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Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, bowlers put Sri Lanka 1-0 up

Published

3 months ago

2026/06/4

Priyan

Kusal Mendis celebrates his half-century [Cricinfo]

Kusal Mendis hit 72 off 62 to energise Sri Lanka after a slow start, while Pathum Nissanka, Janith Liyanage and Charith Asalanka produced important innings in Sri Lanka’s advance to 303 for 7. On a Sabina Park surface that took some turn, their total turned out to be 41 too many for West Indies, who began solidly enough, but were ultimately reined in by Sri Lanka’s spinners.

Maheesh Theekshana returned outstanding figures of 2 for 26 as West Indies’ batters frequently failed to to pick his variations, while Wanidu Hasaranga took 1 for 43. The only West Indies batter to cross fifty was captain Shai Hope, who hit 56 from 66 balls. But although there were other contributions, West Indies never managed to put a long partnership together. While Sri Lanka’s spinners squeezed West Indies, Dushmantha Chameera was the strike bowler, claiming 4 for 67 from his 10 overs.

After the teams exited briefly for bad light when West Indies were nine down in the 49th over, they returned to finish the match, the last wicket going down with four balls to spare. Sri Lanka now go 1-0 up in a three-match series.

Having won the toss in a day game, on a surface that had a green tinge to it, West Indies chose to bowl first and appeared at first to be prospering. Jayden Seales dismissed Sri Lanka’s new opener Kamindu Mendis in the the seventh over, and conceded no more than 32 in the powerplay, as Nissanka played with uncharacteristic caution.

Kusal ramped up the scoring soon after arriving at the crease, however. He took an immediate liking to Gudakesh Motie, hitting four sixes down the ground off him in the space of three overs. In the last of those overs – the 20th of the innings – Kusal hit two sixes and a four, as Sri Lanka plundered 18 in total. Motie never bowled again in the innings, with Roston Chase delivering ten tidy overs for two wickets instead. Kusal motored to a 42-ball half century, and had looked good to push on when he attempted to swipe a Matthew Forde full toss to leg, and somehow top-edged it to short fine leg. The 136-run second-wicket stand with Nissanka had put Sri Lanka firmly on track for a score in excess of 300.

Nissanka seemed to struggle by comparison. He was timing the ball poorly by his own standards, as West Indies’ bowlers discovered the Kingston track rewarded slower bowling. But although he had been dropped first ball at cover by Keacy Carty off the bowling of Seales, Nissanka played a largely sensible innings, running hard between the wickets, and finding what boundaries he could, particularly behind square on the leg side. It took him 71 balls to get to his half century, and he was striking at less than 80 when he was dismissed by Chase (via an unusual pad-bat catch to wicketkeeper Hope) for 79.

The hard-running Asalanka and the innovative Liyanage were then on hand to provide some heft and urgency to the final third of Sri Lanka’s innings. Liyanage produced the better of these knocks, hitting 44 not out off 29. Asalanka made 45 off 44. The two put on 64 for the fifth wicket.

West Indies gave themselves a shot of chasing down 304, though it would have been a ground record if they had. They openers had them rocketing to 50 for no loss after six overs, before an excellent pick up and throw from Liyanage ended John Campbell’s innings. West Indies’ other opener Justin Greaves would be out before the powerplay ended too, bowled by Theekshana who pinged his leg stump after Greaves had backed away. And still, while Hope was at the crease, there was a chance West Indies could make a charge at the total.

Ultimately they just lost too many wickets through the middle overs period that Sri Lanka’s batters had dominated. Keacy Carty was caught brilliantly at short midwicket by a diving Kamindu. Hope himself was fooled by a Chameera slower ball and spooned up a simple catch to backward point. From 167 for 5, and the required rate pushing seven, West Indies were always going to struggle. Though there were moments of resistance from the lower order, they folded eventually.

But it is their bowling that will worry West Indies most after this match. They lacked penetration in the middle overs, and the seamers were also too indisciplined, bowling 12 wides, while also straying too frequently into the pads. Although West Indies had four specialist bowlers, allrounder Chase was likely their best bowler on the day.

SCORES:
Sri Lanka 303 for 7 in 50 overs (Pathum Nissanka 79, Kusal Mendis 72, Charith Asalanka 45, Janith Liyanage 44*; Jayden Seals 2-67, Matthew Forde 2-44, Roston Chase 2-47) beat West Indies 262 in 49.2 overs ( Justin Greaves 45, Shai Hope 56, Roston Chase 33; Dushmantha Chameera 4-67, Asitha Fernando 1-59, Maheesh Theekshana 2-26, Wanidu Hasaranga 1-43, Charith Asalanka 1-06) by 41 runs

[Cricinfo]

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ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi’ departs Colombo

Published

13 hours ago

2026/09/12

Priyan

The Italian Naval Vessel ‘ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi’ departed the Port of Colombo today, 12 September 2026, after completing a replenishment stop for logistics and services.

During the ship’s stay, the Commanding Officer of ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi, Captain Marco GUERRIERO, called on the Commander Western Naval Area, Rear Admiral Harsha De Silva, at the Western Naval Command Headquarters.

Members of the visiting crew also toured several tourist attractions across the Colombo area during their port call.

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Sri Lanka thwart Fatima Sana challenge to secure Asia Cup final spot

Published

21 hours ago

2026/09/12

Priyan

Chamudi Praboda took two wickets in the middle overs to dent Pakistan [Asian Cricket Council]

Sri Lanka survived an all-time all-round display from Fatima Sana to triumph over a spirited Pakistan and seal a second-straight Asia Cup final berth against India.

Sana, a rare Player of the Match from the losing side, struck 47 off 36 to drag Pakistan to 130 for 5, and then finished with figures of 4 for 38 – inclusive of two double-wicket overs – but Sri Lanka’s all-round excellence eventually overcame Sana’s bloody mindedness.

In their chase, Sri Lanka were reduced to 5 for 2, and then 33 for 4, but a match-defining partnership of 67 off 59 between Harshitha Samarawickrema (36 off 31) and Kavisha Dilhari (33 off 33) turned the tide in Sri Lanka’s favours.

Sana’s second double-wicket intervention saw the backs of both Samarawickrama and Dilhari, but Sri Lanka’s batting depth came to the fore as Nilakshi Silva and Kaushini Nuthyangana saw the game off with eight balls to spare.

As Sri Lanka’s players celebrated on the sidelines as Nilakshika ramped Sana for one final, definitive boundary, the Pakistan skipper was on her haunches, tears streaming down her face. It’s not been an uncommon sight with Sana, but it was yet another example of just how much of herself she had put into the game – just that in this instance, it was simply not enough.

Run-scoring hasn’t been easy in Dubai this Asia Cup, with spinners in particular thriving. And that narrative was not about to change as Sri Lanka put Pakistan into bat – even as the data suggested the team batting first had won nine of the previous 13 games at the venue.

It proved to be the right call as the tournament’s unlikely leading wicket-taker, Chamari Athapaththu, struck early once more, getting Shawaal Zulfiqar and Ayesha Zafar in each of her first two overs. Left-arm spinner Sugandika Kumari meanwhile had removed Muneeba Ali in her first over as well. Seventeen-year-old left-arm spinner Chamudi Prabodha continued the pattern when she completely did an advancing Sadaf Shamas in the flight to have her stumped in the 10th over.

At the halfway point of the innings, Sri Lanka’s plan was going just as envisioned. Pakistan were reeling on 52 for 4 and they would need a minor miracle to post a respectable, if not challenging, target.

The calls for Sana to bat higher up the order seem to grow with every passing day, and when you watch innings like the one she produced on Friday it’s not hard to see why.

For her first six deliveries, she sought to get her eye in – even in a semifinal where her side had nearly lost half the batting – and played out six dot deliveries. With most other players, you might assume this would build pressure. But Sana is made of sterner stuff, a ball of self-belief and willpower.

The seventh ball she faced, she drilled four down through, hard to Chamudi’s left – the youngster perhaps saved some pain by not getting a hand on it. On her 10th she swept Dilhari for four, and then on her 11th she skipped out and launched a maximum over square leg.

And just like that Sana was on her way, and the momentum was shifting.

When Gull Feroza fell at the end of the 16th over, it wasn’t ideal. Feroza had clawed her way to a 32-ball 21, but with the death overs approaching Sana would have been hoping for Feroza to finally unleash. Sana however adjusted her plans and made the most of what was on offer; after a quiet 16th over, she managed a boundary in two of the final three overs, while Tuba Hasan also chipped in with a valuable 12 off 10 to push Pakistan to 130 for 5 with 78 runs coming off the final 10 overs.

An above waist-high no-ball, a first six of her career for Kaushini Nuthyangana, the equation suddenly down to 5 needed off 11. It was cruel irony that that moment had occurred off Sana’s bowling, because up until then she had been the almost solitary barrier between Sri Lanka and a second successive Asia Cup final.

She had removed two of Sri Lanka’s top three – including Athapaththu – in her first spell, and then returned late in the chase to get rid of the set pair of Samarawickrama and Dilhari. But in between Sri Lanka had done just about enough to get across the line in a hard-fought semi-final.

Losing four wickets inside the opening 10 overs is never ideal, and there would have been a time when Sri Lanka would have folded quite easily in such a scenario. But this Sri Lanka side is one with a growing belief that there will always be someone to step up.

Samarawickrama had been the one against Bangladesh, and here she was there again – this time flanked by the always involved Dilhari. With the required rate reaching about eight an over midway through the chase, the pair took to heart the words offered by coach Jamie Siddons during the drinks break and came out with a plan.

With boundaries in front of square not forthcoming, the pair looked behind. Two quick boundaries got the ball rolling, and the indefatigable pair also ran hard between the wickets.

It was a low target, and in that sense only a few good overs were required to keep the rate within touching distance, but Pakistan were bowling well. Sri Lanka however proved once again that they have the wherewithal to weather tough in-game situations and shift pressure back on to their opponents – a skill that will likely come very handy against India on Sunday.

Scores:
Sri Lanka Women 134 for 6 in 18.4 overs (Imesha Dulani 24, Harshitha Samarawickrama 36, Kavisha Dilhari 33, Nilakshika Silva 18*, Kaushini Nuthyangana 10*; Sadia Iqbal 1-21, Fatima Sana 4-38, Umm-e-Hani 1-19) beat Pakistan Women 130 for 5 in 20 overs (Shawal Zulfiqar 24, Gull Feroza 21, Fatima Sana 47*, Tuba Hassan 12*; Sugandika Kumari 1-20, Chamari Athapaththu 2-24, Chamudi Praboda 2-25) by four wickets

[Cricinfo]