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Sri Lanka opt to bowl; India pick Parag, Rinku
Charith Asalanka Sri Lanka’s new T20I captain, won the toss and put India into bat in the first T20I in Pallekele. Asalanka stressed on the need to create the right environment for his young squad, while targeting “more wins than what we’ve had recently.”
Sri Lanka went in with three frontline fast bowlers, with Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga as their frontline spin options. Dasun Shanaka, the former captain, also found a place in the XI as an all-round option.
Suryakumar Yadav, Asalanka’s opposite number, wasn’t too fussed about setting a score. He emphasised on trying to stick to a similar template that brought them T20 World Cup glory last month.
India chose to lengthen their batting, with Axar Patel slotted in at No. 8. It meant they had four specialist bowlers, Axar included, while Hardik Pandya and Riyan Parag were expected to chip in with the ball. Rinku Singh was also preferred as a finisher over Shivam Dube.
The Indian team management also backed Rishabh Pant to continue at No. 3, a spot he held at the T20 World Cup, leaving Sanju Samson waiting for his opportunities.
India, the world champions, are coming off a 4-1 T20I series win with a largely second-string squad in Zimbabwe earlier in the month. Most of the Sri Lankan players are coming in on the back of a month-long Lanka Premier League stint.
Both sides are under a new coach: while Gautam Gambhir takes over from Rahul Dravid full-time, Sri Lanka have handed the reigns to former captain Sanath Jayasuriya on an interim basis.
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka (capt), Wanindu Hasaranga, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka
India: Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Riyan Parag, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj
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UAE keep semi-final hopes alive after convincing win over Indonesia
A complete performance from UAE’s bowling unit kept their semi-final hopes alive at the 2026 Women’s T20 Asia Cup, skittling Indonesia for 73 and then completing the chase with six wickets to spare. They now have to beat Bangladesh on September 8 and also hope other results go their way.
UAE were on top right from the first ball courtesy offspinner Suraksha Kotte, who starred with 3 for 16. Kotte struck with the first two balls of the innings, dismissing Indonesia opener Maria Corazon and No. 3 Ni Luh Dewi for first-ball ducks. UAE captain Esha Oza (2 for 11) then dismissed the other opener Rahmawati Pangestuti in the fourth over.
Indonesia captainN8 Puu Ayu Nanda Sakarini top-scored with a lone hand of 39 off 52 balls, with four fours and a six, accounting for 53.4% of Indonesia’s runs. But with little support, they could not find a way back in and were bowled out for 73.
Slow left-arm spinner Heena Hotchandani (2 for 6) and seamer Samaira Dharnidharka (1 for 12) also got among the wickets. Legspinner Vaishnave Mahesh struck twice in the 20th over to clean up the tail.
UAE openers Theertha Satish and Oza put on 17 for the first wicket. After losing Theertha in the fifth over, Oza hit two boundaries in each of the sixth and eighth overs. No. 3 Rinitha Rajith then hit three fours off Sofia Velic in the ninth over.
A brief wobble followed for UAE as they slid from 62 for 1 to 68 for 4. Oza fell for a 29-ball 30 at the start of the 11th over to Ni Ariani and Velic grabbed two wickets in the 12th. However, with only six runs needed, UAE wrapped up the chase at the start of the 14th over, the tournament hosts securing two points with 41 balls to spare. This was also Indonesia’s final match of the campaign, bowing out with losses in all three games.
Scores:
UAE Women 75 for 4 8n 13.1 overs (Esha Oza 30, Rinitha Rajith 22; Ni Riani 1-10, Sang Maypriani 1-17, Sofia Velic 2-25) beat IndonesiaWomen 73 in 19.4 overs (N8 Putu Ayu Nanda Sakarini 39, Desi Wulandari 12; Suraksha Kotte 3-16, Heena Hotchandani 2-06, Esha Oza 2-11, Samira Dharnidarkha 1-12 ) by six wickets
(Cricinfo)
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Sun directly overhead Moratuwa, Kesbewa, Handapangoda, Idalgashinna, Yudhaganawa, Kotiyagala and Panama about 12.08 noon today (05)
The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.
The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is
overhead today (05) are Moratuwa, Kesbewa, Handapangoda, Idalgashinna, Yudhaganawa, Kotiyagala and Panama about 12.08 noon
Latest News
Kusal Mendis, Binura Fernando ruled out of T20I series in England
Kusal Mendis and Binura Fernando have been ruled out of Sri Lanka’s upcoming T20I series against England, with the SLC saying that the two were “still undergoing rehabilitation” after injuries picked up at the 2026 Lanka Premier League.
The update came just over a day after the two were named in the 16-member squad, with Kusal retained as captain of both the T20I and the ODI sides.Charith Asalanka, who had returned to the vice-captain’s position for the series, will now lead the side in the T20Is. Though Kusal hasn’t been ruled out of the ODIs just yet, were he to miss out, Asalanka, as the designated vice-captain, might step in there too.
Kusal has been out of action since July 19 with a right hamstring injury, while Binura hasn’t played since August 5, SLC putting his absence down to a back injury.
Pavan Rathnayake, the 24-year-old top-order batter, has replaced Kusal in the T20I touring party, while Dilshan Madushanka, the fast bowler who was in the squad for the Tests against India recently but didn’t get to play, has come in for Binura.
(Cricinfo)
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