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Sri Lanka hold nerve in face of Esha Oza onslaught to seal T20 World Cup berth
Sri Lanka Women overcame a spirited run-chase from United Arab Emirates in their World Cup Qualifier semi-final in Abu Dhabi, to seal their place in the main event in Bangladesh later this year, as well as a place in Tuesday’s final, where they will face fellow qualifiers, Scotland.
After being asked to bat first, Sri Lanka posted a competitive 149 for 6 in an innings that was well anchored by Vishmi Gunnaratne, who top-scored with 45 from 44 balls.
Gunaratne added 52 for the first wicket with Chamari Athapaththu, who made a run-a-ball 21, and when she fell at 106 for 3 at the end of the 16th over, the middle order picked up the tempo to add 43 in the final three overs. Nilakshika Silva was stumped off the final ball of the innings after three fours in a 10-ball 18.
In reply, Inoshi Fernando gave Sri Lanka a huge lift by bowling Theertha Satish for a duck at the end of her first over, but UAE were not fazed, least of all Esha Oza, whose 66 from 44 balls included two fours and four sixes, and gave her team real belief that an upset was on the cards.
She was given vital support by Khushi Sharma (22 from 23) and Kavisha Egodage (16 from 20), but after Athapaththu had broken through to end Egodage’s stay, Udeshika Prabodhani bowled Oza in her next over, before the run-out of Heena Hotchandani completed a collapse of 3 for 7 in 12 balls.
Athapaththu added a second wicket to remove Samaira Dharnidharka for 5, and though Vaishnave Mahesh kept UAE fighting to the end with 13 not out from eight balls, the asking-rate was already too much.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka Women149 for 6 in 20 overs (Vishmi Gunaratne 45, Chamari Athapaththu 21, Harshitha Samarawickrema 24; Kavisha Egodage 1-28, Vaishnave Mahesh 2-33, Esha Oza 2-27) beat United Arab Emirates Women 134 for 7 in 20 overs (Esha Oza 66, Khushi Sharma 22; Inoshi Priyadarshani 1-29, Sugandika Kumari 1-21, Udeshika Prabodhani 1-31, Chamari Athapaththu 2-28) by 15 runs
(Cricinfo)
The Israeli military has claimed in a post on X Tuesday that it has killed Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of the Basij unit, the internal security paramilitary militia of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
“Guided by precise intelligence from Military Intelligence, the Air Force conducted a targeted strike yesterday in the heart of Tehran, eliminating Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the Basij unit over the past six years,” it said on Tuesday.
Iran has not commented on, nor confirmed this claim.
If confirmed, Soleimani would be the highest level assassination in the war since United States-Israeli strikes killed the former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and several members of his family on the first day of the war they launched on February 28.
The US Treasury records Soleimani’s birth year as 1965. He has been sanctioned by the United States, the European Union, and other countries for his alleged role in suppressing dissent through the Basij.
[Aljazeera]
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he is planning to delay a high stakes visit to China later in March by about a month because of the Iran war.
“We’ve requested that we delay it a month or so,” he told reporters at the White House, adding that it was important that he remained available to oversee the war.
The meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping is currently set to take place between 31 March to 2 April, following their last face to face talks i October last year.
Chinese foreign affairs spokesman Lin Jian said on Tuesday that Beijing and Washington are in talks over “the timing and related matters of President Trump’s visit to China”.
The Iran War has eclipsed most of Trump’s other foreign policy priorities, faced with an intensifying conflict and disruptions to the global oil supply, which has threatened to raise prices in the US.
Trump said he had proposed the delay solely to make sure he was around to manage the war.
“I’m looking forward to being with him,” he said, referring to Xi. “We have a very good relationship.”
“There’s no tricks to it either,” Trump added. “It’s very simple. We’ve got a war going on. I think it’s important that I be here.”
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday that the meeting’s delay would not be due to Washington’s request that Beijing help in the Gulf, or any trade disagreements.
Bessent said: “The President wants to remain in DC to coordinate the war effort… Travelling abroad at a time like this may not be optimal.”
The latest development comes a day after Trump told the Financial Times that he might postpone the meeting if China did not help unblock the Strait of Hormuz – a critical waterway for the Gulf’s energy shipments.
He also called on other nations to help ships transit safely through the channel.
Trump’s remarks come as frictions between the world’s two largest economies have grown, fuelled by the Iran war.
Beijing is a major buyer of Iranian energy exports and has criticised the US and Israeli strikes against the country.
Washington also announced it would investigate trade practices among a list of countries, including China, after Trump’s signature tariff policy was struck down by the Supreme Court in February.
Representatives from the US and China have met in Paris in recent days for negotiations, such as over investments, tariffs and economic sanctions.
The sides reached consensus on some issues and will carry on with negotiations, Chinese trade representative Li Chenggang was quoted as saying in state media outlet Xinhua on Monday.
US representatives briefed their Chinese counterparts on changes to Washington’s tariff measures, said Li.
Chinese negotiators expressed “serious concern” about Washington’s plans to probe the country’s trade practices and urged the US to maintain economic stability, he said.
[BBC]
Latest News
Heat Index at Caution Level at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Monaragala, Mannar and Vavuniya districts
Warm Weather Advisory Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology at 3.30 p.m. on 16 March 2026, valid for 17 March 2026
The general public are warned that the Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Monaragala, Mannar and Vavuniya districts.
The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.
Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.
ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.
Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.
Israel claims to have assassinated commander of Iran’s Basij militia unit
Trump seeks to delay meeting with Xi in China
Pakistan lodge official complaint about Bangladesh’s review at end of chase
Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in the Central, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and Uva provinces after 2.00 pm.
Government’s objective is to ensure the continuous functioning of the country’s economic activities and essential services through effective energy management – President
UN resolution on Iran ‘unbalanced’: FM Herath
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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