Sports

Asalanka, Theekshana star in Sri Lanka’s Super Over win against New Zealand

Published

3 years ago

2023/04/3

Kusal Perera got past fifty on return

Ish Sodhi’s last-ball six tied the game after Dasun Shanaka looked to have almost won it for the visitors defending 12 off the final over, but Maheesh Theekshana held his nerve in the Super Over before Charith Asalanka chased down the nine-run target, to give Sri Lanka their first win of the tour.

It was fitting that Asalanka was the man left at the end after his 41-ball 67 had helped propel Sri Lanka to a challenging 196 for 5 at Eden Park. Kusal Perera, back in the limited-overs side for the first time in over a year, also made a triumphant return batting through the innings for a 45-ball 53. With his thirteenth half-century in T20Is, he equalled Tillakaratne Dilshan’s record for the most fifties in the format for Sri Lanka.

While that would normally be an imposing total, Eden Park with its odd dimensions and especially short boundaries straight down the ground, meant Sri Lanka could never relax in their defence of it. And so it proved.

Despite some early wickets in their chase, New Zealand’s batters – particularly Daryl Mitchell, who struck five fours and three sixes in his 44-ball 66 – found boundaries with regularity to keep up with the near 10-an-over required rate.

But even if keeping the scoring down was proving difficult, especially later on with a bit of drizzle wetting the ball, Sri Lanka did well to keep picking up wickets at crucial junctures, and in the end did better in the key moments to secure a much-needed win.

Mendis lays the platform

When Pathum Nissanka nicked one through first ball, the hosts might have had allusions towards repeating the collapse from the first ODI, but Kusal Mendis quickly put paid to any such notions. In a nine-ball cameo the diminutive right-hand batter plundered 25 runs, 24 of which came in boundaries. Adam Milne took the brunt of Mendis’ wrath in a 22-run third over, inclusive of two sixes, one an impetuous flick over the shoulder. By the time Mendis departed, holing out at short fine leg after attempting another cheeky ramp, Sri Lanka had raced to 47 off just 3.2 overs.

Perera and Asalanka keep up
the momentum

Sri Lanka lost three wickets inside the powerplay, but their scoring rate never dipped. Following Mendis’ early onslaught, Dhananjaya de Silva stepped in for a 10-ball 15, before Asalanka and Perera took hold of proceedings. Perera had earlier smoked three consecutive boundaries through the off side, ranging from the arc behind point to straight of mid-off, but once Asalanka joined in, he took a back seat. Unsurprisingly, Asalanka favoured the short straight boundaries, walloping five of his six sixes in the arc in front of the pitch. New Zealand would pull things back after Asalanka’s departure, allowing just 11 runs from overs 17 to 19, but such was the platform set by the two half-centurions, an 18-run last over, courtesy Wanindu Hasaranga, was enough to put some gloss on the innings at the death.

Mitchell shows his might

Sri Lanka looked to have orchestrated a dream start to the defence of their total, getting rid of Tim Seifert and Chad Bowes inside the first two overs, but then entered Mitchell. Off just the third delivery he faced, Mitchell showed his intent, sending a high-elbow lofted drive sailing over the short straight boundary, before repeating the trick in Dilshan Madushanka’s next over as well. At the other end, Tom Latham kept the required rate in control, ensuring at least a boundary each over. Together the pair added 63 off 39 deliveries. After Latham fell, Mitchell carried on, putting on a 40-ball 66-run stand with Mark Chapman. The two also memorably combined for an almost game-changing 24-run 12th over off Madushanka.

Sri Lanka hold their nerve

In a game where runs came easy, it was always going to be small periods that shifted momentum either way, and it was in these periods that Sri Lanka won the game. First there was the counterattack following Nissanka’s early dismissal, and then Wanindu’s last over flourish. Then with the ball after Mitchell had struck with a counter of his own, captain Shanaka brought himself on to dismiss the danger man. In the final over too, Shanaka took out the equally dangerous Rachin Ravindra, whose 13-ball 26 had brought the hosts within a whisker. And then finally, the excellent Theekshana bowled a Super Over of immense quality to ensure his batters had only a minimal chase on their hands. (cricinfo)

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Sports

Athapaththu and Dilhari muscle Sri Lanka past Malaysia in mismatch

Published

9 hours ago

2026/09/19

Thilina Walpola

Kavisha Dilhari scored a quick unbeaten 44 and then picked up two wickets [Asian Cricket Council]

The quarter-finals of the Asian Games women’s competition, putting top-notch teams against teams without much experience of playing at the highest level, were expected to be mismatches. It took till the third game – Bangladesh vs China was washed out and Thailand gave Pakistan a fright for a proper one-side affair, though, as Sri Lanka bashed 160 after opting to bat, and their bowlers then stopped Malaysia 86 runs short.

Fresh off their appearance in the final of the Women’s T20 Asia Cup, Sri Lanka were always expected to dominate, but it didn’t quite start the way they wanted, with Imesha Dulani run out for another low score in the third over – she hasn’t topped 25 in eight innings since her century against Pakistan on July 31.

Chamari Athapaththu, however, stitched together an 80-run stand off just 53 balls with Hasini Perera for the second wicket, scoring 56 runs in 27 balls to Perera’s 23 in 26 in the collaboration. After the two batters fell, Kavisha Dilhari played a similar role to Athapaththu in the stand with Harshitha Samarawickrama, scoring 36 in 19 in a stand worth 62 in 37 balls.

Athapaththu top-scored with 63 in 37 balls, while Dilhari’s unbeaten 44 came off just 27 balls. For Malaysia, offspinner Nurin Imanina impressed with 3 for 29 from her four overs, picking up all the wickets to fall to bowlers.

In reply, Malaysia were three down inside the powerplay, with Dilhari picking up two of the wickets to fall on her way to returns of 2 for 4 from three overs. Athapaththu chipped in with two wickets of her own to finish with 2 for 3 from two overs, while Mithali Ayodhya got 2 for 15 from three.

It’s not like there was no resistance from Malaysia: Winifred Duraisingam scored 28, though it took her 47 balls to do it, while Mahirah Izzati Ismail scored 24, another slow effort, taking her 42 balls.

Scores:

Sri Lanka Women 160 for 4 in 20 overs (Athapaththu 63, HasinMithali Ayodhya 2-15i Perera 23, Kavisha Dilhari 44*, Harshitha Samarawickrema 25; Nurin Imanina 3-29) beat Malaysia Women 74 for 7 in 20 overs (Winifred Duraisingam 28, Mahirah Izzati Ismail 24; Mithali Ayodhya 2-15, Kavisha Dilhari 2-04, Chamari Athapaththu 2-03, ) by 86 runs

[Cricinfo]

Sports

Tharanga targets Olympic record

Published

9 hours ago

2026/09/19

Thilina Walpola

Rumesh Tharanga

Champion javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga has set his sights on Arshad Nadeem’s Olympic record at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Speaking at a public event with just days ahead of his departure to the Asian Games where he is set to meet the reigning Olympic champion Nadeem, Tharanga explained his future plans.

‎While revealing his plans to continue competing until the 2036 Olympics in India, Tharanga said that he would aim at Nadeem’s Olympic record at the next edition in Los Angeles in 2028.

‎Nadeem’s Olympic record stands at 92.97 metres. Tharanga is set to meet the Olympic champion once again this season at the Asian Games in Japan where he is Sri Lanka’s brightest medal prospect in individual events.

‎Speaking at a public event, Tharanga said he plans to compete at three Olympic Games — Los Angeles in 2028, Brisbane in 2032 and the 2036 Games in India — before retiring from international athletics.

‎”I will participate in the 2028 Olympic Games and the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane. I intend to retire after the 2036 Olympic Games in India,” Tharanga said.

‎His main target, however, is the Olympic record.

‎Tharanga said he intends to surpass the 92.97-metre mark set by Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem when he won the Olympic title at the Paris 2024 Games.

‎”My next focus is on securing an Olympic record at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles,” he said.

‎”I believe I can achieve an average above 90 metres in Los Angeles. My main focus is on setting an Olympic record,” he added.

‎Tharanga’s declaration comes after a remarkable rise in the international arena, with the Sri Lankan establishing himself among the world’s leading throwers.

‎With Los Angeles now firmly in his sights, Tharanga is targeting a performance that would take the Olympic javelin record beyond the 92-metre barrier — before embarking on his final two Olympic campaigns in Brisbane and India. (RF)

Latest News

Charani, Shafali power India past Japan and into Asian Games semi-finals

Published

1 day ago

2026/09/18

Priyan

[File pic] Shree Charani finished with figures of 4 for 10 [Cricinfo]

Defending gold-medal winners India overcame hosts Japan by eight wickets in the fourth quarter-final of the women’s cricket competition at the Asian Games in Nisshin on Friday. India chased down 58 in five overs to comfortably secure their place in the semi-finals. They will now face Bangladesh on September 20.

Japan did not exit the competition empty-handed. Their effort to bat as close to the full 20 overs as possible, their running between the wickets and their fielding effort were big positives. But they were bowled out for 57 in 19.5 overs after a solid start, leaving India with little to chase.

India, who opted to field, made the most of a pitch offering turn and bounce, which made stroke-making difficult for Japan. Shree Charani led the attack with another four-wicket haul, continuing an impressive run after taking 4 for 20 in the Women’s T20 Asia Cup final. She struck twice off consecutive balls in the seventh over, removing opener Haruna Iwasaki for 10 before having captain Mai Yanagida caught behind for a duck, but couldn’t convert it into a hat-trick.

Iwasaki and Ayaka Kato Stafford had put on 24 for the opening wicket, but Japan struggled to build partnerships once the stand was broken. Kato-Stafford top-scored with 25 off 47 balls, while Iwasaki made 10 off 22. Japan lost their last eight wickets for just 33 runs.

Charani finished with 4 for 10 from her four overs, while Shafali Verma took 2 for 13 and Deepti Sharma claimed 1 for 14.

Shrevanka Patil, returning to international cricket for the first time in three months after recovering from an ankle ligament injury suffered during the T20 World Cup in June, took 1 for 8 from 3.5 overs. Japan’s innings ended when Patil bowled Nonoha Yasumoto for a duck.

Chasing 58, Shafali opened the innings aggressively, smashing four boundaries in the first over to immediately put Japan under pressure. G Kamalini, who opened in place of Smriti Mandhana, and No. 3 Bharti Fulmali then threw their wickets away to fielders at long-on and point respectively. Left-arm seamer Yasumoto, who dismissed Kamalini, also delivered a wicket-maiden with the new ball.

Shafali finished the game with a six over long-on, staying unbeaten on 40 off just 15 balls. She struck six fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 266.66, as India won with 15 overs to spare.

Scores:
India Women 59 for 2 in 5 overs (Shafali Verma 40*, Richa Ghosh 12*; Nonoha Yasumoto 1-08, Ayaka Kato-Stafford 1-14) beat Japan Women 57 in 19.5 overs (Haruna Iwasaki 10, Ayaka Kato-Stafford 25; Shree Charani 4-10, Shreyanka Patil 1-08, Deepti Sharma 1-14, Shafali Verma 2-13) by eight wickets

[Cricinfo]