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Dasun Shanaka handed one-year PSL ban

Published

5 months ago

2026/04/20

Priyan

Shanaka withdrew from PSL on March 21 this year and was signed a day later by the Rajasthan Royals [Cricbuzz]

Dasun Shanaka has received a one-year ban from participating in the Pakistan Super League [PSL] following a review of his contract breach with the league and the Lahore Qalandars franchise, which had signed the Sri Lanka all-rounder for PKR 75 lakh to feature in the ongoing PSL 2026 season.

Shanaka, 34, withdrew from the tournament on March 21 this year and was signed a day later by the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League as a replacement player for Sam Curran.

“The review concluded that the player’s unilateral withdrawal from the tournament constituted a clear breach of both the Player Registration terms and the Tripartite Agreement. The findings indicated that the withdrawal was made on grounds not recognized within the existing contractual framework,” a PCB review stated. “While the Board has taken note of the player’s expressions of regret and his stated passion for playing in Pakistan during the formal hearing, the severity of the contractual violations necessitates regulatory action to maintain the integrity and exclusivity of the League.”

Shanaka, who captained Sri Lanka in the recent T20 World Cup, expressed regret for his actions in the same media release. “I deeply regret my decision to withdraw from the HBL PSL and offer my sincere apologies to the people of Pakistan, the fans of HBL PSL, and the wider cricket community,” the release quoted him as saying.

“The HBL PSL is a prestigious tournament, and I fully understand the disappointment caused by my actions. To the loyal fans of Lahore Qalandars, I am truly sorry for letting you down. I must clarify that at the time I withdrew from the HBL PSL I had no intention of joining any other tournament. I have the greatest respect for Pakistani Fans and have always enjoyed my time in Pakistan. I hope to return to the HBL PSL in the future with renewed dedication and the trust of the fans.”

With the PSL operating in the same window as the IPL over the last couple of seasons, there has been a spike in the number of players defecting to the cash-rich Indian league when an opportunity has presented itself. Last year, Corbin Bosch spurned a Peshawar Zalmi gig to join the Mumbai Indians. This year, Blessing Muzarabani and Spencer Johnson also jumped ship from the PSL to the IPL, with the former receiving a two year ban from featuring in the PSL.

[Cricbuzz]

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Italian Naval Vessel ‘ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi’ arrives in Colombo

Published

12 hours ago

2026/09/9

Priyan

The Italian Naval Vessel ‘ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi’ arrived in Sri Lanka today, 9 September 2026, on a replenishment visit.

The Sri Lanka Navy welcomed the visiting ship in accordance with naval traditions at the port of Colombo.

‘ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi’ is a 180m long Landing Helicopter Aircraft Vessel commanded by Captain Marco GUERRIERO.

During the ship’s stay in Sri Lanka, the Commanding Officer of ‘ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi’ is scheduled to call on the Commander Western Naval Area.

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England Women appoint Leah Poulton as managing director

Published

16 hours ago

2026/09/9

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Leah Poulton will become Managing Director, England Women [Cricinfo]

Leah Poulton the former Australia batter turned coach and administrator, will join England Women as managing director, succeeding Clare Connor.

Poulton will be charged with overseeing the success of the international team and pathways after the ECB cited her “impressive track record driving women’s cricket forward in Australia”.

Poulton earned 90 caps for Australia before retiring in 2015 and has spent the past six years as head of elite female cricket at Cricket New South Wales. There, she oversees cricket performance operations across two WBBL franchises, women’s state cricket and one of the world’s largest women’s cricket talent pathways.

Before that, she spent three years at Cricket Australia as a High Performance Coach, where she was instrumental in setting up Australia’s enviable women’s high-performance pathway, which included developing the Australia A and Under-19s women’s teams.

In her new role, she will be accountable for the performances of England Women, England Women A, England Women Under-19s and the overall women’s high-performance system.

Poulton will start in her new role in November with England set to host the Women’s Ashes next summer. She fills the role vacated by Connor, who announced earlier this year that she would be leaving the ECB after a career spanning 18 years, and will work closely with England Women’s head coach Charlotte Edwards and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt.

“I’m incredibly excited and honoured to be joining England, and to have the opportunity to help shape our programmes and, most importantly, invest in our people,” Poulton said. “I’m looking forward to working with Charlotte, Nat and the wider team, building on the strong foundations already in place and taking the programme forward.

“I know how vital strong pathways and a healthy domestic game are to sustained success, so I’m looking forward to connecting with people across the game and helping give the next generation of English players every opportunity to thrive. It’s a huge privilege to be part of England Women, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Richard Gould, the ECB’s CEO, said that with the senior women’s team had made under Edwards, appointed last year, and having reached the final of their recent home T20 World Cup, England Women were well placed for a successful era.

“I’m delighted to welcome Leah on board to help us build on this and take us to the next level,” Gould said. “She has a deep understanding of international cricket from her playing career and has built an impressive reputation in her time in administration.

“I believe she and Lottie will be a formidable combination, and will continue the team’s progress and development as we compete for the ICC Women’s Champions Trophy and Women’s Ashes in 2027.”

[Cricinfo]

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Avindu makes history with first World University gold for Sri Lanka

Published

18 hours ago

2026/09/9

Priyan

University of Sri Jayewardenepura weightlifter Avindu Liyanagedara made history yesterday by becoming the first Sri Lankan university student to win a gold medal at a World University sports event, as Sri Lanka made a spectacular start to the 2026 World University Weightlifting Championship in Doha, Qatar.

‎Liyanagedara won the men’s 60kg title, while Sabaragamuwa University’s Nipun Dissanayake added a bronze medal in the 65kg category on the opening day of the championship.

‎Liyanagedara lifted 105kg in the snatch and 132kg in the clean and jerk for an impressive combined total of 237kg.

‎Spain’s Gomez Martinez took the silver with 228kg, while Chun-Yen Tang of Chinese Taipei won bronze with 227kg.

‎Dissanayake also secured a podium finish in the 65kg class with a total of 220kg, comprising a 100kg snatch and a 120kg clean and jerk.

‎Iran’s Mohhadov Tehran won the gold with 289kg, with Moldova’s Ion Badanev taking silver with 288kg.

‎Liyanagedara’s achievement represents a landmark breakthrough for Sri Lankan university sport. His gold is the first gold medal won by a Sri Lankan university student at a World University sports event, while Dissanayake’s bronze further strengthened the country’s historic opening-day showing.

‎The Sri Lanka University Sports Association has entered five male and two female athletes for the championship, with University of Colombo’s Sujan Walgampaya serving as team manager and coach.

‎The championship continues in Doha until September 12, with Sri Lanka already assured of a memorable place in the history of World University sport through Liyanagedara’s historic gold medal.