Sports
Aliya Riaz and Sadia Iqbal rule Super Over to give Pakistan consolation win
Sadia Iqbal and Aliya Riaz played the starring roles as Pakistan beat New Zealand in a Super Over after the nail-biting third ODI ended in a tie in Christchurch. With the win, Pakistan denied New Zealand a series whitewash after the first two games had gone the way of the hosts.
Pakistan looked like favourites for large parts of their chase of 252, but a late collapse meant they needed eight runs in the last over with just one wicket in hand.
Lea Tahuhu bowled it, and bowled well, but was unlucky to give away four byes. And, with two needed for a win off the final ball, Najiha Alvi got the ball away to deep backward square and Pakistan levelled the scores.
Riaz, who played an important knock of 44 in Pakistan’s innings, started the Super Over – bowled by Amelia Kerr – with a boundary off the outside edge. Amelia did not concede any more boundaries, but Pakistan still managed to get to 11.
Amelia was then out second ball in New Zealand’s Super Over innings, lifting Iqbal straight to long-off. Sophie Devine hammered the left-arm spinner for a six over midwicket to bring the equation down to four off the last two balls, but skied a catch to long-on off the next delivery.
Earlier, New Zealand had opted to bat, and after losing their openers cheaply, were steadied by 50-plus stands between Devine (29 in 32 balls) and Amelia, and then Amelia and Maddy Green.
After Kerr was bowled by Ghulam Fatima for an 87-ball 77, New Zealand lost a few quick wickets before a 40-run stand between Green (65* in 69) and Jess Kerr (19 in 15) helped them get to 251.
Pakistan started slowly in their chase and lost opener Muneeba Ali in the sixth over, trapped lbw by Hanna Rowe, with just 11 runs on the board.
But Sidra Ameen upped the tempo, hitting 20 off her next eight balls before Tahuhu dismissed her for a 22-ball 24.
Bismah Maroof and Riaz added 101 for the third wicket as Pakistan looked like they were in control of the chase. While Maroof reached her half-century, Riaz fell just short as Jess took a good return catch to break their burgeoning stand.
Fatima Sana, standing in as Pakistan’s skipper after Nida Dar was concussed in the first game, came in and played an enterprising knock to ensure the visitors did not lose momentum with Riaz’s wicket.
Even after Fran Jonas ended Maroof’s stay for 68 in 86 balls, Sana continued to take the bowlers on, with support from Natalia Pervaiz. Devine finally had Sana caught behind for a 33-ball 36 with Pakistan still 54 runs behind New Zealand’s total.
Pervaiz and Alvi then put on a 31-run stand off 28 balls as Pakistan inched closer, but the Kerr sisters combined to remove Pervaiz for a 23-ball 26 with Pakistan still needing 23 runs.
Tahuhu caught Umm-e-Hani off her own bowling in the next over, and Amelia threatened to take the game away when Nashra Sandhu was run-out off her bowling in the penultimate over and she castled Iqbal for a golden duck.
But Alvi, who finished unbeaten on 23 in 26 balls, kept her calm and helped Pakistan take it to a Super Over.
Brief scores:
Pakistan women 251 for 9 in 50 overs (Bismah Maroof 68, Sidra Ameen 24, Aliya Riaz 44, Fatima Sana 36, Natalia Pervaiz 26, Najiha Alvi 23; Lea Tahuhu 2-30, Amelia Kerr 2-54) beat New Zealand women 251 for 8 in 50 overs (Suzie Bates 24, Amelia Kerr 77, Sophie Devine 29, Maddy Green 65*; Nashra Sandhu 2-59, Ghulam Fatima 2-59) in the One-over Eliminator
(BBC)
Bangladesh’s veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has finally been cleared of suspect action after suffering months of negativity regarding the same. The 37-year-old had failed the test twice but the latest results suggest that Shakib has finally managed to clear the air around his bowling action.
The development comes as a huge sigh of relief for Shakib who had been excluded for Bangladesh’s Champions Trophy squad as the selectors didn’t want to pick him as a specialist batter. Having been suspended to bowl meant that the all-rounder couldn’t take part of the ICC event which had been earmarked as a farewell tournament for him in international cricket.
The phrase third-time lucky proved right for Shakib who cleared his latest bowling action test in England. When contacted by Cricbuzz, he confirmed the news with an understandable air of happiness.
“The news is right (passing about the bowling test) and I am cleared to bowl again,” Shakib said.
Shakib’s bowling action first came under scrutiny during a County Championship match for Surrey against Somerset in September 2024. Subsequently, the England and
Wales Cricket Board [ECB] suspended him following an independent evaluation that declared his action illegal.
Shakib then underwent two separate reassessments, first in England and then in India, failing both attempts, following which he was suspended from bowling.
Sri Lanka at World Indoor Athletics Championships
In the absence of Aruna Dharshana, Kalinga Kumarage is shouldering an extra burden in living up to the reputation of Asian Champions in the 4×400 metres relay when the World Indoor Championship commences in Nanjing China on Friday.
The men’s 400 metres is Sri Lanka’s biggest strength in track and field events though two javelin throwers currently dominate world athletics top lists for the 2025 season. With the track and field season still in its start, the country’s top sprinters were yet to flex their muscles when the opportunity arose for the 400 metres sprinters to compete at the World Indoor Championships.
Kalinga Kumarage
Kumarage is the only experienced campaigner in the men’s 4×400 metres relay team scheduled to compete against world leading USA, Jamaica, Hungary, Nigeria and China in the men’s 4×400 metres final. Both Aruna Dharshana and Kalinga Kumarage had been involved in some of the fastest relay performances for Sri Lanka at international arena including the Asian Games, Asian Championship and Asian Relays. But Dharshana is not available for the event as he is currently competing in Australia. Kumarage is the only member from the gold winning team at last year’s Asian Relays competing in Nanjing. However, it will be a huge opportunity for Randima Madushan and the two juniors Sadew Rajakaruna and Omel Shashintha when they brush shoulders against top sprinters in a global final.
Apart from the relay, Kalinga will also compete in the men’s 400 metres where he will look to produce a top performance in a bid to improve his rankings.
Sri Lanka is fielding its biggest contingent to a world indoor championship this year. The team is inclusive of sprinter Chamod Yodasinghe who will compete in the 60 metres, hurdler Kaveesha Bandara (60 m hurdles) and the men’s and women’s 4×400 metres relay teams.
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Rajakaruna clarifies on behalf of Dharshana
Asanka Rajakaruna, the coach of leading 400 metres specialist Aruna Djarshana said that his charge was unaware of the 4×400 metres relay invitation extended by World Athletics to Sri Lanka for this week’s World Indoor Championships.
He said this with reference to our article on Tuesday which quoted a Sri Lanka Athletics official as having said that Dharshana had decided to stay in Australia to complete his commitments and was not available for the World Indoor Championships.
“We were not informed about the World Indoor Championships. We have always given priority to national duty. Dharshana would have taken the opportunity with open arms had he been informed of the opportunity to compete at the World Indoor Championship,” Asanka Rajakaruna told The Island.
Sri Lanka received the invitation to include relay teams for the World Indoor Championships well after Aruna Dharshana left for Australia.
by Reemus Fernando
Sri Lanka Athletics has invited India, the Philippines and the Maldives for next month’s Relay Championships conducted by Sri Lanka Schools Athletics Association in a bid to provide the men’s 4×400 metres relay quartet with a chance to reach qualifying standards for the World Relays.
Currently Sri Lanka men’s 4×400 metres relay team is within the required ranking position to compete at the prestigious World Relays taking place in Guangzhou, China. The 3:04.48 seconds finish to win the gold medal of the men’s 4×400 metres at the Asian Relays in May last year has placed Sri Lanka in the 31st position in the ‘Road to Guangzhou’ rankings.
But with many competitions coming up within the next couple of months Sri Lanka Athletics wants to leave no stone unturned in their quest to keep the ranking position within the qualifying range.
The teams in the first 32 positions according to the times produced within the qualifying period (January 1, 2024 to April 13, 2025) become eligible for the World Relays taking place on May 10 and 11 in Guangzhou.
Sri Lanka’s chances of improving the current standings (31st) at this week’s World Indoor Championship in China are minimal as Olympian Aruna Dharshana, who is the fastest of the current crop of athletes will not be available for the event.
Dharshana is currently training and competing in Australia. He is looking forward to reach qualifying standards or reach the required ranking position for World Championships in the 400 metres.
The World Athletics has set a tough standard of 44.85 seconds for the men’s 400 metres. While only 17 are selected through direct qualifying standards, 31 athletes are selected through rankings for the 400 metres. Dharshana is yet yo enter rankings to be eligible for the World Championships.
Sri Lanka Athletics will field Dharshana, Kalinga Kumarage, S.B.R. Madushan and Sadew Rajakaruna for the relay event in April.
by Reemus Fernando
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