje, before retiring out as India finished the powerplay on 83 for 1. Tilak Varma, who played the warm-up for India A a couple of nights ago at the same venue and linked up with the Indian squad just before this warm-up game, looked fluent from get-go in his 19-ball 45.
Suryakumar Yadav as well as Hardik Pandya later freed their arm without inhibition as India posted a mammoth 240 for 5. Nortje, who has played just one international since the last T20 World Cup, conceded 57 in his three overs on the night, after his comeback game against West Indies last week also gave him figures of 3-0-59-0. Kagiso Rabada, too, was expensive, going for 44 off his three overs.
For South Africa, Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton added 65 in just five overs in the powerplay. Markram hit four sixes in his 19-ball 38 while Rickelton, batting at No. 3, made 44 off 21. But they kept losing wickets regularly and had lost half their side by the 11th over.
Jason Smith, Tristan Stubbs and Marco Jansen kept peppering the boundaries to punish Abhishek Sharma and then Dube but the challenge was too steep by then.
Brief scores:
India 240 for 5 in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 53, Tilak Varma 45, Axar Patel 35*; Marco Jansen 1-18) beat South Africa 210 for 7 in 20 overs (Tristan Stubbs 45*, Ryan Rickelton 44, Aiden Markram 38, Jason Smith 35; Abhishek Sharma 2-32) by 30 runs
[Cricinfo]
Latest News
Sparkling Aaron George ton seals record chase, powers India into U19 WC final
On a batting beauty at the Harare Sports Club, India’s assembly line of batting talent was out in full splendour in the Under-19 World Cup semifinal. There were two centurions in a statement innings from Afghanistan, but Uzairullah Niazai and Faisal Shinozada’s knocks – glorious as they were – were rendered footnotes by a superb century from Aaron George, who led India’s record chase of 311 with the kind of composure that belied his low scores from earlier in the tournament.
Afghanistan 310/4 in 50 overs (Faisal Shinozada 110, Uzairullah Niazai 101; Kanishk Chouhan 2-55, Deepesh Devendran 2-64) lost to India 311/3 in 41.1 overs (Aaron George 115, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 68, Ayush Mhatre 62; Nooristani Omarzai 2-64) by 7 wickets.
Latest News
Pakistan PM Sharif on India boycott: ‘A very considered stance, and we should completely stand by Bangladesh’
Shehbaz Sharif, the Pakistani Prime Minister, has said Pakistan’s decision to boycott the game against India at the men’s T20 World Cup 2026 was a show of solidarity with Bangladesh, after their removal from the tournament.. It is the first time any official from either the Pakistan state or the PCB has publicly touched upon the reasons for the boycott.
“We have taken a very clear stand on the T20 World Cup that we won’t play the match against India because there should be no politics on the sports field,” Sharif told members of his cabinet on Wednesday. “We have taken a very considered stance, and we should completely stand by Bangladesh, and I think this is a very appropriate decision.”
The Pakistan government put out a post on Sunday saying that while the team would participate in the T20 World Cup, it would not take the field in the February 15 group game against India. The post, which came after a week in which Pakistan’s participation in the tournament had become uncertain, did not give any reason for the decision.
The PCB has not spoken publicly on the matter, but the ICC issued a response a few hours after the X post, in which it said it hoped “that the PCB will consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country as this is likely to impact the global cricket ecosystem, which it is itself a member and beneficiary of.”
It is not known whether the PCB has officially notified the ICC, or whether there has been any contact between the two bodies. The ICC had said that it “expects the PCB to explore a mutually acceptable resolution, which protects the interests of all stakeholders.”
The Prime Minister’s comments confirm, however, that the boycott decision is linked to what the PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi – the interior minister in Sharif’s government – called the ICC’s double standards in excluding Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup.
Bangladesh were replaced in the world event after their government refused to let the team travel to India, where they were based for their games. The government, citing security concerns, wanted Bangladesh to play their games instead in Sri Lanka, the co-hosts for the event, and where Pakistan will play all their games.
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