Sports

Akalanka leaves an indelible mark

Published

5 months ago

2025/09/12

Ayomal Akalanka of Ambagamuwa Central Udubulathgama and Jithma Wijetunga of Lyceum Inyernational Wattala pose for pictures after winning the best athlete titles of the Sir John Tarbat Senior Athletics Championship at Diyagama

Ambagamuwa Central hurdler Ayomal Akalanka is set to leave the schools athletics circuit with an enviable record as he concluded the Sir John Tarbat Senior Athletics Championship with yet another best athlete title at Diyagama on Thursday.

‎The athlete trained by veteran coach Anura Bandara has got one more junior meet- All Island Schools Games – to take part before bringing the curtain down on a remarkable junior career in which he has bagged almost all junior meet records and the national junior record.

‎Winning the best athlete title at the Sir John Tarbat Senior Championship was just a formality for the 19-year-old who has been turning tables on seniors at national championships in the 400 metres hurdles since last year.

‎He was the best athlete at the last Junior National Championship as well and was crowned the best hurdler at the recently held National Championships.

‎A medallist at both the Youth Commonwealth Games and the Asian Youth Championships, Akalanka has shown steady progress during the last two years.

‎With a personal best time of 50.20 seconds in his pet event he is widely considered the heir to the quarter-century old 400m hurdles national record (49.44) of Harijan Rathnayake.

‎Not many have held the National Youth, National Junior, Junior National Championship, John Tarbat and Schools Games meet records in any discipline simultaneously at the time they leave schools athletics. Akalanka will have one more opportunity to improve on his own meet record when he takes part in the All Island Schools Games shortly.

‎However, despite impressive performances by the likes of Akalaka, the potential in 400 metres hurdles as a future medal winning discipline for Sri Lanka is yet to be recognised. An alumny of Akalanka’s school, Danuka Dharshana who was trained by the same coach excelled in a similar fashion but did not get the due patronage he deserved.

‎Now with a former athlete and an Olympian holding deputy sports minister’s post will the likes of Asalanka get due recognision?

Girls Overall Champions Lyceum International

‎Ironically, the country’s deputy minister of sports Sugath Thilakaratne is the most known trainee of Anura Bandara who has guided the destiny of many athletes like Akalanka.

Boys overall champions Maris Stella College Thimbirigaskatuwa

by Reemus Fernando

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U19 World Cup: Adnit ton powers USA to seven wicket win

Published

8 mins ago

2026/01/27

Priyan

Adnit Jhamb hit an unbeaten 116 off just 93 balls [Cricinfo]

Adnit Jhamb produced an excellent, unbeaten century as USA romped to a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over Scotland in the 16th place playoff at the Harare Sports Club. Chasing 237, Jhamb’s masterful 116 off 93 balls, studded with 17 boundaries and a six, steered his side home with 68 balls to spare.

Earlier, Scotland posted 236 after electing to bat, with opener Theo Robinson top-scoring with a patient 83 off 101 deliveries. Robinson found support from Manu Saraswat (41) as the pair added crucial runs in the middle overs. However, USA’s bowling attack, led by Ritvik Appidi’s four-wicket haul, kept chipping away at regular intervals. Jake Woodhouse’s late cameo of 28 off 21 balls provided some late impetus, but Scotland were eventually bundled out in the final over.

The chase began steadily with openers Amrinder Gill (35) and Sahil Garg (16) putting on 39. Jhamb entered at 96 for 2, who built on the foundations and steered USA on the path of victory. He found an able ally in captain Utkarsh Srivastava (52 off 52), and the duo stitched together a match-winning 129-run partnership for the third wicket. Scotland’s bowlers had no answers as Jhamb continued his onslaught, with Ollie Jones’ twin strikes proving mere consolations.

Brief scores:
Scotland Under 19s 236 in 50 overs (Theo Robinson 83, Manu Saraswat 41; Ritvik Appidi 4-54) lost to USA Under 19s 239/3 in 38.4 overs (Adnit Jhamb 116*, Utkarsh Srivastava 52; Ollie Jones 2-46) by seven wickets

[Cricbuzz]

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U19 World Cup: Sri Lanka keep semifinal aspirations alive with four wicket win

Published

16 mins ago

2026/01/27

Priyan

Dimantha Mahavithana gave Sri Lanka a steady start in their chase [Cricbuzz]

Sri Lanka kept their semifinal aspirations alive with a nervy four-wicket victory over Afghanistan in a low-scoring Super Sixes contest at the Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek. Chasing a modest 194, the Islanders wobbled at regular intervals before Chamika Heenatigala’s composed unbeaten 22 guided them across the line with 19 balls remaining.

Afghanistan, electing to bat first, laboured to 193 all out in 49.5 overs on a challenging surface. Opener Osman Sadat anchored the innings with a gritty 61 off 107 balls, but lacked support as wickets tumbled at the other end. Azizullah Miakhil’s 43 and a blistering cameo from Roohullah Arab (22 off 13) provided some late momentum. Sri Lanka’s bowling was disciplined throughout, with Kugathas Mathulan, and Viran Chamuditha claiming two wickets apiece to restrict Afghanistan’s total.

The chase began disastrously as Chamuditha fell for one in the first over, but Dimantha Mahavithana (37) and Senuja Wekunagoda (43) steadied the ship with a 55-run partnership. However, Afghanistan’s spinners struck back, with Roohullah Arab’s economical spell (2 for 23) keeping the pressure on. When Wekunagoda departed at 130/5, Sri Lanka still needed 64 runs with five wickets in hand.

Enter Heenatigala and Dulnith Sigera, who added a crucial 52-run stand to swing the momentum decisively. Sigera’s 30 off 45 balls eased the pressure before he holed out with 12 runs still required. Heenatigala, the Player of the Match who earlier claimed 1 for 19 with the ball, remained unbeaten to seal a vital victory.

Brief scores:
Afghanistan Under 19s 193 in 49.5 overs (Osman Sadat 61; Viran Chamuditha 2-20, Kugathas Mathulan 2-62) lost to Sri Lanka Under 19s 194/6 in 46.5 overs (Senuja Wekunagoda 43, Dimantha Mahavithana 37; Roohullah Arab 2-23) by four wickets

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U19 World Cup: Dominant England swat aside Bangladesh

Published

24 mins ago

2026/01/27

Priyan

Thomas Rew celebrates the player of the match award [Cricbuzz]

England made a strong start to the Super six stage with a dominant bowling performance leading to a crushing win over Bangladesh at the Queens Sports Club. Bangladesh, who opted to bat, were restricted to a meager 136 with every English bowler ticking the wickets column. The target was then chased down inside 25 overs courtesy captain Thomas Rew’s unbeaten half century.

Bangladesh’s struggles began as early as the third ball when Sebastian Morgan dismissed Zawad Abrar after the latter had struck the opening ball of the game for a four. The pair of Rifat Beg and Mohammad Azizul Hakim Tamim then stitched on a 46-run stand off 64 balls for the second wicket but once Beg fell for a 36-ball 31, Bangladesh slipped into a free fall. The next highest partnership was 18 and only one other batter – Mohammad Abdullah – even crossed 20. For England, Morgan finished with 3 for 28 while Ralphie Albert and Manny Lumsden claimed a brace.

England too lost an opener – Joseph Moores – early but Ben Dawkins managed five boundaries in his knock of 26. Rew then joined Ben Mayes to put on 78 off just 68 for the third wicket, all but closing the game out. Mayes fell for 34 but the skipper held firm to finish unbeaten on 59 off 50 balls to take his team over the line. The result helped England put one foot into the semifinals while Bangladesh are not out of contention.

Brief scores:
Bangladesh 136 in 38.1 overs (MD Rifat Beg 31; Sebastian Morgan 3-28, Manny Lumsden 2-18) lost to England 137/3 in 24.1 overs (Thomas Rew 59*, Ben Mayes 34; AL Fahad 2-37) by seven wickets.