Sports
Hasaranga suspended but World Cup not in danger

by Rex Clementine
Fingers are being pointed at the Sri Lanka team management for smartly including Wanindu Hasaranga in the Test squad against Bangladesh so that he could finish serving his suspension and will be available for the T-20 World Cup in June.
Hasaranga had been charged for dissent during the third ODI in Chittagong and once he pleaded guilty, he was going to get suspended for four games. He had missed the first two ODIs on this tour for a similar offence during the third T-20 International against Afghanistan in Dambulla.
Sri Lanka do not have any white ball cricket lead up to the World Cup which meant Hasaranga would have missed the first four games of the World Cup.
Hasaranga had last year retired from Test cricket but was included in the Test squad against Bangladesh, which means he can serve his sentence during the Test series. Missing two Tests is equal to four limited over games according to ICC Code of Conduct.
Many felt that he was deliberately included in the Test squad so that he could be fully available for the World Cup. However, The Island learns the T-20 captain had written to Sri Lanka Cricket about his desire to play Test cricket again.
Although Hasaranga has been prolific in white ball cricket, he has not had the same impact in Test match cricket as proved by his four appearances in the longer format of the game.
The leg-spinner had also not featured in a First Class game since March last year.
Looking things in another perspective, in the day and age of T-20 franchise cricket where players want to play less longer format games, Hasaranga’s return to Test cricket is a welcome move, but whether it will be a bluff shall be known in a few months down the line.
Some give credit to the Sri Lankan management for thinking out of the box especially as they felt that Bangladesh Head Coach Chandika Hathurusinghe was instrumental in pushing the match official for charging Hasaranga.
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are in Group D in the T-20 World Cup and will be facing each other and not having Hasaranga would have been a blow for the former champions.
Debates and assumptions apart, what is known for sure is that Hasaranga needs to get his act together and if he continues to behave like a spoilt brat, he is going to face bigger problems in the game moving forward.
The first Test of the two-match series starts on Friday.
Sports
Mandhana’s masterclass powers India to tri-series title

India capped off a dominant tri-series campaign in Colombo with a resounding win over Sri Lanka, posting their highest-ever women’s ODI total on Sri Lankan soil—344 for five —before bowling the hosts out for 245.
Smriti Mandhana led the charge with a superb 11th ODI hundred—her first against Sri Lanka—anchoring partnerships of 70 with Pratika Rawal and 120 with Harleen Deol.
Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Jemimah Rodrigues chipped in with brisk 40s, while India smashed 90 runs in the last 10 overs.
Despite a spirited effort, Sri Lanka’s daunting chase faltered. Chamari Atapattu’s 50 and a few half-century stands weren’t enough to close the gap. Seamer Amanjot Kaur struck early, removing two of the top three, while offspinner Sneh Rana starred with four for 38, finishing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker.
India’s batting wasn’t without drama—Rawal survived an early chance, and Mandhana was twice let off before unleashing her full range of strokes. She was especially brutal on Atapattu, sweeping her repeatedly through square leg and cover en route to a 92-ball century.
Amanjot’s return in the middle overs derailed the chase further, bowling Gunaratne and setting up Rana’s match-turning spell. Atapattu, despite reaching her 19th ODI fifty, was undone by Rana, who later removed three more to slam the door shut.
Late resistance from Sanjeewani and Kumari delayed the inevitable, but a run-out and two quick Rana strikes wrapped up the win.
India’s comprehensive display sent a strong message ahead of the Women’s World Cup, reaffirming their title credentials.
Brief scores:
India
342 for seven (Mandhana 116, Rodrigues 44, Kumari 2-59) beat Sri Lanka 245 (Atapattu 51, Rana 4-38, Amanjot 3-54) by 97 runs.
Sports
110th Colombo Championships Apna, Dinara win singles titles

Apna Perera and Dinara de Silvaemerged as the men’s and women’s singles champions respectively at the 110th Colombo Championships continued at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association clay courts.
In the men’s singles final, Apna beat Ashen Silva 7-6, 6-1. Dinara registered convincing 6-1, 6-2 win over Venuli Jayasinghe in the women’s final.
In the boys’ Under 18 semi-finals, Ashlin de Silva beat Nethmika Wickramasinghe 6-2, 6-1 while Mayooran Kubheran beat Aahil Kaleel 6-7, 7-6, 6-4.
Sports
Yodasinghe dazzles in Yupun’s return

National champion Chamod Yodasinghe secured a creditable second place rank for an impressive performace of 10.27 seconds as he out did a strong field in the 100 metres at the Dubai Grand Prix on Friday.
Yodasinghe who was entered only for the 4x100m relay received a golden opportunity in Dubai when his request to run the 100 metres there was granted by the organisers. The athlete trained by sprint coach Sanjeewa Weerakkody equalled his personal best (10.27 seconds) in winning his race.
Incidentally, his winning time was second only to the winner of the first race where top ranked athletes including Yupun Abeykoon competed.
Oman’s Ali Al Balooshi was the fastest as he clocked 10.19 seconds while Abeykoon finished fifth with a time of 10.39 seconds.
Abeykoon who was making his first 100 metres appearance of the year was ranked sixth overall.
In the 4×100 metres relay Sri Lanka’s quartet finished third in a time of 39.41 seconds.
Yodasinghe will next compete at the Asian Athletics Championships later this month.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s 4×400 metres mixed relay team finished last in their heat at the World Relays in China yesterday.
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