Sports
The Special One
by Rex Clementine
When Jose Mourinho arrived in London from Portugal to take over as Chelsea’s Manager, he sat on that press conference chair at Stamford Bridge and told the reporters, ‘I am the Special One’. True to form Mourinho turned Chelsea’s fortunes. We too have a Special One. Not that he has turned around our cricketing fortunes. But every time he gets into trouble, he has some big shot waiting to bail him out; Danushka Gunathilaka is his name.
It is never easy when a sportsman is handed a lengthy suspension. But given Danushka Gunathilaka’s history, Colombo’s cricket circles was of the view that he deserved it; incorrigible.
A five member committee had recommended that along with Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis who had breached the bio-secure bubble should be banned for two years while Niroshan Dickwella suspended for 18 months. A reduced sentence for Dickwella as he had no previous record. A fine of US$ 25,000 also had been recommended but that was increased to US$ 50,000. But fines you are not too sure whether will drive home the point.
Gunathilaka is a serial offender, the two year suspension on him at least should have remained.
This is also not the first time he has been bailed out.
In 2017, he was suspended on the recommendations of the team management but then Board President Thilanga Sumathipala, a man who wasn’t afraid to take on Lasith Malinga during his peak, gave in reducing Gunathilaka’s suspension by half.
Chandika Hathurusinghe arrived in Colombo in 2018 with a reputation as a no-nonsense coach. After all, he had taken on Bangladesh’s star performer Shakib-al-Hasan. But he treated Gunathilaka with kid’s gloves. During the home series against South Africa in 2018, he was suspended for misconduct. Hathurusinghe decided on the punishment that should be meted out to his opening batsman and very cleverly he suspended him for the remaining white ball matches against Proteas and made sure he would be available for the tour of New Zealand that followed.
The current administration now has bailed him out. Why is that everyone fearing Gunathilaka like the plague? Is it his SSC connections? Can not be as in the first place why the board appointed an independent panel was because they wanted this issue seriously dealt with. Then why show leniency is a question in everyone’s mind.
The panel that sanctioned a two year suspension comprised some brilliant lawyers. The committee was headed by a retired Supreme Court judge. Apparently, they were going to hand out one year suspensions only, but they were not all that impressed by Gunathilaka’s conduct.
To start with, Gunathilaka lied to the panel. He had claimed that he returned to the team hotel by 11pm. But upon checking CCTV footage, the committee found out this to be false. This claim has been denied by Gunathilaka’s management team who say that he had pleaded guilty for breaking team curfew.
There was another thing that upset the panel; Gunathilaka’s dress code. He had walked in with his shirt out, wearing deck shoes. The inquiry panel observed lack of remorse. That could be a key point.
Gunathilaka is one of the finest young batsmen we have and there’s no doubt about it. That’s why the likes of Sumathipala, Hathurusinghe and the current administration have tolerated him. But the point is, he is never learning.
Nobody should think he is indispensable. After all, USA basketball team won the Olympic gold in 1992 without Isiah Thomas. Australia won the 2003 World Cup having sent Shane Warne home on the eve of their first game. England turned around their cricketing fortunes having sacked Kevin Pietersen. No one is bigger than the game.
Pakistan will play Sri Lanka in the Women’s Asia Cup semi-final on Friday after they secured a thumping win over Hong Kong in the final Group A contest. They finished second in their group with a 72-run win set up by a record-breaking spell of 6 for 7 from Nashra Sandhu and a resolute 35-ball 47 from Shawaal Zulfiqar.
Pakistan scored 143 for 8 after electing to bat first for the third time in as many matches, with Ayessha Zafar and captain Fatima Sana making valuable contributions of 26 off 19 and run-a-ball 24, respectively, before an excellent display of bowling saw Hong Kong fold for 71 in 19 overs.
Zulfiqar lives up to expectations
Zulfiqar made a thumping comeback to the T20I side last month in Sri Lanka and it made Pakistan persist with her at the top of the order despite the return of experienced Gull Feroza, who slid down to one-down. She could not build on a start against India with the wickets tumbling from the other end and the pressure mounting. But the right-hander fought through on Monday, despite the dismissals of experienced batters around her in Muneeba Ali (6 off 7) and Feroza (3 off 4).
Despite batting on a challenging surface that played slow and gripped, Zulfiqar timed the ball well as she struck six boundaries. She hit a few sparkling cover drives and stitched a sparkling partnership of 47 off 34 with Zafar before the latter fell in the 10th over. No Pakistan batter, barring Zafar and Fatima, was able to emulate the 21-year-old in an innings which saw only four batters post in the double digits.
Zulfqar was eventually outsmarted b Joyleen Kaur as she smashed a flighted ball outside off right back to the bowler to be caught and bowled in the 12th over. Pakistan seemed well in control until she was at the crease, but could add only 51 runs in 8.4 overs after her dismissal.
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Nashra Sandhu makes history
Pakistan Women 143 for 8 in 20 overs (Shawaal Zulfiqar 47, Ayesha Zafar 26; Fatima Sana 14; Iqra Sathar 2-27, Kary Chan 2-33, Joyleen Kaur 4-19) beat Hong Kong Women 71/10 in 19 overs (Yasmin Daswai 13, Kary Chan 30, Joyleen Kaur 10; Fatima Sana 1-07, Sadia Iqbal 1-08, Um e Sabi1 1-21 Nashra Sandhu 6-07, ) by 72 runs
The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Udaygiri arrived at the Port of Colombo on an official visit today, 8 September 2026, where it was received by the Sri Lanka Navy in accordance with time-
honoured naval traditions.
INS Udaygiri is a 149.02m long Frigate, Commanded by Captain Vikas Sood. Meanwhile, the Commanding Officer of the visiting ship is scheduled to call on Commander Western Naval
Area, Rear Admiral Harsha De Silva at the Western Naval Command Headquarters.
Captain Sood served as the Defence Adviser at the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka from July 2020 to October 2023.
During their stay in the island, the crew of INS Udaygiri will participate in several goodwill events organized by the Sri Lanka Navy to enhance camaraderie between the two forces.
The visiting personnel are also scheduled to visit prominent tourist and cultural locations across the island.
Additionally, Sri Lanka Navy personnel are expected to visit the ship for capability observation and knowledge sharing, and will conduct onboard training during its stay.
Sri Lanka’s women continue to provide compelling evidence that they could be genuine contenders for the next World Cup, while their male counterparts have, in recent years, largely been making up the numbers at global events.
The defending Asia Cup champions, who stunned formidable India in Dambulla two years ago to lift the title, marched into this year’s semi-finals with an unbeaten record.
Sri Lanka topped their group with three wins from three games and importantly, will avoid India in the semi-finals. Their opponents in Friday’s knockout clash will be either Pakistan or Thailand.
For years, Sri Lanka have leaned heavily on their talismanic captain Chamari Athapaththu, one of the greats of the women’s game. More recently, however, others have begun putting their hands up when the skipper has fallen cheaply. That growing depth has also given Chamari greater freedom to play her natural, attacking game.
Last week, Nilakshika de Silva produced a rescue act against Indonesia. On Sunday, after the captain fell to only her second ball, it was the turn of vice-captain Harshitha Samarawickrama to take charge and steer Sri Lanka home through choppy waters.
Chasing 115 to win their final group game against Bangladesh at Dubai Sports City, Sri Lanka were quickly in trouble as seamer Marufa Akter sent both openers packing cheaply. With wickets continuing to tumble at the other end, Harshitha kept her head while others were losing theirs.
At 44 for five, with half the side back in the pavilion, Sri Lanka were staring down the barrel. Harshitha and Nilakshika then began the repair job, adding 38 for the sixth wicket to drag the innings back from the brink.
Marufa has been an outstanding find for Bangladesh and they rely heavily on her for breakthroughs. With one over remaining in her quota, she was summoned back to break the partnership and did precisely that, removing a well set Nilakshika as she attempted to improvise.
There was, however, no stopping Harshitha.
She found a reliable ally in wicketkeeper Kaushini Nuthyangana and the pair calmly took Sri Lanka across the line with an unbroken 33 run stand for the seventh wicket. Harshitha finished unbeaten on 38 off 47 balls, striking four fours and two sixes.
Sri Lanka got home with four balls to spare, maintaining their perfect record in the competition. Yet beneath the celebrations there will be a nagging concern: the batting has collapsed too often, leaving one or two players with far too much heavy lifting to do. That is something they will need to address before the stakes rise further.
Sri Lanka will play the second semi-final on Friday, with the final scheduled for Sunday.
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