by Reemus Fernando

‎St. Benedict’s College Kotahena completed their group stage matches with a crushing ten wickets win over St. Sebastian’s College Katuneriya while St. Joseph Vaz College Wennappuwa bounced back from their initial defeat with back to back victories to stay alive in the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘B’ tournament.

‎For Bens it was their fourth victory in the tournament on Wednesday. Their only blemish this season was against Dharmaraja. The Bens recorded victories against De Mazenod Kandana (by 140 runs), St. Aloysius’ Galle (by three wickets) and Taxila Horana (by 162 runs ) before cruising to a ten wicket win aganst St. Sebastian’s Katuneriya. Manikya Deshapriya with a four wicket haul (4 for 8 in six overs) and Vihanga Rathnayaka taking three wickets rattled their opponents for 64 runs in their final group ‘A’ match.

‎Group ‘C’ became wide open on Wednesday when St. Joseph Vaz beat Ananda College by 89 runs at Ananda Mawatha.

‎Batting first, St Joseph Vaz College posted 225 for eight wickets in their alloted 50 overs, with Damesh Mathisan leading the way with a valuable 124-ball knock of 88, his most notable batting performance this season. His patient innings included eight fours and a six. Amal Denuwan added 31 off 69 balls, while Savio Fernando contributed 24.

‎In reply, Ananda were bowled out for just 136 run with Danindu Sellaperuma’s 41 being the highest contribution.

‎Amal Denuwan took four wickets for 20 runs in an outstanding spell of 8.3 overs, including two maidens. Damesh Mathisan completed an impressive all-round display taking two wickets for 28 runs.

‎Thathnula Liyanage took one, while Oshen Binara claimed two for 19.

‎In their season opening encounter St. Joseph Vaz conceeded a 66 run defeat at the hands of Maliyadeva College Kurunegala. They were bowled out for 107 runs at Kadirana.

‎In their second encounter they bounced back as their bowlers dominated reducing Devapathiraja to 79 runs. Oshen Binara (4.5-1-14-4), Mayon Fernando (4-0-16-3) and Lowthuru Dilpahan (6-0-23-2) returned notable bowling figures. Isuru Induwara (31n.o.) and Savio Fernando (23n.o.) then guided them to victory putting up an unbroken third wicket stand of 48 runs.

‎Back to back victories now has helped the school keep alive their hopes of reaching the knockout stage. They will meet Lyceum International Wattala and Sri Dharmaloka College Kelaniya in their next two matches.

‎The victory has wide opened group ‘C’ with three teams registering two wins each. Ananda and Devapathiraja College Ratgama are the other teams to have recorded two wins.

ATF 16 & Under Tennis

Kiyara Jayamanne is set to meet Risindi Hewawasam in the girls’ singles final after they won their semi finals of the ATF 16 & Under Colombo 2026 Week 1 tournament continued at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association courts.

‎Kiyara Jayamanne defeated fellow Sri Lankan Disini Samaraweera 6-3, 6-3 to book her place in the final. Risindi Hewawasam also secured a straight-set victory, overcoming Methuli Naotunna 6-2, 6-3.

‎The boys’ semi-finals saw Anthony Castigador of the Philippines dominate Sri Lanka’s Damsath Peiris, winning 6-0, 6-0. India’s Gurshaan Chahal completed the finalists’ line-up with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Sri Lankan Yonal Dankubura.

Sri Lanka will begin their three match T20I series against Pakistan in Rawalpindi on Friday with an opportunity for several youngsters to stake their claims, although the absence of Pathum Nissanka leaves a sizeable hole at the top of the order.

Nissanka, Sri Lanka’s highest-ranked batter in the ICC T20I rankings, has been one of the side’s most consistent performers in recent years and his absence deprives the tourists of a proven match-winner against a Pakistan attack that will still carry plenty of firepower despite resting several senior players.

The three T20Is will be played in Rawalpindi on October 9, 11 and 13 before attention switches to the seven match ODI tri-series involving hosts Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England.

While Sri Lanka will miss Nissanka, his absence opens the door for highly rated Sineth Jayawardene, who has been earmarked as one for the future. The former Sri Lanka Under-19 captain now has an opportunity to show that he can make the considerable jump from domestic and age group cricket to the international stage. Sineth skippered Royal College, Colombo with distinction.

There will also be considerable interest in leg-spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, another player Sri Lanka have invested in with an eye on the future. With Wanindu Hasaranga out of the equation, Viyaskanth has an opportunity to make a strong case for a regular berth rather than remain on the fringes.

Sri Lanka will be encouraged by the fact that Pakistan too have opted to look beyond some of their established names for the T20I leg of the tour.

Sahibzada Farhan will captain Pakistan after leading them at the recently concluded Asian Games in Japan, taking over from Salman Ali Agha, who has been left out of the T20I squad. Salman remains part of Pakistan’s ODI plans.

Pakistan have also rested Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi for the T20Is, although both return for the ODI tri-series, where Shaheen will continue as captain.

The hosts have named uncapped all-rounders Razaullah and Mohammad Imran Randhawa in their 15-member T20I squad, while Maaz Sadaqat and Hasan Nawaz have been rewarded for impressive performances at the Asian Games.

Hasan finished the tournament as Pakistan’s leading run scorer with 123 runs, including a blistering 96 off 51 balls against India in the final, although Pakistan had to settle for silver.

Fast bowler Naseem Shah returns to Pakistan’s T20I squad having last played the format against Sri Lanka in February, while Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub and Abrar Ahmed provide experience.

For Sri Lanka, while Nissanka’s runs will be sorely missed his absence means someone else has the chance to put his hand up. Sri Lanka will hope one or two of their young guns grab that opportunity with both hands.

The ODI tri-series will follow the T20Is, with the first three matches being played in Rawalpindi before the tournament moves to Lahore for the remaining league games and the final.

Pakistan have retained a more experienced core for the 50-over competition, with Babar, Salman, Haris Rauf and Faheem Ashraf among those included.

Former Pakistan Under-19 captain Saad Baig has earned his maiden ODI call-up after scoring more than 1,000 runs in the 2025-26 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, while left-arm wrist-spinner Sufiyan Moqim is another notable inclusion.

Pakistan have also strengthened their backroom staff, bringing back former Australian fast bowler Shaun Tait as bowling consultant. Tait previously served as Pakistan’s bowling coach in 2022-23 and replaces Ashley Noffke, who left after the Asian Games to take over as Netherlands head coach.