Sports
Organisers investigating controversial finish of Beijing half marathon
Organisers of the Beijing half marathon are investigating allegations that three African athletes deliberately allowed China’s star runner He Jie to win Sunday’s race.
Footage appeared external to show Kenya’s Robert Keter and Willy Mnangat and Ethiopia’s Dejene Hailu pointing to the line and slowing down before waving past He, 25.
The result was criticised by some Chinese social media users.
Mnangat has told BBC Sport Africa that the trio ran as pacemakers. The Kenyan said four runners had been contracted to help He break the Chinese half-marathon record of one hour two minutes 33 seconds, and that one of them did not finish the race.
He missed out on the record with a time of 1:03:44, one second ahead of the trio, who tied for second place.
“I was not there to compete,” said Mnangat. “It was not a competitive race for me.”
A spokesperson at the Beijing Sports Bureau told AFP they were investigating the incident, adding: “We will announce the results to the public once they are available.”
Xstep, a Chinese sports brand who sponsored the event and have a contract with He, told Chinese state-owned The Paper external, The situation is still being confirmed and verified by multiple parties. Further information will be communicated as soon as possible.”
Mnangat added: “I don’t know why they put my name on my bib/chest number instead of labelling it as a pacemaker. “My job was to set the pace and help the guy win but unfortunately, he did not achieve the target, which was to break the national record.”
None of the other runners have commented on the incident yet.
China’s He won marathon gold at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou and is his country’s record holder for the full marathon.
A statement from World Athletics to BBC Sport said: “We are aware of the footage circulating online from the Beijing half marathon this weekend and understand an investigation is currently being conducted by the relevant local authorities. “The integrity of our sport is the highest priority at World Athletics, while this investigation is ongoing we are unable to provide further comment.”
Users of Chinese social media site Weibo have posted about the race, with a comment saying “this is no doubt the most embarrassing title of He Jie’s career” receiving more than 1,000 likes.
Another post added: “With such a major organiser and such a well-known event, this really pushes sportsmanship to the ground in shame.”
(BBC)
The Sri Lanka Cricket selection panel has handed the white-ball captaincy to Kusal Mendis for the upcoming all-format tour of the West Indies next month. Dhananjay de Silva will continue to lead the side in the two Tests.
Kusal Mendis takes over the ODI captaincy from Charith Asalanka, who was named in the 16-man squad, while Kamindu Mendis was named vice-captain. In T20Is, Kusal Mendis takes over the leadership from Dasun Shanaka, who led the side until the recent T20 World Cup, where Sri Lanka failed to make the knockouts. While Shanaka retained his place in the 16-man T20I squad, Asalanka did not.
Wanidu Hasaranga is set to return to action – named in the ODI and T20I squads – after his injury during the T20 World Cup has kept him off the field since early February. He tore his left hamstring at the time and missed the ongoing IPL after that for Lucknow Super Giants.
The tour starts with three ODIs from June 3 to 8 followed by the three T20Is on June 11, 13 and 14. The two Tests will be played at the Viv Richards Stadium in North Sound from June 25 to 29 and July 3 to 7.
Sri Lanka Test squad:
Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), Kamindu Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Udara, Nishan Madushka, Dinesh Chandimal, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Sonal Dinusha, Kusal Mendis, Milan Rathnayake, Prabath Jayasuriya, Ramesh Mendis, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Isitha Wijesundara, Kasun Rajitha
Sri Lanka ODI squad:
Kusal Mendis (capt), Kamindu Mendis (vice-capt), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Pavan Rathnayake, Janith Liyanage, Charith Asalanka, Milan Rathnayake, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka, Eshan Malinga, Asitha Fernando, Pramod Madushan
Sri Lanka T20I squad:
Kusal Mendis (capt), Kamindu Mendis (vice-capt), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Pavan Rathnayake, Lasith Croospulle, Dasun Shanaka, Milan Rathnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka, Eshan Malinga, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara
(Cricinfo)
Chasing the fourth playoffs spot, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) entered their match against Delhi Capitals (DC) at Eden Gardens hoping Mumbai Indians beat Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium. In that case, KKR would have needed to chase down their target in about 12 overs to pip Punjab Kings on net run rate and finish in the top four. But with Mumbai losing, both PBKS and KKR were knocked out, reducing this match to a dead rubber as early as the fourth over of the first innings.
In the end, KKR lost this game as well. After DC rode on KL Rahul’s 30-ball 60 to post 203 for 5, KKR were 126 for 3 after 13 overs. Kuldeep Yadav then dismissed Ajinkya Rahane and Rinku Singh off successive deliveries to derail them. Eventually, KKR were all out for 163 in 18.4 overs.
After opting to bowl, KKR started with left-arm spinner Anukul Roy to left-hand batter Abishek Porel. After two dots, Porel picked up two successive fours to make it a ten-run over. Left-arm seamer Saurabh Dubey, though, was effective. Sharing the new ball, he found movement off the seam and also used the slower ball to good effect. He conceded only five runs from his two overs in the powerplay and had Porel caught behind. Porel was dropped by Tejasvi Dahiya off Kartik Tyagi off 18 but could add only four more to his tally.
In the last over of the powerplay, Sahil Parakh also got a reprieve. He was on 7 when he reversed-swept Sunil Narine towards cover-point where Rinku grassed the chance. Narine eventually had him caught at extra cover for 24 off 17.
Rahul showed his class once again, especially against Narine. In the eighth over, he stepped out twice in a row and hit him for a six and a four. In the spinner’s next over, he launched him over long-on from the crease for another six. In all, Rahul hit Narine for 21 off nine balls. He reached his fifty off 25 balls before dragging Roy to long-on.
After Rahul’s wicket, Axar Patel and David Miller kept DC going. They added 41 off just 25 balls before Axar holed out to long-on trying a third six off Varun Chakravarthy’s final over. He made 39 off 25 balls. Dubey conceded only eight in the 18th over but Miller spoiled his figures somewhat in the 20th by hitting him for two sixes. The seamer had the last laugh, though, as he had Miller caught at mid-off off a full toss. Dubey was denied a third wicket by Dahiya, who dropped Ashutosh Sharma off the final delivery of the innings. Ashutosh, once again, played a handy knock of 18 not out off 11.
Finn Allen opened his account with a first-ball four off Mitchell Starc. In the bowler’s next over, he hit him for a six and a four off successive balls. From the other end, Rahane smashed back-to-back sixes off Auqib Nabi to take KKR to 43 after four overs. Lungi Ngidi provided some relief when he had Allen chopping on in a four-run fifth over. With Axar conceding only eight in the sixth, KKR ended the powerplay on 55 for 1.
Just when it looked like KKR were falling behind the asking rate, Rahane and Manish Pandey combined to hit Axar for three sixes in a 21-run eighth over. But Ngidi struck once again – he dismissed Pandey for 25, courtesy an excellent diving catch by Starc at long-on. In the next over, Kuldeep had Cameron Green caught at long-off, leaving KKR 96 for 3 in the tenth over.
Rahane brought up his fifty, his second of the season, off 31 balls but Kuldeep had him and Rinku caught in the deep off successive deliveries to dent KKR’s chase. He missed the hat-trick only because Porel put down Dahiya behind the stumps. Dahiya couldn’t capitalise on the reprieve and fell to Axar soon after.
When substitute fielder Sameer Rizvi’s direct hit from long-off found Rovman Powell short at the non-striker’s end, the end was swift. There was no Narine with the bat, as Allen had replaced him as Impact Player during the first innings itself, and the lower order didn’t have the skills to deal with Starc and Ngidi. All told, KKR lost their last seven wickets for 37 runs.
Brief scores:
Delhi Capitals 203 for 5 in 20 overs (Abhishek Porel 22, KL Rahul 60, Sahil Parakh 24, Axar Patel 39,David Miller 28, Ashutosh Sharma 18*; Anukul Roy 1-23, Saurabh Dubey 2-28, Sunil Narine 1-38, Varun Chakravarthy 1-35) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 163 in 18.4 overs (Ajinkya Rahane 63,Finn Allen 20, Manish Pandey 25, Rovman Powell 29; Mitchell Starc 2-26, Lungi Ngidi 3-27, Axar Patl 1-38, Kuldeep Yadav 3-29) by 40 runs
[Cricinfo]
Kolkata Knight Riders have signed Karnataka’s Luvnith Sisodia as a replacement for the injured Matheesha Pathirana ahead of their final round-robin clash of IPL 2026 against Delhi Capitals. Pathirana has been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament with a hamstring injury sustained during KKR’s win over Gujarat Titans last weekend.
Pathirana was one of KKR’s marquee signings at the player auction with the Knight Riders forking out INR 18 crore to avail his services. His arrival at the competition was delayed by a left calf injury sustained during Sri Lanka’s Super Eight finish at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, before he was cleared to join the team mid-April.
Having warmed the benches, Pathirana finally got into the XII against GT but bowled only 1.2 overs before going off the field with evident discomfort in his left hamstring.
Sisodia, a left-handed wicket-keeper batter who has played 15 T20s for Karnataka, is yet to play an IPL game. He has been part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru and KKR in the past, having been signed by the latter at the 2025 mega auction. His addition bolsters the team’s wicket-keeping stocks after Angkrish Raghuvanshi was ruled out with a concussion and a finger fracture.
KKR will stay in the hunt for the playoffs if Rajasthan Royals lose to Mumbai Indians. They must however beat Delhi Capitals by a huge margin in order to then pip Punjab Kings to the Eliminator. (Cricbuzz)
Sri Lanka name Kusal Mendis as ODI and T20I captain for West Indies tour
Cambodia’s former opposition leader receives royal pardon for 27-year sentence
Death toll rises to four in Philippines building collapse; 17 missing
India gifts 134 cabs to Sri Lanka Police
Landslide Early Warnings issued to the Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura extended till 1600 hrs on Tuesday [26]
Attacks on Ebola centres intensify in eastern DRC amid outbreak fears
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
Features6 days agoOctopus, Leech, and Snake: How Sri Lanka’s banks feast while the nation starves
-
Sports6 days agoSri Lanka women’s volleyball team ready for Central Asian challenge
-
Opinion5 days agoMurder of Ehelepola family, Bogambara Wewa and Sightings of Wangediya
-
News5 days agoSteps underway to safeguard Sri Lanka’s maritime heritage
-
Features2 days agoThe NPP’s pivot to the past
-
Business4 days agoHistoric launch of CCWE Fashion Week & International Summit 2026
-
Editorial5 days agoA play without its protagonist
-
News20 hours agoPolice probe underway to ascertain links between criminals deported from UAE and local politicians