Sports
Leave aside revenge, work towards common goal says Mathews
Rex Clementine in Dambulla
There has been a remarkable turnaround for the national cricket team in 2024 with Sri Lanka recording five series wins inside two months and have won all six games so far in the bilateral series against Afghanistan. The team has played some attacting cricket, a far cry from their World Cup campaign where players were sloppy on the field, awful with the bat and indiscipline with the ball.
Former captain Angelo Mathews, who was the star in the second T-20 International on Monday with an unbeaten 42 and two wickets, credited the new selection panel for the change of fortunes.
“The team has turned things around not with the dawn of the new year but with the dawn of new selectors. They have given lot of confidence for boys. Seem they have proper plans rather than doing things haphazardly. You see a massive difference out there with boys playing with freedom. Communication is a key aspect in international cricket. Forget about agendas, forget about differences, forget about revenge. Get together and think of Sri Lankan cricket.”
“It is all about planning. In a cycle you get two years or four years to plan things out. With the new selectors they have planned well. The new captains are doing a great job. They are giving confidence to youngsters and senior players. The guys are playing with freedom and enjoying their cricket rather than worrying about things. We are in good shape.”
Mathews was a doubtful starter heading into the game and had to prove his fitness on Monday.
Sri Lanka were struggling at 121 for five during the 15th over of the innings and Mathews reserved the best for his last taking Sri Lanka’s total to 187 for six hitting Azmatullah Omarzai for three consecutive sixes in the penultimate over.
“The plan was Sadeera to bat deep so that I could bat with freedom. Last game we didn’t bat 20 overs and it was a disappointment. Glad we got our act together. Sadeera was superb today.”
Mathews praised young Matheesha Pathirana, who was making a comeback to the side during the series and bowled some unplayable deliveries. The former captain expected a bright future for the 21-year-old.
“Facing Matheesha Pathirana at the nets is the biggest challenge. He bowls consistently at 150. It’s difficult to bowl that speed when someone is bowling straight but to bowl with that action makes things tougher. He has gained experience in franchise cricket and at 21 if you tell him to defend 12 in the last over he will do the job in nine out of ten games. He is a disciplined cricketer. We have to look after him well.”
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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