Sports
Sri Lanka to target Tamim in second Test
Rex Clementine at Pallekele
He did not score a hundred in the first Test last week, but it was Tamim Iqbal, who took the game away from the Sri Lankans. With an array of attacking strokes, Tamim punished the bowlers and was batting as if he was featuring in a T-20. Not necessarily the bowlers had to err, like in the case of Dhananjaya de Silva, against whom he came down the track and hoisted for three sixes in the second innings.
Such was his dominance, when Tamim reached his half-century on Sunday, Bangladesh’s total was 52. It was like Sanath Jayasuriya reborn. He followed up his first innings 90 with an unbeaten 74 in the second innings. If not for rain, that washed out the final session’s play on Sunday, Tamim could have posted his hundred.
Sri Lanka will be looking to dismiss him early in the second Test that gets underway at Pallekele today.
Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne admitted that Tamim featured heavily in his team’s plans. “He plays the anchor role for their team. He will try and unsettle our bowlers. We will try and restrict his big shots and send him on a defensive mode. When we attack him, he counter attacks and that backfires. If you analyze the last few series, he has not done well against off-spin so that’s probably the option to take a wicket. Suranga Lakmal has a chance with the new ball as well to dismiss him cheaply. We will think of a plan and need to execute it,” Karunaratne told journalists yesterday.
The wicket for the first Test was disappointing and it remains to be seen what the teams will be presented with for the second Test.
Sri Lanka have drafted in Lakshan Sandakan into the squad and with his wicket taking abilities, he might get a game while seamer Asitha Fernando is also in contention.
Bangladesh could make one change leaving out seamer Abu Jayed for Shoriful Hossain.
“We did well to draw the first Test. Coming into the series after a heavy defeat at the hands of West Indies, we were happy with our effort to draw the first Test and we look forward for the second Test,” Bangladesh skipper Mominul Haque said.
Sri Lanka:
(Probable XI) Dimuth Karunaratne (Captain), Lahiru Thirimanne, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Pathum Nissanka, Niroshan Dickwella (Wicketkeeper), Suranga Lakmal, Lakshan Sandakan, Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando.
Bangladesh:
(Probable XI) Tamim Iqbal, Saif Hassan, Najmul Shanto, Mominul Haque (Captain), Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das (Wicketkeeper), Mehidy Hasan, Taijul Islam, Ebadat Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Hossain
Umpires:
Kumar Dharmasena and Ruchira Palliyaguruge
Third Umpire:
Ravindra Wimalasiri
Match Referee:
Ranjan Madugalle
Australia captain Alyssa Healy will retire from all forms of cricket following the upcoming series against India.
The 35-year-old wicket-keeper has more than 7,000 runs and 275 dismissals to her name in all formats of the game and led Australia to a historic 16-0 whitewash of England 8n the Ashes in 2025.
She has won the World Cup twice, with the highest individual score of 170 in a World Cup final coming against England in 2022, and the T20 World Cup on six occasions.
Healy said: “I’m still passionate about playing for Australia, but I’ve somewhat lost that competitive edge that’s kept me driven since the start, so the time feels right to call it a day.
“I’ll genuinely miss my team-mates, singing the team song and walking out to open the batting for Australia. Representing my country has been an incredible honour and I’m grateful for one last series in the green and gold.”
Healy is married to Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc and is the niece of another Australian great in wicket keeper Ian Healy. She also already has a successful broadcasting career as a pundit and commentator.
Todd Greenberg, Cricket Australia CEO said: “Alyssa is one of the all-time greats of the game and has made an immeasurable contribution both on and off the field over her 15-year career.
“We look forward to celebrating her achievements throughout the series against India.”
Australia host India in a Test match, three one-day internationals and three T20 matches in February and March
(BBC Sports)
They began with a scrappy last-ball win to kick off WPL 2026, but there was nothing scrappy about Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) second win, over UP Warriorz, on Monday night.
Grace Harris tore into her former franchise with a breathtaking assault, sending the ball to all parts of the DY Patil Stadium. By the time she was out for a 40-ball 85, RCB needed just seven runs to win with 50 deliveries remaining.
In an effort similar to her opening-night honours, Lauren Bell swung the new ball and troubled Warriorz’s openers in her first two overs. In trying to break the stranglehold, Harleen Deol attempted to jailbreak in her third, but could only spoon a catch to Smriti Mandhana at mid-off for a 14-ball 11. And just like that, UP Warriorz had seen two different opening pairs come and go without giving them the start they were after.
She was denied a wicket in her first over – the sixth of the innings – when Meg Lanning’s swipe landed agonisingly short of Arundhati Reddy at backward square leg, but Shreyanka Patil had Lanning hack uncharacteristically to Radha Yadav at deep midwicket off her next.
In the same over, she also had a second wicket when Phoebe Litchfield flat-batted a short ball straight to Mandhana at mid-on, shortly after having reverse-swept her for six
Coming off a four-for and an unbeaten half-century against Mumbai Indians, de Klerk began with two wickets off her first two deliveries. Kiran Navgire fell first when she heaved a length ball to cow corner, while Shweta Sehrawat was brilliantly caught at backward point by Reddy. Warriorz were in all sorts of trouble at 50 for 5.
This was the perfect fire-and-ice combination on paper. But on Monday, they were both mellower and batted risk-free for much of their unbeaten 93-run partnership. Deandra Dottin signalled a change of intent when she went after Patil in her third over – the 15th – by muscling a length ball for six over long-on. That galvanised both batters to break free; Deepti Sharma gave the perfect finish by going after Patil in a 15-run final over that helped them finish with 143.
With two rookies in their top four, RCB could’ve chosen to play safe by having Gautami Naik partner Mandhana. But they took the aggressive route, and Harris justified that decision by muscling a 22-ball half-century as RCB wiped out 78 in the powerplay alone.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has opened an investigation and warned of possible disciplinary action for “unacceptable behaviour of players and officials” as they clashed on the pitch on Saturday at the end of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarterfinal between Algeria and Nigeria.
“CAF has referred the matters to the disciplinary board for investigation and has called for appropriate action to be taken if the identified persons were to be found guilty of any wrongdoing,” said African football’s governing body in a statement on Monday.
Tensions spilled over on the pitch at the end of the January 10 game in Marrakesh, Morocco, which Nigeria won 2-0 thanks to second-half goals by Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams.
Referee Issa Sy was shielded from irate Algeria team staff and was escorted off the field. Video clips showed Sy was still being pursued in the mixed zone for media and broadcasters as he made his way to his cabin.
Any disciplinary action could have an impact on the Super Eagles as they prepare for their semifinal showdown on Wednesday against Morocco.
“CAF strongly condemns any inappropriate behaviour which occurs during matches, especially those targeting the refereeing team or match organisers,” CAF said.
Video showed accredited media fighting in the mixed zone as they waited for players to pass through for interviews after the match.
Algeria’s federation also confirmed it had filed a complaint with CAF over Sy’s performance
“The Algerian Football Federation cannot ignore the refereeing performance observed during the last match, which raised numerous questions and caused considerable confusion,” it said in a statement.
“Certain decisions have damaged the credibility of African refereeing and do nothing to enhance the value of continental football on the international stage.”
CAF said it was also investigating incidents in Friday’s last-eight tie between the hosts and Cameroon.
Morocco won that game 2-0 in Rabat, Morocco, and the Indomitable Lions were notably unhappy at the officiating in particular the refusal to award them a penalty for a challenge on Manchester United’s Bryan Mbeumo in the second half.
(BBC Sports)
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