Sports

Ashwin and Shreyas Iyer make it 2-0 for India in close finish

Published

3 years ago

2022/12/26

A fighting and defiant half-century stand between No. 8 Shreyas Iyer and R Ashwin saved India from a lower-order collapse and led them to a thin three-wicket win on a turning and low pitch on the fourth morning in Dhaka. Resuming on 45 for 4, India needed 100 more to win and Bangladesh six wickets. Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s five-for gave the hosts a big chance with quick wickets in the first half hour before Ashwin and Iyer used patience, accounted for the low bounce and also scored at a good clip – at over four an over – to take India over the line before the scheduled lunch break.

India strengthened their second spot on the WTC table with the 2-0 series win and have a four-Test series coming up at home against Australia, of which they can afford to lose only one game to not lose out on the final spot.

India were in deep trouble in the first hour at 74 for 7, still 71 adrift from the target, when Iyer and Ashwin came together. Iyer used his straight bat to play out the spinners patiently and Ashwin used a low stance for the low bounce especially against Mehidy as the Bangladesh spinners stuck to a stump-to-stump line that had fetched them three wickets in the morning.

Mehidy even created a chance when Ashwin was on 1 and India on 80, when Ashwin gloved the ball to short leg where Mominul Haque put down a straightforward chance. Just like Bangladesh made India pay for the dropped chances on Saturday, Ashwin cashed in on the life he got and picked up regular boundaries once he moved into double-digits. He collected two in an over off Khaled Ahmed and finished things off in a 16-run over off Mehidy which started with a first-ball six over midwicket and ended with back-to-back fours, taking Ashwin to an unbeaten 42 off 62 while Iyer was on 29 at the other end.

Bangladesh had raced ahead with an early advantage in a dramatic first hour that saw a few boundaries, numerous appeals, two reviews, and three wickets.Jaydev Unadkat survived a very marginal lbw call on the third ball of the day and Bangladesh’s review showed the ball was just hitting leg stump, which wasn’t enough to overturn the on-field decision. Unadkat slog-swept the very next ball for six over midwicket but fell in the next over when Shakib Al Hasan slipped in a quick one from around the wicket to trap him right in front on the back foot and Unadkat wasted a review.

Mehidy then removed two left-hand batters in consecutive overs for his eighth Test five-for. Rishabh Pant, at No. 7, unleashed a reverse sweep early on against Shakib for four but also looked nervous while either stepping out too often against the spinners or going on the back foot dangerously against sharp turn. Mehidy bowled on the fourth stump line consistently to him from around the wicket and pitched one marginally shorter to trap Pant on the back foot for 9.

Seventy-one for 6 quickly became 74 for 7. Axar Patel carried on from his overnight 26 with regular strokes to keep the score ticking whenever he got width or length to work with. But he also became a victim of Mehidy’s stifling line and flat trajectory when a grubber deflected off his pads on the back foot and hit the stumps to send him back for 34.

Shakib replaced himself with Taijul Islam to keep the left-arm spin threat going from one end and Iyer and Ashwin kept their bats close to pads and leaned forward to block the ball patiently in a boundary-less spell of 67 balls. With two right-hand batters on now, Mehidy’s magic didn’t look as unplayable now, barring the life Ashwin got. Iyer hit his first four on his 29th ball when Mehidy pitched one wide and then stepped out to drive Shakib inside out for a powerful cover drive followed by a pull for two more fours to quickly take India past 100 and switch the momentum.

When India were 34 away, Shakib brought on pace for the first time in the day. After conceding a four down the leg side, Khaled Ahmed nearly created a chance with Ashwin’s thick edge past a diving gully fielder but that also went for four. Taijul came back on, Mehidy tried going around the wicket and Bangladesh hoped maybe lack of bounce would get them an opening, but nothing worked.

Ashwin quickly scored 31 off the last 34 runs with the help of four fours and a six and kept Bangladesh still searching for their first Test win against India.

(cricinfo)

Scores:

Bangladesh 227 all out (Mominul Haque 84: Umesh Yadav 4-25, Ravichandran Ashwin 4-71) and 231 all out (Litton Das 73, Zakir Hasan 51, Axar Patel 3-68)

India 314 all out (Rishabh Pant 93, Shreyas Iyer 87; Taijul Islam 4-74, Shakib Al Hasan 4-79) and 145 for 7 Wickets (Ravichandran Ashwin 42 n.o., Axar Patel 34; Mehidy Hasan Miraz 5-63)

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India to host Zimbabwe for maiden women’s bilateral series

Published

7 hours ago

2026/05/7

Priyan

India Women have never played an international game against Zimbabwe [Cricinfo]

The India and Zimbabwe women’s teams are all set to play an international fixture against each other for the first time when Zimbabwe tour India for white-ball fixtures this October.

The tour comprises three T20Is and three ODIs and will be Zimbabwe’s first visit to India; India are yet to tour Zimbabwe for bilateral fixtures.

The three T20Is will be played in Raipur on October 16, 18 and 20, and the ODIs are on October 23, 25 and 28 in Baroda.

The fixtures were announced by the BCCI on Wednesday, along with two home series for the India A women’s side against Australia A in September and England A in December. Both those series comprise three T20s, three List A games and one multi-day fixture.

The India Under-19 women’s team will also host Sri Lanka U-19 in June and July for three T20s and three 50-over games, and England U-19 in November and December for five T20 fixtures.

The Australia A men’s side will tour India for two multi-day fixtures and three one-dayers in September and October, while the Australia U-19 side will visit India for two multi-day fixtures and three one-dayers also in September and October.

[Cricinfo]

Sports

Fast bowlers to get more opportunities as new format introduced for Under-15 Division I tourney

Published

8 hours ago

2026/05/7

Sahan Weerasooriya

St. Joseph's College won the last edition of the Under 15 Division I cricket tournament

The Inter-Schools Under-15 Division I cricket tournament will be conducted under a revamped format this year, with organisers shifting the focus back to limited-overs cricket while introducing new rules aimed at promoting fast bowling.

‎The tournament, organised by the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA), will see only the top-tier Division I competition played in a 50-over format. Meanwhile, Division II and Division III matches will continue under the one-day, four-innings structure.

‎SLSCA Secretary Saman Hettiarachchi said the changes were made following consultations with experts from Sri Lanka Cricket, with a clear objective of providing greater opportunities for pace bowlers.

‎”We opted for the limited-overs format for Division I in consultation with Sri Lanka Cricket. The lower divisions will copete in the innings format as we have observed matches ending early without utilizing the full quota of overs,” Hettiarachchi told ‘The Island’.

‎A key feature of the revised rules is the compulsory allocation of overs for fast bowlers. In a full 50-over innings, a minimum of 20 overs must be bowled by pacemen. Additionally, during the first 10 overs, at least eight overs must be delivered by fast bowlers. If an innings is reduced to 30 overs or fewer, at least six of the first eight overs must be bowled by pace.

‎”It was made mandatory to give more opportunities to pacemen,” Hettiarachchi explained.

‎Meanwhile, the official draw for the Division I tournament has been released, featuring 70 teams divided into 16 groups from Group A to Group P for the preliminary round. Each team is guaranteed multiple matches during the opening stage.

‎Defending champions St. Joseph’s College headline Group A, where they will meet Nalanda College, Dharmapala College, St. John’s College, Lumbini College and De La Salle College.

‎With traditional cricketing powerhouses spread across the groups, it will be interesting to see how the first round pans out in the new-look tournament.

‎Under 15 Division I Tournament First Round Groups

GROUP A

‎St. Joseph’s College, Colombo

‎Nalanda College, Colombo

‎Dharmapala College, Pannipitiya

‎St. John’s College, Nugegoda

‎Lumbini College, Colombo

‎De La Salle College, Colombo

‎GROUP B

‎D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo

‎S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia

‎Presidents’ College, Kotte

‎Wesley College, Colombo

‎Carey College, Colombo

‎Sri Dharmaloka College, Kelaniya

‎GROUP C

‎St. Anthony’s College, Wattala

‎St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa

‎Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Kottawa

‎St. Peter’s College, Colombo

‎C.W.W. Kannangara MV, Colombo

‎Ashoka College, Colombo

‎GROUP D

‎St. Benedict’s College, Colombo

‎Royal College, Colombo

‎Gurukula College, Kelaniya

‎Lyceum International School, Wattala

‎Bandaranayake MMV, Gampaha

‎St. John’s College, Panadura

‎GROUP E

‎De Mazenod College, Kandana

‎Isipathana College, Colombo

‎Christ King College, Ja-Ela

‎Thurstan College, Colombo

‎Ananda Shastralaya NS, Kotte

‎St. Joseph Vaz College, Vennappuwa

‎GROUP F

‎Mahanama College, Colombo

‎Piliyandala MMV, Piliyandala

‎Ananda College, Colombo

‎Sri Jayawardenapura NS, Kotte

‎Presidents College, Maharagama

‎St. Thomas’ College, Kotte

‎GROUP G

‎Wadduwa MMV, Wadduwa

‎Sri Sumangala College, Panadura

‎Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa

‎Moratu Vidyalaya, Moratuwa

‎Revatha College, Balapitiya

‎Royal College, Panadura

‎GROUP H

‎Dharmaraja College, Kandy

‎St. Mary’s College, Kegalle

‎Kegalu Vidyalaya, Kegalle

‎Kingswood College, Kandy

‎Vidyartha College, Kandy

‎Ibbagamuwa MMV, Ibbagamuwa

‎GROUP J

‎Maris Stella College, Negombo

‎Maliyadeva College, Kurunegala

‎Harischandra College, Negombo

‎Maliyadeva Adarsha MV, Kurunegala

‎Galahitiyawa MMV, Ganemulla

‎Sandalankawa MMV, Sandalankawa

‎GROUP K

‎St. Anthony’s College, Kandy

‎St. Sylvester’s College, Kandy

‎Trinity College, Kandy

‎Royal College, Polonnaruwa

‎St. Thomas’ College, Matale

‎Jaffna Hindu College, Jaffna

‎GROUP L

‎Sri Pangnananda MMV, Raddoluwa

‎St. Anne’s College, Kurunegala

‎St. Mary’s College, Chilaw

‎Sri Sumangala NS, Wariyapola

‎St. Peter’s College, Negombo

‎St. Xavier’s College, Marawila

‎GROUP M

‎Devapathiraja College, Rathgama

‎St. Aloysius College, Galle

‎Holy Cross College, Kalutara

‎Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda

‎Kalutara Vidyalaya, Kalutara

‎Vidyaloka College, Galle

‎GROUP N

‎Mahinda College, Galle

‎Tissa MV, Kalutara

‎Rahula College, Matara

‎Debarawewa NS, Debarawewa

‎St. Thomas’ College, Matara

‎Meepawala Amarasuriya MV

‎GROUP P

‎St. Servatius’ College, Matara

‎Richmond College, Galle

‎Sri Devananda College, Ambalangoda

‎Karandeniya MMV, Karandeniya

‎P. De S. Kularathna MV, Ambalangoda

‎President’s College, Embilipitiya.

by Reemus Fernando

Sports

Women’s Cricket receives a shot in the arm from the Mercantile Cricket Association

Published

8 hours ago

2026/05/7

Sahan Weerasooriya

Girls teams of the MCA's Cricket Academy line up at the commencement of the acadamy inter house tournament

With the success the seven MCA men’s cricket tournaments have achieved, the Executive Committee of Mercantile Cricket Association (MCA) have decided to give Women’s Cricket in Sri Lanka a boost by introducing a hard ball Women’s Cricket Tournament for the corporate sector.

With the international recognition women’s cricket has gained at present, it is no secret that there still are many talented lasses aspiring to reach the zenith of the game.

Even with the measures Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) the game’s governing body through the Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA) have taken to promote girls cricket in schools, a considerable number of talented players, specially in the provinces do not have an opportunity to be recognized.

It is the MCA’s belief that with the introduction of a MCA Women’s Cricket Tournament, the corporate sector will be encouraged to field teams, and in doing so will give a hand to talented lasses and school leavers by providing them with employment as well as the opportunity to realise their aspirations in the Women’s Cricket arena.

At present in addition to the seven major Men’s tournaments the MCA organise the

Mercantile Six-a-Side tournament, the Over-40 Sixes competition, the 20×20 league, and the esteemed MCA Inter Academy Invitational tournament,

As an initial step, the MCA will be conducting a Women’s six and side soft ball cricket tournament for the corporate sector teams on Saturday 23rd May 2026 at the Mercantile Cricket Association grounds.

For further information please contact Chamara on 0759592488 or Prasad 0759809777.