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Attacking Dhananjaya leads Sri Lanka recovery after Naseem’s strikes
For the third time in the series, Sri Lanka have lost their top order cheaply, and Dhananjaya de Silva has had to perform his rescue act. Sri Lanka were left floundering on 79 for 4 at lunch on the opening day of the second Test at SSC. Dhananjaya, unbeaten on 33, has Dinesh Chandimal, on 9, for company.
After a wet outfield courtesy overnight rain had delayed the start of play by 30 minutes, Karunaratne had been confident in his decision to bat first. While there was some moisture expected to be in the surface early on, that had been anticipated to dry up soon – and so it has – to make it easier for the batters, though only Dhananjaya has seen fit to follow script thus far.
Naseem Shah was the pick of the bowlers in the morning session, grabbing the key scalps of Dimuth Karunaratne and Angelo Mathews, while Shaheen Shah Afridi accounted for Kusal Mendis.
The mini collapse was catalysed courtesy another spectacular bit of fielding from the visitors, as Shan Masood effected a one-hand pick-up-and-release from short extra cover to throw down the stumps and find Nishan Madushka well short. The attempted single itself was indicative of the muddled thinking behind Sri Lanka’s process, as Karunaratne ushered his partner for a push-and-run single that was never on. Why such a tight run was being attempted in the third over of the first innings, on what for all purposes looked a pretty good batting surface, is anyone’s guess.
If that wicket was borne out of part Sri Lankan brain-fade and part Pakistani excellence, the next one was wholesale the former, with Mendis slashing one that was full and wide straight to point.
Pakistan up to that point had been prone to the odd loose delivery, but Naseem produced a searing spell and Mathews in particular was finding proceedings uncomfortable. Eventually, having poked and prodded at several deliveries in the channel outside off from Naseem, he nicked one through. Naseem then got one to just seam in a fraction to catch the inside edge of Karunaratne’s bat, as the Sri Lanka captain looked to drive one on the up
.At 36 for 4 this was Sri Lanka’s worst start this series – a considerable feat seeing as their previous two innings had seen them at 99 for 4 and 58 for 4. But if the other Sri Lankan batters were making mountains out of molehills, Dhananjaya was building highways; in their 43-run stand, Dhananjaya accounted for 33 off just 40 deliveries, while Chandimal’s 9 came off 36.
At times it did indeed seem like Dhananjaya was batting on an altogether different surface, frequently skipping down the track and lofting the spinners down the ground or over the covers. Even as lunch approached, and his rate of scoring slowed, the bad balls were put away. But with conditions quite comfortable for batting, Sri Lanka can scarcely afford any more slip-ups.
Brief scores: (at lunch)
At least 13 people, including four children, have been killed in two incidents in Nigeria as large crowds gathered to collect food and clothing distributed at annual Christmas events, police say.
In the capital, Abuja, at least 10 people died on Saturday and many more were injured in a scramble to receive gifts of charity being distributed by the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama district.
“This unfortunate event, which took place around 6:30am [05:30 GMT], resulted in a stampede that claimed the lives of 10 individuals, including four children, and left eight others with varying degrees of injuries,” said Josephine Adeh, a police spokesperson.
In a separate incident in Okija in Anambra State in southern Nigeria, three people were killed in a crush at a charity event organised by a philanthropist, state police said.
“The event had not even started when the rush began,” police spokesman Tochukwu Ikenga said. There could be more deaths recorded as officers investigate, he said.
In both incidents, the victims were mostly women and children who were trampled as crowds tried to reach the provisions being offered.
[Aljazeera]
A military court in Pakistan has convicted 25 people for their role in violent protests following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, the country’s armed forces has said.
The court said it handed down sentences of between two to 10 years’ imprisonment in connection with attacks on military facilities last year.
Protests erupted nationwide in May 2023 after security forces arrested Khan during his appearance at the High Court on charges of corruption – allegations that he called politically motivated.
Thousands of Khan’s supporters stormed government buildings and military installations and the government responded with a crackdown on his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
At least 1,400 protesters were arrested last year, police said, but only about 100 of the people detained have faced military trials.
The army said full justice will only be served when the masterminds behind the protests are punished.
A Supreme Court ruling last year provisionally allowed military courts to try civilian suspects.
“All sentences announced by the military courts are disproportionate and excessive,” a spokesman for the PTI party said, adding that “these sentences are rejected”.
Amnesty International has said that trying civilians in military courts is “contrary to international law” and adds that it is “purely an intimidation tactic, designed to crack down on dissent”.
Pakistan’s army has heavily influenced the nuclear-armed country for most of its existence and is a crucial behind-the-scenes player.
[BBC]
Bangladesh Under 19s led by Sumaiya Akter will take on India Under 19s led by Niki Prasad in the Women’s Under 19 Asia Cup Final in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia on Sunday [22].
India Women Under 19s having beaten Nepal Women Under 19s in the group stage beat Sri Lanka Women Under 19s and Bangladesh Women Under 19s in the Super Four round to enter the final while Bangladesh Women Under 19s having beaten Sri Lanka Women Under 19s in the group stage beat beat Nepal Women Under19s in the Super Four round to enter the final
At least 13 people killed in Nigeria stampedes at charity events
Prime Minister and ADB Country Director discuss educational reforms
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