Sports
Iqbal, Dar, Zafar consign West Indies to their first loss of the tour
Pakistan secured their first win of the tour, beating West Indies by eight wickets after a comprehensive all-round performance. It came thanks to a clinical all-round performance after the visitors won the toss and batted first, with Sadia Iqbal and Nida Dar taking three wickets each to skittle West Indies out for 84. There were no real jitters in the chase despite the manner of Pakistan’s defeat in the third T20I, and, spearheaded by Avesha Zafar they eased to victory with 21 balls to spare.
A day after Pakistan named a near unchanged squad for the upcoming tour of England, the players repaid that faith with what was by far the most impressive performance of the tour. Despite the series having slipped out of Pakistan’s reach, they began with a sharpness and urgency that belied how little was truly on the line.
Qina Joseph was caught out of her crease off Iqbal and stumped first ball to set the tone. But it was the wicket of Hayley Matthews, West Indies’ talismanic captain and the outstanding performer of the series, that gave Pakistan true belief. After an uncharacteristic struggle, she was caught off Fatima Sana’s bowling after managing just a run in nine balls.
Shemaine Campbelle was the only batter who scored runs and pushed the run rate up but was run out at an inopportune time after a 20-ball 26. The dismissal opened the floodgates as Pakistan took complete control thereafter, with four wickets falling for as many runs towards the death overs as West Indies stuttered along to 84 for 9.
Pakistan had made hard work of an eminently gettable target late on in the third T20I, but there appeared no such danger today right from the outset. A breezy cameo from Sidra Ameen set the tone early, and when she and Muneeba Ali fell in quick succession, Zafar and Gull Feroza took complete control. Zafar in particular was in great touch finding the gaps and the occasional boundary to keep the score ticking over. Some sloppiness leaked into West Indies’ game as two relatively simple catches were put down off Matthews’ bowling, but in truth, the game was a foregone conclusion by then.
Appropriately, the game ended with one of the shots of the day from Zafar, who lofted a half-volley over mid-on for an elegant boundary to make the win official.
Brief scores:
Pakistan Women 87 for 2 in 16.3 overs (Ayesha Zafar 42*, Gull Feroza 21*; Shamilia Conell 1-08, Afy Fletcher 1-06) beat West Indies Women 84 for 9 in 20 overs (Shemaine Campbelle 26; Sadia Iqbal 3-18, Nida Dar 3-19, Nashra Sandhu 1-14, Rameen Shamin 1-21) by 8 wickets
(Cricinfo)
by Rex Clementine
India are closing in on a big win at SSC after Sri Lanka slumped to 229 for six at stumps on day four of the second Test having been forced to follow on yesterday.
Sri Lanka lead by just 16 runs with four wickets in hand and with three sessions remaining, the tourists will be looking to wrap up victory and complete a 2-0 series sweep. India won the first Test in Galle by 165 runs.
Sonal Dinusha, who batted superbly for a hundred in the first innings, was unbeaten on seven when rain brought play to a premature end. With Sri Lanka now into the tail, Dinusha has his work cut out. He has been the hosts’ standout performer in the series, having also made 100 and 84 in Galle.
Sri Lanka resumed the day on 265 for eight, still needing 39 runs to avoid the follow on, but were bowled out for 290 and asked to bat again.
Although they lost both openers early, Kamindu Mendis and Pasindu Sooriyabandara gave Sri Lanka hope with a 115 run stand for the third wicket.
Sooriyabandara, who had made 80 in the first innings, once again played spin superbly, using clever footwork, while Mendis took on the fast bowlers.
But India had plenty of runs on the board and persisted with the short ball against Mendis, stationing three fielders on the boundary. Eventually, the plan paid off. Mendis took on Mohammed Siraj and perished for 55, with captain Shubman Gill running in from square leg to complete a fine catch.
That was the breakthrough India desperately wanted and the spinners quickly turned the screws. Three wickets fell for just nine runs as Sri Lanka surrendered the initiative and India regained control.
Sooriyabandara missed out on a well deserved hundred when he charged Manav Suthar. The left-arm spinner cleverly fired the ball wide, leaving the batter stranded as Rishabh Pant whipped off the bails in a flash. Sooriyabandara’s 92 came off 173 balls and contained ten fours and a six.
Having spent considerable time in the field, India’s bowlers were beginning to tire, evident from the number of loose deliveries they sent down. But Sri Lanka’s batters lacked the patience to drive home the advantage, with several throwing away their wickets just when the hosts appeared to be clawing their way back into the contest.
Sri Lanka Air Force emerged Overall Champions in both the Men’s and Women’s categories at the 14th Defence Services Badminton Championship concluded successfully on 21 August 2026 at the Sri Lanka Army Indoor Sports Complex, Panagoda.
The SLAF Men’s Team secured the Open Men’s Doubles and Men’s Team Championships, while the Women’s Team excelled by winning the Open Women’s Singles, Open Women’s Doubles and Women’s Team Championships.
In the Open Men’s Doubles, Leading Aircraftman Lochana De Silva and Aircraftman Achintha Imeshaqe secured the championship, while Aircraftwoman Praveena Wijesundara and Aircraftwoman Anurangi Masakorala claimed the Open Women’s Doubles title with Aircraftwoman Praveena Wijesundara winning the Open Women’s Singles Championship.
Major General Mohan Premaratne, President of the Sri Lanka Army Badminton Federation, was the Chief Guest at the awards ceremony while SLAF’s Director Sports Air Commodore Prabath Dissanayake, former Chairman Badminton Sri Lanka Air Force Air Commodore Poojana Gunathilake, Secretary Air Force Sports Council Group Captain Eranda Geeganage and Secretary Badminton Sri Lanka Air Force Wing Commander Thushara Wijeratne. were also present.
Malki Madara and Shashini Fernando shared nine wickets between them to help Sri Lanka Air Force Women beat Chilaw Marians Cricket Club Women by 169 runs and propel their team to the semi finals of the Major Club Womens Limited Over cricket tournament conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket.
In the game played at their home ground in Katunayake on Monday [24], Sri Lanka Air Force posted 276 runs for the loss of eight wickets with Ashani Kaushalya topping the score card with 57 runs off 81 balls with ten hits to the ropes.Sasini Alwis and Wethumya Wijesuriya captured three wickets each.
Chasing 277 to win Shashini Fernando captured five wickets while Malki Madara captured four wickets to restrict the Chilaw Marians Cricket Club Women to 107. Skipper Sanduni Nisansala scored 38 off 61 balls with four boundaries and a six.
Sri Lankan Air Force Women will meet Panadura Sports Club Women for the semi-final at the LRDC ground on Friday (28)
Scores:
Sri Lanka Air Force Women 276/8 in 50 overs [Ashani Kawshalya 57, Malsha Shehani 32, Savindi Cooray 34*; Sasini Alwis 2-48, Wethumya Wijesuriya 2-67]
Chilaw Marians Cricket Club Women 107/10 in 43.5 overs [Sanduni Nisansala 38; Malki Madara 4-14, Shashini Fernando 5-09]
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