Sports
Ashen, Rukshika new national singles champions
Rukshika Wijesuriya and Ashen Silva won the women’s and men’s singles titles of the Tennis Nationals 2022 at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association courts on Saturday.
Wijesuriya prevented defending champion Anjalika Kurera from going for her third consecutive singles title with a 2-1 victory in the final. She beat Kurera 6-1, 6-7, 6-2. Later the singles finalists joined to beat Neyara Weerawansa and Janali Manamperi 6-3, 3-6, 10-5 to win the women’s doubles title.
In the men’s singles final, Silva beat Shamal Dissanayake 6-4, 6-4. The men’s doubles title was won by Yasitha de Silva and Dilvan Herath who beat Chathurya Nilaweera and Thehan Wijemanne 6-4, 6-3 in the final.
How do you lift yourself after a soul-crushing defeat? Because Afghanistan need to do exactly that after going down to South Africa in the double Super Over in Ahmedabad. It was their second defeat in as many games, and even though they are the favourites for their remaining two group games – against UAE and Canada – their T20 World Cup campaign is hanging by the thinnest thread of hope.
Afghanistan have an 11-3 win-loss record against UAE, their opponents for Monday’s day game in Delhi. But a New Zealand win over Canada the following day is enough to knock them out.
UAE must be feeling confident after their win over Canada. It came in Delhi, where they play their remaining two group games as well. But they too rely heavily on Canada beating New Zealand. If New Zealand beat Canada, which is more likely, UAE will have to pull off a series of miracles. They will have to beat Afghanistan and then South Africa, who have been unbeaten so far. And they will have to do so by such margins that their net run rate goes above New Zealand’s. That gap, at the moment, is huge.
So, how do Afghanistan and UAE proceed? Perhaps, as players often say, by taking one game at a time.
Ibrahim Zadran is a perfect foil for the attacking Rahmanullah Gurbaz. While the role of the anchor in T20 cricket is diminishing every second, things are different at T20 World Cups. Moreover, Zadran has upped his intent of late. Two of his four 50-plus scores since October came at a strike rate of more than 150. However, he has managed only 22 runs off as many balls in two outings so far. Afghanistan expect much more from him.
Born in Bihar, graduated from Jamia Millia Islamia and now playing for UAE, Sohaib Khan showed against Canada how destructive he can be. His 29-ball 51, laden with four fours and four sixes, turned UAE’s fortunes around. But this was not the first time his hitting prowesses were on display. At the Rising Stars Asia Cup in November, he had smashed 63 off41 balls against India A in Doha. In that game, he had taken 24 runs off eight balls against Suyash Sharma. Can he repeat those heroics on Monday?
Both teams are likely to go with unchanged XIs.
Afghanistan (probable): Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (capt), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi
UAE (probable): Aryansh Sharma (wk), Muhammad Waseem (capt), Alishan Sharafu, Mayank Kumar, Harshit Kaushik, Sohaib Khan, Muhammad Arfan, Muhammad Farooq, Haider Ali, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Jawadullah
[Cricinfo]
Sri Lanka’s athletics fraternity bids adieu today to one of its finest champions, Olympian Kosala Sahabandu, who passed away on Saturday (14) at the age of 76 after a period of illness.
Regarded as one of the greatest athletes to emerge from the island, Sahabandu brought honour to the nation through outstanding performances on the regional and international stage. He was a member of the Sri Lankan quartet that clinched the 4×400 metres relay gold medal with a Games record at the 1974 Asian Games, a landmark achievement in Sri Lanka’s track-and-field history.
He later represented the country in the relay at the 1980 Moscow Olympics and again competed at the 1982 Asian Games, continuing to serve as a pillar of the national team.
An alumnus of Mahinda College, Sahabandu began his athletics journey at the age of 15 under the guidance of Colonel Jayathilaka. He later came under the tutelage of K.L.F Wijedasa, where his talent matured into championship calibre.
Sahabandu etched his name into the record books by becoming the first Sri Lankan to run the 800 metres in 1:53.00 seconds. The national record he set in 1974 remained unbeaten for 14 years, underscoring his exceptional endurance and speed. A member of the Ceylonese Track and Field Club, he also represented Sri Lanka at the 1979 Asian Athletics Championships and later contributed to the sport as a national selector, helping guide future generations of athletes.
His funeral is scheduled to take place on Monday (16), as the athletics fraternity mourns the loss of a true sporting hero whose legacy will continue to inspire Sri Lankan athletics for years to come. (RF)
Sri Lanka National record holder Rumesh Tharanga delivered a world leading throw to win the men’s javelin at the Perth Track Classic on Saturday.
World Athletics top list for the season displayed Tharanga’s performance as the only throw beyond the 80 metres mark this year.
The former St. Peter’s College Bambalapitiya athlete had remarkable success last year finishing the season among the top ten in the world with his 86.50 metres throw in India as his best.
His world leading performance in the early season will augur well ahead of a bussy season inclusive of Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
Meanwhile, sprinter Amasha de Silva clocked 7.47 seconds to win the first place in the 60 metres at a championship at the Athletic Center Olga Rypakova, Ust-Kamenogors Kazakhastan. (RF)
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