Latest News
Scotland bank on ICC assurances over Sharif visa after naming T20 World Cup squad
Cricket Scotland has received assurances that the ICC is working “very, very hard” to ensure Scotland’s players will be granted Indian visas in time for their opening T20 World Cup fixture on February 7 – including fast bowler Safyaan Shariff, who has Pakistani heritage.
Scotland were the beneficiaries of Bangladesh’s last-minute withdrawal from the World Cup as the highest-ranked team who had not already qualified, and named a 15-man squad on Monday afternoon which is due to fly to India later this week.
The state of political and diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan has resulted in regular delays for Pakistani nationals or those with Pakistani heritage when applying for Indian visas in recent years, including several cricketers.
But Cricket Scotland is confident that Sharif – who was born in Huddersfield to a Pakistani father and a British-Pakistani mother before moving to Scotland aged seven – will be granted a visa in time for the team’s opening match against West Indies in Kolkata.
“We are all committed [to] working with the ICC to make that happen,” Trudy Lindblade, Cricket Scotland’s chief executive, said on Monday. “The visa piece is always slightly an unknown, and it doesn’t matter whether you’ve got three days or whether you’ve got 45 days.
“Certainly that’s been our focus in the last 48 hours: just getting those visas done so our players are all ready to go. They’re all in the middle of submitting their visas and we will be there on the ground in India as quickly as we can, so it’s just a matter of time now.
“[The ICC] can only give us the assurances of the bits that they can control and, absolutely, of the bits that they control, we are working with them and obviously they’re working with the BCCI and local people on the ground there to make sure that we are getting all of that support that we need.
“So, absolutely, [they have given] the assurance that they can provide of things that were in their control. There is a team working very, very hard to not just help us, but to help 19 other teams as well that are also going to a World Cup. But we are their intense focus right now.”
Scotland will also apply for visas for two travelling reserves and three non-travelling reserves so that they will be able to field a team even in the event of delays and their head of performance, Steve Snell, said that the ICC had been “fantastic” in supporting their hurried preparations.
“We also anticipate some support whenever we can [get it] from the BCCI,” Snell said. “I don’t think we need to escalate that any further to get into the country, because you’d suggest that Scotland being invited to attend the World Cup and then not being able to get there wouldn’t be a great look for anybody.”
There are three changes to Scotland’s squad since the 2024 T20 World Cup, when they narrowly missed out on qualification for the Super 8s, with 19-year-old Afghanistan-born fast bowler Zainullah Ihsan in line for an international debut after winning his maiden call-up.
Tom Bruce, who played 17 T20Is for New Zealand as a middle-order batter from 2017 to 2020, is another significant inclusion, having switched allegiance to Scotland last year and made his ODI debut for them in August.
Chris Sole, the express fast bowler, is a notable absentee. Sole, who has regularly registered speeds in excess of 90mph/145kph, has played franchise cricket in the ILT20 and the CPL and featured for Scotland at their last World Cup appearance, but has not played a professional match since late 2024 as he focuses on a non-playing career in recruitment.
Ihsan, Bruce and batter Finlay McCreath are the three players involved who did not feature in the 2024 T20 World Cup squad, replacing Sole, Oli Haris and Jack Jarvis (who is one of the travelling reserves).
Hampshire seamer Scott Currie, who played three ODIs in early 2024, was not considered as he is no longer eligible for selection.
Currie, whose older brother Brad is part of the squad, was picked by England for their T20I series against Ireland in September and while he did not win a cap, the fact that he was named as an official substitute on their teamsheet renders him unavailable for Scotland until September 2028 under ICC regulations.
Scotland are due to play warm-up matches against Afghanistan and Namibia in Bengaluru on February 2 and 4 before their opening fixture against West Indies in Kolkata. Their other first-round matches are against Italy, England and Nepal, with the top two teams in Group B then qualifying for the Super 8s stage.
“The squad selection is subject to all player and staff visa applications being approved,” Cricket Scotland said in a statement. “Given the limited notice for Scotland’s participation at the tournament and timescale for selecting players, two travelling reserves have been selected while three others will be non-travelling reserves.”
Scotland squad for T20 World Cup:
Richie Berrington (capt), Tom Bruce, Matthew Cross, Brad Currie, Oli Davidson, Chris Greaves, Zainullah Ihsan, Michael Jones, Michael Leask, Finlay McCreath, Brandon McMullen, George Munsey, Safyaan Sharif, Mark Watt, Brad Wheal
Travelling reserves: Jasper Davidson, Jack Jarvis
Non-travelling reserves: Mackenzie Jones, Chris McBride, Charlie Tear
[Cricinfo]
The Commissioner General of Essential Services, Prabath Chandrakeerthi has announced that, after taking into consideration the current fuel situation in Sri Lanka, the Government has decided to declare Wednesdays of every week as a holiday for government sector employees, all government schools, universities, and courts with effect from March 18, 2026, until further notice
The holiday will not apply to essential service sectors including Healthcare, Ports, Water Supply and Customs.
The United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) biggest port and oil storage facility, Fujairah, and Dubai’s international airport have come under further drone attacks as Iran continues to target Gulf transport and oil infrastructure.
Flights were temporarily suspended on Monday after a fire broke out near the airport after a “drone-related incident”.
A fire also raged after a drone attack on the strategically important port and industrial zone at Fujairah, one of the largest oil storage facilities in the region.
And a rocket attack on a car killed a Palestinian national on the outskirts of the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, the city’s Media Office reported.
The attack occurred in the Al Bahia area, it said.
UAE air defence systems intercepted six ballistic missiles and 21 drones on Monday, the Defence Ministry said. Iran has launched over 1,900 missiles and drones at the UAE since the war between the US and Israel, and Iran, began.
Monday’s drone strike was the third incident since the start of the war near Dubai’s airport, which is the world’s busiest for international passengers.
Some flights were delayed, while others were cancelled altogether, in another hit to the UAE’s image of safety and stability.
The country’s energy sector came under attack as a drone hit an oil storage tanker on Saturday, and another drone hit the oil facilities on Monday, causing a fire.
Oil loading activities at the port were halted for a time while damage assessments were carried out.
Fujairah sits on the UAE’s eastern coast, on the Gulf of Oman – rather than the Persian Gulf – and so vessels do not need to navigate the Strait of Hormuz to reach it.
The location means the port plays a “crucial” role in “helping keep global supplies moving” when the Strait of Hormuz is blocked by Iran, Dubai-based Justin Harper, editor of CEO Middle East – who regularly speaks to Dubai’s oil industry executives – told the BBC.
“If tensions with Iran disrupt the chokepoint, the UAE can still export oil through Fujairah via pipelines from the oilfields in Abu Dhabi,” he said.
The port city is “ideally placed to bypass the Strait of Hormuz”, said Dubai-based oil analyst Matt Stanley, who works for commodities data provider Kpler.
“The UAE’s state oil company Adnoc have their oil tankers there, it is crude grade oil which is what the Asian buyers want.”
Iran hitting a storage tanker and oil facilities at Fujairah “shows the vulnerability of Gulf infrastructure”, Stanley told the BBC.
“Iran wants to disrupt the flow of energy”.
The port city is close to India and the “first stop out of the Middle East on the way to Singapore and China”, Stanley said.
“Fujairah is on the old Silk Road, the maritime route, and it picked up a lot of business bunkering – that is providing fuel, food, water – for container ships that have been at sea for 25 or 30 days.”
Fujairah is like a “huge vending machine” for ships, Stanley added.
Despite the attacks on Dubai, Harper says the business community there is “resilient”. Restaurants have been offering deals to get people back into restaurants and “the malls still seem to be busy”. People “underestimate Dubai and its ability to survive a downturn”, he added.
Last week the UAE’s Minister of State Lana Nusseibeh vowed in a BBC interview that her country would bounce back from the conflict, insisting that its economy was “resilient”.
(BBC)
As a key frontline stakeholder in the national mission, ‘A Nation United,’ the Navy continues to conduct maritime operations in the waters surrounding the island, in coordination with other law enforcement agencies.
During a recent successful operation on the high seas south of Sri Lanka, the Navy intercepted a local multi-day fishing trawler and apprehended five suspects (05) in connection with the smuggling of a stock of suspected drugs.
During a special inspection at the Dickowita fisheries harbour today (16 Mar26), the Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB) confirmed the presence of over one hundred and thirty-three (133)
kilograms of heroin.
The Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), accompanied by the Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda, was present in Dickowita to inspect the seized items.
Addressing the media, the Deputy Minister stated that the tri-forces, particularly the Navy, along with the Coast Guard, Police, and other law enforcement agencies, are executing the
government’s vision for national security. He noted that the recent naval operation in the southern seas, which seized a large consignment of narcotics and weapons, demonstrates the government’s success in combating criminal networks involved in narcotics, arms and human trafficking.
He added that such successful outcomes result from the Navy’s meticulous planning, surveillance, intelligence analysis, and inter-agency coordination. He affirmed that no leniency will be shown to drug trafficking networks, and conveyed admiration, on behalf of the President, for the distinctive contribution made by the Sri Lanka Navy, in collaboration with other stakeholders,
towards ensuring public safety and protecting the younger generation from the menace of drugs.
Highlighting the scale of the Navy’s impact, he revealed that naval operations in 2025 seized narcotics valued over Rs. 75 billion, and operations so far in 2026 have seized over Rs. 20 billion worth of drugs.
The Deputy Minister warned that traffickers are increasingly using the guise of legitimate fishing activities to smuggle narcotics. Besides, he emphasized that the responsibility lies not only with law enforcement agencies but with all sectors of society to eradicate the networks associated with drug trafficking. He issued a firm directive to traffickers, dealers, and distributors to “quit,” asserting that there is no loophole, whether by sea or air, that the security forces cannot close. He
further urged drug users to abandon this destructive habit.
He announced plans for legal amendments to impose stricter penalties for drug offenses. Noting that law enforcement agencies have operational autonomy, he appealed to the public to report information on drug trafficking to hotlines 1818 and 1997.
He also commended the media for their responsible reporting in educating the public on the drug menace.
The trawler, the suspects, the communication equipment and the stock of narcotics held in this operation were handed over to the PNB for onward investigation and legal proceedings.
Wednesdays declared a government holiday with effect from 18th March
Iran hits key UAE oil port and Dubai airport
PM declares open Angunukolapelessa Leisure Island
Navy’s successful high-seas bust nets over 133kg haul of heroin
Chinnaswamy stadium receives government clearance to host IPL 2026 final
Tanzid 107, Taskin four-for trump Agha 106 to give Bangladesh series
‘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
-
News7 days agoProf. Dunusinghe warns Lanka at serious risk due to ME war
-
News5 days agoHistoric address by BASL President at the Supreme Court of India
-
Business6 days agoBOI launches ‘Invest in Sri Lanka’ forum
-
Sports6 days agoRoyal start favourites in historic Battle of the Blues
-
Sports5 days agoThe 147th Royal–Thomian and 175 Years of the School by the Sea
-
News6 days agoCEBEU warns of operational disruptions amid uncertainty over CEB restructuring
-
Features6 days agoIndian Ocean zone of peace torpedoed!
-
News5 days agoPower sector reforms jolted by 40% pay hike demand