Sports

Charith Asalanka – SL’s one-of-a-kind rescue package

Published

3 years ago

2023/09/16

Charith Asalanka steered Sri Lanka home with a nerveless unbeaten 49

Charith Asalanka, midway through a follow-through of a big shot, is gritting his teeth while his bat is twisted around to face the bowler, above his head. If a seasoned cricket-watcher saw a still of this moment, they might guess that something has gone very wrong for Asalanka.

It hasn’t. Asalanka is just fine. He has just shoveled an offcutter from Shaheen Shah Afridi in the air, past mid-off for four. Not hit a four, mind. Shoveled one.

Sri Lanka’s No. 5 batter is many things. A former Under-19 captain, an occasional bowler who can be effective on turning decks (as India found out), and a reliable outfielder. But he is not a pretty cricketer. Even just within this batting group, he has none of Dhananjaya de Silva’s effortless cool, little of Kusal Mendis or Sadeera Samarawickrama’s fluency, doesn’t have the fast hands of Kusal Perera, or the efficiency of Pathum Nissanka.

We do not aesthetic-shame batters here. So we will not call Asalanka’s cricket ugly. We will instead dwell on his many qualities. No other Sri Lanka middle-order batter can find boundaries so consistently in the first 15 balls of their innings as Asalanka. In this match, he thunked Iftikhar Ahmed over the deep midwicket rope (a go-to area, early in his innings) seventh ball.

And this four, off Afridi’s offcutter, is only the second boundary Asalanka has struck in this innings, but is off his 34th ball, and takes his score to 31. This tells you the other thing you need to know about him – the man knows how to work the gaps through the middle overs. He runs his singles urgently, calls his twos early, and even in tense situations such as this, tends to have clear communication with his partners. If you’re pretty fast, pretty skilful, and pretty conscientious, do you need to bother being pretty?

On a night and early morning (this match finished after 1 am) in which the Khettarama crowd was revelling in their baila breaks, dancing at every opportunity, the papare coming out of the northern stand, the crowd did not have any particular love for Asalanka. They roared for every run off his bat, and moved their hips for every boundary, but they would have done this for any Sri Lanka batter.

Earlier in the evening, when Mendis was making his way through his vital 91, many had had his name on their lips. Later, when Sadeera Samarawickrama was hit in the helmet by an Afridi slower ball and was visibly shaken, needing the physio’s attention, the crowd began to chant, “Sadeera, Sadeera,” willing the batter to recover even while he was undergoing a concussion test. Two nights ago, Khettarama was creaming for Dunith Wellalage, who was spectacular that evening.

Asalanka, may not have ready chants just yet. What he does have is a body of work. Since the start of 2021, no batter on the planet has as many as his 1248 runs at No. 5. This is with an average of 46.22, and a strike rate of 90, if you’re wondering. And this is despite his having only made his ODI debut in late June of 2021. He is almost 300 runs clear of the next-most prolific No. 5 – no less than Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza.

There is enough here to seed the thought that there is no one better in this specialised position than Asalanka. He has a decent top order to protect him now, but generally a poor lower middle order with whom to forge partnerships, as was the case against Pakistan.

But there is no shortage of love for him from his team-mates. On the third-to-last ball of the innings, Pramod Madushan missed with a big heave, but made sure he grounded his bat at the striker’s end while the keeper’s underarm throw went through, so he could protect Asalanka’s wicket as Asalanka ran through to the striker’s end.

Eventually it turns out that Sri Lanka needed two to win off the last ball. And here is the moment that perfectly encapsulates Asalanka – he gets a slower ball on off stump, and instead of trying to bash it to the boundary, he calmly shuffles across, clips it behind square on the leg side where he knows there is space, puts his head down, and sprints two.

The ball does not reach the boundary, because it did not have pace to begin with, and Asalanka has not hit it particularly hard. What he has done, is put it carefully into space. So much space that the fielders in the vicinity do not even seriously give chase. There is no point. This is so obviously a shot that is going to produce two runs. It is just enough. No unnecessary risks taken. No glory shots attempted.

When the win is secured, some of Asalanka’s team-mates storm the field and plant big, wet kisses on his head. Almost all of them are six inches taller.

None of them, though, have won a tense match with a measured flick to deep backward square off the last ball, putting their team in a major final. None of them are quite like Asalanka.

(Cricinfo)

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Ronaldo apologizes for Portugal walkout; says Jesus broke promise

Published

7 hours ago

2026/10/7

Priyan

Cristiano Ronaldo is Portugal's leading scorer (Aljazeera)

Cristiano Ronaldo has accused Portugal ‌coach Jorge Jesus of twice breaking his word, saying a failed agreement to publicly ⁠explain his omission ⁠against Norway drove him out of the camp, but insisting he remained available after any punishment.

In a lengthy statement, the 41-year-old gave his account of the dispute ⁠that prompted his departure from Copenhagen before Portugal’s Nations League match versus Denmark last week.

Ronaldo said Jesus had agreed a plan under which the forward would miss the Norway and Denmark ⁠matches to manage his fitness. However, on the day of the Norway game, the coach told him he would play for 30 minutes.

“Everyone knows the rest. I warmed up from halftime onwards, watched the minutes tick by and wasn’t called on,” Ronaldo said.

“The manager had broken his word to me.”

Portugal’s ‌captain and all-time leading scorer said a subsequent meeting with Jesus, attended by his club side Al Nassr’s sporting director Simao Coutinho, produced an agreement for the coach to clarify events at his next news conference.

According to Ronaldo, an eight-point document was prepared saying he had never demanded playing time, had respected Jesus’s decisions and that the coach asking him to warm up without bringing him on had been a mistake.

Ronaldo said the agreed notes did ⁠not require Jesus to apologise to him but said the coach’s ⁠public remarks bore no resemblance to their private discussion.

“It was the second time he had broken his word to me,” Ronaldo said. “I decided to leave the training camp without waiting for any further broken promises.”

The statement provided Ronaldo’s account⁠, but on Sunday, after Portugal’s win over Norway, Jesus denied he had made any agreement with the player, nevertheless leaving the door open ⁠for his return.

The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) did not immediately respond ⁠to a request for comment about Ronaldo’s statement.

Ronaldo apologised for failing to greet supporters after the Norway match and for leaving his teammates, accepting that his captaincy made his conduct more serious.

“The consequences of my actions must be assessed ‌and punished by the Portuguese Football Federation,” he said.

Despite the rupture, Ronaldo said he was not limiting his international ambitions to a farewell appearance.

“If I’m physically fit, playing for my club – scoring ‌goals, ‌I hope – after serving whatever suspension is imposed on me, I’ll be available, as I’ve always been until now, to compete and win for our national team,” he added.

(Aljazeera)

Sports

Nalanda on the cusp of reaching knockout stage as unbeaten run continues

Published

8 hours ago

2026/10/7

Sahan Weerasooriya

Rusandu Silva has nine wickets against his name after three matches.

by Reemus Fernando

Nalanda College, Colombo continued their unbeaten run to come closer to securing a berth in the knockout stage as they beat Gurukula College by nine wickets in the Under 19 Division I Tier A Limited Overs Tournament match played at Campbell Place on Tuesday.

‎With Rusandu Silva continuing his impressive run in the tournament, Nalanda did well to restrict the team from Kelaniya to just 113 runs (in 35.4 overs).

‎After two outings Rusandu had six wickets against his name coming to this match.‎Rusandu and Methuka Perera claimed three wickets each. ‎Lithum Wijekumara also impressed with two wickets, while Santhul Wijeyarathne took one.

‎Adeepa Pinsara was the only batsman to make a contribution of note as he top-scored with 35 off 49 balls, including four fours and two sixes, while Javindu Madusanka made 20.

‎In their chase Nalanda made light work of the modest target, reaching 114 for one, scoring at a rate of over a run a ball.

‎Nadul Jayalath cracked an unbeaten 62 from just 52 balls. His innings contained four fours and five sixes. He received valuable support from Lithum Wijekumara, who scored 35 off 42 deliveries with six boundaries.

‎Ranmith Senarath completed the successful chase with an unbeaten 10 off seven balls, including two fours.

‎Nalanda lost only one wicket as the opening pair added 89 for the first wicket. Jayalath and Senarath then finished the contest comfortably, securing a convincing nine-wicket victory with many overs to spare.

‎It was Nalanda’s third successive victory in the Tier A tourney after having beaten Thurstan (155) by seven wickets and St. Servatius’ Matara (187) by four wickets in the first two matches.

‎As of now, they are the leading team in Group G where they have only St. Joseph’s Darley Road to meet before the knockout stage.

‎With just two teams advancing to the next stage from each Group Nalanda are almost assured of their place.

Sports

Wins for Hayley’s Group ‘A’ , HNB ‘A’ and CDB on Saturday

Published

8 hours ago

2026/10/7

Sahan Weerasooriya

33RD SINGER – MCA Super PREMIER LEAGUE

Hayley’s Group ‘A’, HNB ‘A’ and CDB registered wins by defeating Colombo Aces, Fairfirst Insurance and SLC Youth in the matches of the Mercantile Cricket Association’s Super Premier League cricket tournament on Sunday (04).

The MCA Super Premier League is sponsored by Singer Sri Lanka for the 33rd consecutive year.

At the Bloomfield Cricket ground, Nishan Madushka, Pulindu Perera and Minod Dhanuka smashed half tons as Hayley’s Group ‘A’ registered their second win of the tournament defeating Colombo Aces by six wickets.

At the Thurstan ground, Nipun Dhananjaya and Muditha Lakshan posted eighty plus scores to help CDB amass 307/8, which the bowlers defended by 71runs.

At the Colts Ground Milan Rathnayake starred with bat and ball [71 and 3-24] to help HNB ‘A’ overcome SLC Youth by 41 runs. Rehan Pieris topped SLC Youth score card with a 108 ball 77 with six fours and a six.

At Bloomfield Ground Colombo:

Hayley’s overcome Colombo Aces by six wickets

Colombo Aces 222/10 in 49 overs

[ Kavin Bandara 62, Dinura Kalupahan 50; Dhanajaya Lakshan 2-14, Ramesh Mendis 4-36]

Hayleys Group A 227/4 in 25.2 overs [Nishan Madushka 61, Pulindu Perera 51, Minod Bhanuka 54; Dinura Kalupahana 2-35]

At Thurstan College Ground:

CDB BY 71 runs

CDB 307/8 in 50 overs

[ Vishsd Randika 53, Nipun Dhananjaya 86, Muditha Lakshan 89; Himesh Ramanayake 3-49, ]

Fairfirst Insurance 236/10 in 46.4 overs

[Sanoj Dharshika 58, Yasiru Rodriga 78; Movin Subasinghe 3-27, Lahiru Madushanka 2-16]

At Colts ground;