Sports
Kaushalya breaks national record, Thrushi wins senior 400 metres title
Sri Lanka Army athlete Kaushalya Perera lowered the women’s national pole vault record with a feat of 3.65 metres on day one of the Sri Lanka Athletics conducted 1st Selection Trial at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Thursday.
Perera improved on her own record which she established at the same venue in November. A former gymnast, Perera had cleared 3.60 metres in November.
On a day notable for the absence of several senior national athletes, Ratnayake Central middle distance runner Tharushi Karunaratne bagged the top honour of winning the women’s 400 metres in a time of 56.17 seconds. Instead of running in the junior category she was competing in the senior event. In the heats she returned a faster 55.73 seconds feat. Her senior training partner, Dilshi Kumarasinghe and 400 metres specialist Nadeesha Ramanayake were not competing yesterday due to injury.
In the corresponding men’s event Kalinga Kumarage (47.00 secs) was the winner as he finished ahead of Pabasara Niku. But both failed to clock sub 47 seconds. Aruna Dharshana, a leading contender for the title did not take part.
In the junior boys’ 400 metres Sithum Jayasundara was hardly challenged as he eased to a 48.24 seconds finish ahead of D.M. Dharshana who clocked 49.05 seconds.
There was a strong field in the women’s 100 metres with Amasha de Silva, Shelinda Jansen and Rumeshika Ratnayake making a final appearance. While de Silva retained her top position winning in a time of 10.63 seconds, Ratnayake settled for the second place in a time of 10.68 seconds and .Shafiya Yamick clocked 11.82 seconds to finish third. Jansen finished fifth behind Lakshika Sugandi.
The junior girls’ 100 metres final too witnessed an impressive finish with Lyceum sprinter Dulyana Suludagoda stopping the clock in 12.19 seconds in a wind assisted effort. Bandara Dela (12.23 secs) of Gateway and Sashika Sandepani (12.57 secs) of Visakha Balika, Makola finished second and third respectively.
The junior boys’ 100 metres was won by Mahinda College, Galle sprinter Ayesh Mihiranga (10.91 secs). Hirusha Hashen of Track Masters and Pasindu Gunawardena of Gateway finished second and third respectively.
With top sprinter Himasha Eshan serving a ban and national record holder Yupun Abeykoon based in Italy, the stage was set for a new champion to emerge in the men’s 100 metres. Chamod Yodhasinghe took the opportunity winning in a time of 10.53 seconds. C. S. Dharmakerthi and Yodhasinghe both returned 10.53 seconds and were separated by a photo finish analysis.
While Dilhani Lekamge won the women’s javelin throw with a feat of 63.66 metres, Chamini Herath (women’s 10,000 m), Dhanushka Sandaruwan (men’s 5,000metres), Samith Fernando (men’s shot put) and Sanjaya Bandara (men’s hammer throw) were the winners of their respective pet events held in the morning sessions.
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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