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LPL 2025 to begin from November 27
The sixth edition of the Lanka Premier League is set to begin on November 27 this year, Sri Lanka Cricket announced on Friday (August 1). LPL, which serves as Sri Lanka’s flagship T20 tournament, will be played across three venues in 2025 – R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium (Colombo), Pallekele International Cricket Stadium (Pallekele); and R Dambulla International Cricket Stadium (Dambulla).
According to the tournament director, Samantha Dodanwela, the upcoming edition of LPL, which allows local Sri Lankan cricketers to rub shoulders with some of the international stars, will serve as an ideal opportunity to prepare themselves for the T20 World Cup, scheduled to take place early next year in India and Sri Lanka.
The final of the upcoming edition of LPL will be played on December 23.
The G7 has agreed to release 100 million barrels of oil and diesel in a bid to ease supply pressures that have caused prices to skyrocket.
The group of advanced economies, including the US, said the move would include a “substantial release” of diesel in the coming days.
President Donald Trump had threatned to ban diesel exports in a move which would have eased pressure on prices for US consumers ahead of November’s midterm elections, but pushed up prices elsewhere.
In a joint statement, the G7 said member countries had now agreed to “refrain from export restrictions on energy and energy products” on one another.
The G7 includes the US, UK, Canada, Japan, Germany, Italy and France, with the EU also represented at its meetings.
Trump had warned he would ban diesel exports from the US if European countries did not agree to put more of their own stocks onto the market.
On Friday, he said on social media: “Europe has just agreed to release a massive amount of their heavily stocked Diesel Oil. The process will begin immediately.”
His Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had argued US farmers, truckers, and businesses “should not be left carrying the burden” as prices soar.
Diesel is used heavily by the haulage industry and in agriculture, meaning rises in the cost of the fuel feed through into essentials such as food.
But, following a meeting of G7 leaders, French President Emmanuel Macron said the bloc had agreed to release reserves of “up to 100 million barrels” within four months under the coordination of the International Energy Agency (IEA).
The UK was represented at the meeting by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, who said the measures would “stabilise energy supplies, build resilience in supply chains and shield households and businesses from price shocks”.
Macron said the coordinated action would “bring down the prices of petroleum products, particularly diesel”. Highlighting the agreement not to pursue export bans, Macron said “President Trump, in particular, was very clear on this point”.
Speaking at the White House, Trump later said an export ban on diesel was “never really on the table”.
In the joint statement, G7 leaders said: “We will implement our commitments with a coordinated release through the IEA of 100 million barrels to begin immediately over four months, including a frontloaded substantial diesel release within the first 20 days by G7 members and partners.”
It is not yet clear which partner countries will release stocks, nor how quickly.
The 100 million barrels will comprise a mix of diesel and crude oil. The price of global benchmark Brent crude oil briefly dropped below $100 a barrel, but rose back to around $102 by Friday evening. Before the US and Israel invaded Iran, it was trading at around $73.
Matt Smith, director of commodities research at Kpler, said oil had risen again due to renewed strikes between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in Yemen.
“Oil prices were selling off strongly due to the announcement of strategic stock releases in Europe, but they reversed course on rumours of Saudi Arabia planning an offensive into Yemen as it looks to re-establish a safe path via Bab-Al Mandeb,” he said.
European countries had pushed back against US threats to turn off American diesel, against a backdrop of the US-led war in the Middle East and reduced supplies from Russia and China.
The G7 leaders said they will also coordinate maintenance schedules to avoid multiple refineries being shut down at the same time, while encouraging countries with the capacity to do so to ramp up refining of diesel in particular.
Avoiding a ban on US diesel exports will offer significant relief to countries which are reliant on imports of the fuel, including the UK, where prices at the pump topped £2 a litre for the first time on Friday.
Over half of the UK’s diesel is imported, with 31% of those imports coming from the US.
(BBC)
Th European Union “fully rejects” a US demand to release emergency diesel stocks as the fuel’s price soars in America and elsewhere amid the war with Iran.
The EU “fully rejects” the threat made by the US to ban diesel exports if Europe does not release more of its fuel stocks, according to European Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen.
“A ban would not be beneficial to anyone. It would undermine our trust in the United States as a reliable partner,” she said, adding that the next EU’s Oil Coordination Group meeting is scheduled for October 15, but could be brought forward if needed.
On Thursday, President Trump said the US could ask European countries to release diesel reserves to rein in rising diesel prices due to the war on Iran.
His comments came after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged Europe to “immediately” tap its reserves.
[Aljazeera]
Opening batter Sineth Jayawardena has charged into the Sri Lanka T20I squad for the series against Pakistan, while Vijayakanth Viyaskanth has claimed the legspinner’s spot in the absence of the injured Wanindu Hasaranga. Seam-bowling allrounder Chamindu Wickremesinghe has also been named, as has batter Sahan Arachchige, while seamer Binura Fernando makes a return.
Omitted from the the squad were the likes of batter Charith Asalanka, fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka, ambidextrous spinner Tharindu Rathnayake, and batting allrounder Janith Liyanage.
Fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera was named in the squad, but his participation is subject to fitness.
Jayawardena, 21, has got his call-up because of an outstanding recent run in domestic T20s. In the past month, he has struck 101 off 52 and 82 off 32 for Tamil Union Cricket Club in the club T20 competition. He has played a single T20I, at the ongoing Asiad, but otherwise has never been part of a full-strength Sri Lanka side.
Others, such as Wickramasinghe, Arachchige, and Viyaskanth have earned their call-ups through years of performance at domestic level. Each of these players has appeared in T20 internationals for Sri Lanka before, but with the national team having had little success in this format in 2026, this inclusion represents their best chance yet to embed themselves within the side.
The three T20Is, which are all set to be played in Rawalpindi, will begin on October 9.
Sri Lanka squad :
Kamil Mishara, Sineth Jayawardena, Kusal Mendis (capt.), Lahiru Udara, Sahan Arachchige, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Eshan Malinga, Dushmantha Chameera (subject to fitness)
G7 to release 100 million barrels of oil and diesel after Trump export ban threat
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