Sports
England tour to go ahead
Sri Lanka’s cricketers soften their stance
Fears of Sri Lanka’s cricket tour of UK being cancelled were allayed last night after the extended squad of players agreed to sign a tour declaration.
The national cricket team will fly to London Heathrow tonight for a three match ODI and three match T20 series. The ongoing contract dispute has dragged on for weeks now and remains unresolved after players demanded that the Cricket Committee reveals the mechanism that was followed in categorizing players into annual contacts.
Although players were demanding the mechanism, they were effectively being bitter about the pay cut the seniors were forced to go through. One particular senior player was going to lose out USD 50,000 compared with his previous year’s retainer. Plus the seniority payment that was existing in previous contract has been scrapped this year. However the Cricket Committee argued that the new contracts were based on the performances and for example if Sri Lanka win the upcoming series against England, they would receive a winning bonus of USD 75,000. The players were being compensated for winning and this was seen as a good move by many.
Usually, the players have had it their way when it comes to contract disputes, but this time, they were on thin ice given Sri Lanka’s fickle positioning in ICC Ratings across all three formats.
The extended squad of 24 players who would be going on the tour didn’t change their stance and were refusing to sign a tour contract, effectively telling the board that they are willing to play for free.
However SLC was adamant on players signing the Tour Declaration which makes them comply with the MoU SLC has signed with the England and Wales Cricket Board. This the players have agreed to provided they are shown the mechanism on which contracts were drafted. The players eventually gave in after SLC informed them that the ExCo has unanimously decided to ban them for three years. The ban included all forms of cricket; international, First Class and Leagues.
The tour declaration ensures that players wear clothing that promotes SLC’s sponsors, take part in media engagements and that their image rights are at the disposal of SLC for marketing purposes.
SLC officials President Shammi Silva, Vice President Jayantha Dharmadasa and CEO Ashley de Silva represented SLC during negotiations. Dharmadasa, a former President of SLC, has been involved in previous such negotiations with players as well and sources said his presence at yesterday’s meeting proved to be crucial.
SLC top brass met players individually. There are three players who joined the squad for the first time and SLC was surprised that even they didn’t budge. Charith Asalanka, a captain in waiting, may have burned bridges with the administration as he was particularly drafted into the squad in an effort to groom him as a young leader. Many in cricket circles believe that the former Richmond College captain, who will turn 24 this month, as a long term future captain across all three formats. His fate is now unclear after this episode.
Oman have suffered three heavy defeats to Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, and Ireland at the 2026 T20 World Cup, and had been thumped by Australia the only other time these two teams met, at the 2024 edition. But captain Jatinder Singh says his team sees their final match of this tournament as an opportunity to surprise a wounded Australia team.
Australia have nothing to gain from the match against Oman in Pallekele on Friday, aside from preserving some pride. Perhaps the gloom around the Australia camp will give Oman an opening. In fact it might be “the best time to crush them”.
“One hundred percent this is an opportunity,” Jatinder said. “And our boys are looking forward to it. Because T20 is a game of momentum and the moments, and if you play those moments right, you can do anything on that particular day. Australia is not doing well at the moment… it is the best time to crush them.
“The boys are really positive. They are looking forward to the match against Australia to make their mark.”
On how to make Oman more competitive in the long term, Jatinder believed franchise cricket opportunities for Oman players could be one route. Oman did not have a heavy cricket schedule in 2025, playing only 15 T20Is that year in addition to eight ODIs.
“Well if I have to sum up how Oman can improve, it would be if we have the franchise cricket happening in the country or our guys get a chance to play franchise cricket elsewhere,” Jatinder said. “I think we can fill that gap and they can bring vast amount of experience for our national team.
“But if we don’t get to play competitive cricket, whereas other teams are getting to play the competitive cricket, we will need to fill that gap. There have been instances where we’ve been inviting the teams to come and play in Oman. The response has been really delayed, or we don’t get any response. So I think if we have the franchise cricket, that would really fill the gap.”
[Cricinfo]
Oman made a couple of changes in the last two fixtures without success. Shakeel Ahmed went in and out of the side in the three games, but picked three wickets against Ireland and should keep his place. Jatinder might look at giving top-order batter Karan Sonavale another go.
[Cricbuzz]
Zimbabwe marched into the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup with the swagger of a side that refuses to read the script, completing the group phase unbeaten after a polished six-wicket win over co-hosts Sri Lanka at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium on Thursday.
Ranked 11th in the world, the African side have been the tournament’s disruptors-in-chief. Having already sent former champions Australia packing last week, they now added 2014 winners Sri Lanka to their growing list of scalps, underlining that this is no flash in the pan but a team riding a serious wave of momentum.
Chasing 179 on a surface that demanded both muscle and method, Zimbabwe found themselves at crossroads when 65 were needed off the last 36 balls. Enter Sikandar Raza, sleeves rolled up and eyes locked in.
The all-rounder flipped the contest on its head in one decisive over from Dushan Hemantha, plundering 20 runs with two towering sixes and a rasping boundary. In the blink of an eye, the asking rate dipped and Sri Lanka’s shoulders sagged.
Raza and Brian Bennett stitched together a match-defining 69 off 40 deliveries for the third wicket, mixing clean ball-striking with smart running between the wickets. Zimbabwe crossed the line with three balls to spare.
While Raza provided the late fireworks with 45 off 26 balls, peppered with two fours and four sixes, opener Bennett was the glue that held the innings together. His composed 63 off 48 deliveries, studded with eight fours, ensured Zimbabwe never lost sight of the target.
Even when Raza departed with 13 still required from two overs, Sri Lanka sensed a sniff. But Tony Munyonga calmly clubbed Maheesh Theekshana’s first delivery of the final over into the stands, draining the tension from the contest. Fittingly, Bennett sealed the deal with the winning boundary. Raza was named Man of the Match.
It was Zimbabwe’s second-highest successful run chase in T20Is.
Earlier, after opting to bat, Sri Lanka were once again anchored by Pathum Nissanka. Fresh from becoming the tournament’s first centurion earlier in the week, Nissanka produced a polished 62 off 47 balls, bringing up his seventh T20 World Cup half-century, equalling Mahela Jayawardene’s record for the most by a Sri Lankan.
He and Kusal Perera gave the innings early impetus with a brisk 54 off 30 balls for the opening stand before Nissanka added a further 46 in 43 deliveries alongside Kusal Mendis.
Pavan Rathnayake provided the late thrust, clearing the ropes twice in a 44 off 25 balls as Sri Lanka posted a competitive 178.
Zimbabwe’s bowlers, however, ensured it was a chaseable target rather than a daunting one. Veteran leg-spinner Graeme Cremer led the way with 2-27, applying the squeeze in the middle overs, while the towering Blessing Muzarabani struck twice to finish with 2-38.
Sri Lanka now turn their attention to a Super Eight showdown against England in Kandy on Sunday, a contest that promises high stakes and little margin for error. Zimbabwe, brimming with belief, head to Bombay to face the West Indies on Monday, no longer the underdogs but a side that has earned its place at the top table.
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