Sports
Chameera returns after surgery but no place for KJP
Fast bowler Dushmanta Chameera returns to the side after a seven month layoff having undergone ankle surgery as the selectors picked a balanced squad for the three-match series against Afghanistan starting later this week at Suriyawewa.
Although Chameera has been named in the squad, there was no place for top order batsman Kusal Janith Perera, who had returned to 20 side in New Zealand two months ago. KJP on that occasion had only been picked for T-20s and there are question marks about his fitness for the 50 over format.
Fans will be hoping that by the time the World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe begin next month, KJP will be cleared to feature in the 50 over format as well. One of the most destructive batters in the side, KJP has been in and out of the team due to injuries.
Opening batsman Dimuth Karunaratne also makes a comeback to the ODI outfit having been axed from the 50 over format two years ago. Sri Lanka’s problems of not being able to bat out 50 overs in recent times is seen as the reason for Dimuth’s return to the side.
Uncapped leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha has also been named in the squad but now that Wanindu Hasaranga has recovered from an injury, he’s expected to play ahead of the 29-year-old.
There’s no place for left-arm quick Dilshan Madushanka either although there was lot of excitement when he first made an impact during last year’s Asia Cup. Young all-rounder Dunith Wellalage has also been overlooked for the three-match series.
The selectors are not expected to do too many changes from the 16-member squad chosen for the Afghanistan series for the World Cup qualifiers.
The first ODI gets underway Friday (2nd June) followed by games on June 4th and 7th. The series was drafted in to give the Sri Lankan team some competitive games ahead of the World Cup qualifiers.
Sri Lanka Squad:
Dasun Shanaka (Captain), Kusal Mendis (Vice-Captain), Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya De Silva, Charith Asalanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha
Afghanistan Squad:
Hashmatullah Shahidi (Captain), Rahmat Shah (Vice-Captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhail (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujib ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Abdul Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Farid Ahmad Malik.
Bangladesh Under 19s won the six-match Youth ODI series 3-2 after the final Youth ODI against Sri Lanka Under 19s ended without a result due to rain at the Colts ground on Thursday.
Sri Lanka came to the final match with the hope of leveling the series but rain prevented a full match.
Deciding to bat first, the visitors were 188 for three wickets in the 40th over when rain prevented further play.
Skipper Azizul Hakim led Bangladesh with 94 runs inclusive of seven fours and two sixes. For the hosts, Tharusha Navodya, Kugathas Mathulan and Himal Ravihansa took a wicket each.
Sri Lanka Under 19s won the opening encounter by a big margin but three consecutive defeats thereafter saw the visitors take command. Sri Lanka Under 19s bounced back in the penultimate match to keep alive the series but rain spoilt their plans in the final encounter.
110 Vision Care Colombo Championships
Apna Perera will meet Ashen Silva in the men’s singles final on Saturday after the duo won their semi-final matches of the 110th Vision Care Colombo Championships continued at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association clay courts on Thursday.
Apna Perera beat Iran Hussain 6-4, 6-1 in his semi-final while Ashen Silva beat Mayooran Kubheran 6-1, 6-0.
Latest News
IPL 2025: Punjab Kings -Delhi Capitals match in Dharamsala abandoned after floodlight failure
The Punjab Kings (PBKS) vs Delhi Capitals (DC) match in IPL 2025 in Dharamsala has been called off after 10.1 overs.
“The Punjab Kings v Delhi Capitals match (Match#58) in Tata IPL was forced to be abandoned due to a significant technical failure at the HPCA stadium in Dharamsala,” an official statement from the IPL said. “Due to a power outage in the area, one of the light towers at the HPCA stadium malfunctioned. BCCI regrets the inconvenience caused to the in-stadium attendees.”
In the 10.1 overs possible, PBKS openers Priyanash Arya (70) and Prabhsimran Singh (50*) dominated proceedings, stitching up a 122-run opening stand off 61 balls.
Arya fell in the first ball of the 11th over, top-edging a T Natarajan slower-ball bouncer onto his helmet, which popped up for a simple catch. The players then left the field due to a floodlight failure at the stadium. Around 9.40pm IST, the match was called off.
Before the abandonment, Arya and Prabhsimran took down Mitchell Starc and Dushmantha Chameera in the powerplay as PBKS raced away to 50 for no loss in four overs.
After the powerplay, the pair took down Kuldeep Yadav as well, smashing him for two sixes and two fours. Arya reached his third fifty-plus score of the season in the seventh over off just 25 balls. Prabhsimran reached his own fifty in the tenth and in the process became the first uncapped batter to hit four half-centuries in a row in the IPL.
PBKS next play Mumbai Indians (MI) on May 11, a game that was shifted from Dharmasal to Ahmedabad. DC will play Gujarat Titans (GT) in Delhi on the same day.
[Cricinfo]
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