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Stoinis thrills and crushes Sri Lanka

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Rex Clementine in Perth

Australia are such a balanced side and that’s why their embarrassing defeat in the opening encounter of the ICC T-20 World Cup against New Zealand is hard to comprehend. The defending champions had lost by 89 runs in Sydney to their Trans-Tasman rivals and Sri Lanka had to bear the brunt of their efforts to improve the Net Run Rate. Eventually, the hosts crushed them by seven wickets with 24 deliveries to spare yesterday night.

The Aussies have so many match-winners in their ranks and someone like Steve Smith can’t even find a place in the side. They chased down a target of 158 with Marcus Stoinis starring having reached his half-century in just 15 balls. The all-rounder smashed four fours and five sixes.

Sri Lanka had their moments. Lahiru Kumara bowled with fire and hit Glenn Maxwell on the chin and the batsman was hopping around like a cat on a tin roof. Losing Binura Fernando in the very first over was a massive blow for Dasun Shanaka and the team’s injury list just keeps growing. The left-arm seamer who was flown in for the injured Dilshan Madushanka has barely lasted a week in Australia. Fernando himself is returning from injury and someone has to tell us the reasons why we have had so many injuries in recent months.

Optus Stadium in Perth is Australia’s third biggest ground and has been used for other sports like rugby too. Not too long ago the All Blacks graced here and at times fielders looked to be needing the speed and athleticism of that magnificent rugby team. Even miss-hits fell between the players.

Sri Lanka managed just two sixes in their innings both scored by Charith Asalanka, who got his break only because of injuries. Asalanka was such a hit during the last World Cup and looks to be the man destined to take Sri Lankan cricket forward. For him to be given the cold shoulder is a no brainer.

A total of 25,069 fans witnessed the proceedings yesterday. In Perth’s old ground – the WACA – it would have been a full house. Two thirds of the posh Optus Stadium where cricket shifted in 2018 was empty but the Papare band kept everyone entertained. Most of the numbers they chose were of Sunil Perera’s. Some of his finest hits although were released in the early 1980s, they are still popular even among the younger generation. Sunil may be not the baila king, with another Moratuwaite – M.S. Fernando owning that title, but he was one guy known for creativity and such talents need to be celebrated.

Sometimes a nation’s old-timers are celebrated even overseas. A couple of Aussies were wondering yesterday what Aravinda de Silva is up to these days. Aravinda may not have the numbers of Kumar Sangakkara or Mahela Jayawardene, but if there was one batsman who gave the Aussies nightmares it was Aravinda. One of the chaps who asked about Aravinda was Malcolm Conn, Australia’s celebrated cricket writer. Conn in 1999 exposed that Cricket Australia had secretly fined Shane Warne and Mark Waugh for accepting money from a bookie.

Conn won a national award for the story that brought Australian cricket to its knees. Soon, Cricket Australia put their house in order.



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Achintha smashes 1,500 metres record at All Island Schools Games

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Lahiru Achintha broke the Under 18 boys' 1,500 metres record.
‎by Reemus Fernando 
‎
‎Promising middle distance runner Lahiru Achintha continued his record breaking sphere with a remarkable sub four minutes feat in the 1,500 metres at the All Island Schools Games Athletics Championship at Diyagama today (17).

‎The Asian Youth Games gold medallist who has run sub four minutes previously returned a time of 3:55.97 seconds to become the first athlete in his age category at these championships to run the distance under four minutes.

‎Achintha who has a personal best of 3:53.05 from last year was representing Prince College Ratnapura today.

‎In another impressive 1,500 m feat Tharushi Abhisheka of Lyceum International School, Wattala established a new meet record in the Under-20 Girls’ 1,500m as she returned a time of 4:34.59 seconds to win.

‎By the end of the second day of the meet seven new meet records had been established.

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‎D. V. C. de Soysa (of Galewela Central College) Under-16 Boys’ Discus Throw – 55.83m.

‎D. G. Lahiru Achintha (of Ratnapura Kumara Vidyalaya) Under-18 Boys’ 1,500m – 3:55.97 secs.

‎W. P. Nethula Induwara (Rahula College, Matara) Under-14 Boys’ 100m – 11.70 seconds

‎K. V. R. Gayesha (Ira Handa Kotuwa Wewa Maha Vidyalaya, Polonnaruwa) Under-16 Girls’ High Jump – 1.70m

‎H. M. D. S. Herath (Maris Stella College, Thimbirigaskatuwa) Under-20 Boys’ Long Jump – 7.65m

‎P. M. Amaya Semindi (Vijitha Central College, Dikwella) Under-14 Girls’ High Jump – 1.58m

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Pakistan, Sri Lanka look to find the right mix as World Cup countdown begins

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Arafat Minhas made his ODI debut earlier this year (Cricinfo)

Sri Lanka’s  men begin this match having won an international in the past week. This is more significant than it sounds. Their 2026 has been abysmal, with the team losing 22 matches to the 10 they have won. New captain Kusal Mendis  had carried his team to that victory with his 87 not out off 48 balls, after Sri Lanka’s seamers had also had an encouraging outing.

But the game was only a dead rubber, Pakistan having sewn up the T20I series already. Pakistan have hardly been lighting up 2026 either, but they have had substantially more success than Sri Lanka. They had won their most recent ODI series, against Australia, 2-1. In that series, Pakistan may even have discovered a bright young all-round talent, left-arm spinner and lower-order batter Arafat Minhas, who claimed the Player of the Series award for his seven wickets at an average of 12.28. He has been in penetrative form in the past 10 days as well, having claimed five wickets across the three T20Is against Sri Lanka. Against Australia, Pakistan had also had excellent performances from Shaheen Afridi and legspinner Abrar Ahmed. It had, in fact, been Pakistan’s bowlers who dominated in a low-scoring series.

The tri-series is important for all three sides because there is now officially less than 12 months before the World Cup, which is set to begin on October 2 next year. Sri Lanka still have plenty to figure out – their white-ball squads having been in serious flux this year, as a new set of selectors searches (often fruitlessly) for a winning combination. Pakistan have players and stratetgies to trial as well.

In the series against Australia, Babar Azam had top-scored for Pakistan, hitting 40, 16, and 69 to average 41.66 across the matches. No one will call it a return to his heyday, but it was an encouraging sign following a modest run in 2025, in which he averaged 34 across 17 innings. Sri Lanka has been one of his favoured opponents over the years, Babar having struck four of his 20 centuries against them, averaging 58.33. The tracks in Rawalpindi at least are expected to be good for batting. Can he build up some form in the one format he now plays?

Lahiru Udara has reason to feel miffed at the selectors, many think. Having hit 188 against West Indies three Tests ago, he was left out of the squad entirely for the forthcoming Test series. But with Pathum Nissanka having been ruled out of the ODIs through an ongoing hamstring problem, Udara has surged into ODI contention on the back of a good T20I innings last week. At age 32, he knows his chances at this level are numbered. With the World Cup on the horizon, there is perhaps no better format to impress in right now than ODIs.

With neither Sahibzada Farhan nor Maaz Sadaqat in the ODI squad, Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman may open.

Pakistan (possible): Saim Ayub,  Fakhar Zaman,  Hasan Nawaz, Babar Azam, Salman Ali Agha,  Shadab Khan, Ghazi Ghouri (wk), Minhas Arafat,  Shaheen Afridi (capt.),  Haris Rauf,  Naseem Shah

Sri Lanka may bring Avishka Fernando straight into the XI, with Kamil Mishara having had a run of modest scores. Sri Lanka also have some decisions to make on the spin-bowling front, although they are likely to favour Maheesh Theekshana over legspinner Sachindu Colombage.

Sri Lanka (possible): Lahiru Udara,  Avishka Fernando,  Kusal Mendis (capt, wk), Kamindu Mendis,  Sahan Arachchige/Pavan Rathnayake, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka, Dunith Wellalage,  Dushmantha Chameera,  Eshan Malinga,  Maheesh Theekshana,  Asitha Fernando

(Cricinfo)

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Mumbai Indians and head coach Mahela Jayawardene part ways

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Mahela Jayawardene gets down to work (Cricinfo)

Mumbai Indians and their IPL head coach Mahela Jayawardene have parted ways ahead of the 2027 auction. Jayawardene was the MI head coach for the last two seasons, in his second stint with the franchise in that position. He had previously served in that role from 2017 to 2022.

“Mumbai Indians has been a very special part of my journey for over a decade now,” Jayawardene said in an MI statement. “The players, coaching team, the incredible support of the #OneFamily and above all the fans have made this an experience I will always treasure. Together, we have shared some unforgettable moments, overcome challenges and built something we can all be proud of. I want to sincerely thank Mrs. Nita Ambani and Akash Ambani for their unwavering trust, support and friendship over the years. I leave with immense pride in what we have achieved together and will always carry a special place in my heart for MI. I wish the team every success in the years ahead.”

Cricinfo has learned that the question of a possible change in coaching staff came up during the 2026 season review in August, when both the player leadership group and the franchise agreed they needed to look for a change. It is understood Jayawardene, too, agreed with the viewpoint of bringing in younger coaches to bring in fresh perspectives.

The new coach will have the choice of taking a call on the rest of the existing MI coaching staff which includes Kieron Pollard (assistant coach) and Paras Mhambrey (bowling coach).

Jayawardene’ departure leaves MI’s team management in a tricky position, with captain Hardik Pandya also under the spotlight after their second-from-bottom finish in IPL 2026. Not long after MI finished with just four wins from 14 games, rumours of a Hardik trade began circulating in reports and social media. Hardik’s individual performance also didn’t inspire much confidence: he took just four wickets in 10 games and scored 206 runs from 10 innings, striking at 138.25 with a high score of 40.

Jayawardene took over as the MI head coach before IPL 2025, replacing Mark Boucher. Before that, Jayawardene had served as their global head of performance from 2022 to 2024. In that position, Jayawardene had also overseen MI’s three other franchises – MI Emirates in the ILT20, MI New York in MLC and MI Cape Town in SA20.

In his first stint as head coach, Jayawardene won three IPL titles. The second one was less successful, with MI finishing fourth on the league table in 2025 before losing in Qualifier 2, and ninth in 2026.

“Mahela has made a significant contribution to Mumbai Indians over the years,” MI owner Nita Ambani said, “His calm leadership, integrity and deep love for the game have meant so much to us. On behalf of the entire MI family, I want to thank Mahela for his immense contribution and unwavering commitment over the years. We will always cherish the journey we have shared and the memories we have created together. Mahela will always be a part of our #OneFamily, and we wish him every happiness and success in the journey ahead.”

MI now need to look for a head coach with under a month left for the IPL retention deadline – November 15. The IPL auction is expected to take place around a month later in Goa.

MI last won the IPL in 2020 when they became the first team to successfully defend their title. Both trophy wins came under Jayawardene.

(Cricinfo)

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