Sports

Mendis shines, the rest flop

Published

3 years ago

2023/10/4

Stand-in captain Kusal Mendis stunned the Afghans with a fine counterattack as he posted 158 off 87 balls in Sri Lanka’s warm-up game against Afghanistan in Guwahati on Tuesday.

Entrusted with the captaincy, Kusal Mendis brought the best out of his game posting a stunning 158 before retiring hurt in Sri Lanka’s second warm-up game against Afghanistan at Guwahati yesterday but the rest of the batting failed to click.

While Mendis put up a superb show smashing the Afghan bowling to all corners of the park, there was little support for the stand-in captain as Sri Lanak were shot out for 294 in 46.2 overs.

Sri Lanka had failed to utilize the full 50 overs in their previous warm-up game against Bangladesh as well. This has been a trend for Sri Lanka in recent months and lead up to their first game of the tournament on Saturday against South Africa in Delhi, there are concerns for the former champions.

Sadeera Samarawickrama, who shared a 175 run stand for the third wicket with Mendis, was the second top scorer with 39 runs. Samarawickrama, an equally attacking batsman, was made to look a mere spectator during the partnership as Mendis cut loose.

While several other top and middle order batters got starts, nobody went onto get a half-century and help Sri Lanka’s total beyond 300.

Totals in excess of 300 have been a common feature in World Cup warm-up games as the wickets have been belters and unless Sri Lanka address the issue, they are bound to face some serious problems.

Mendis hitting a purple patch though was a welcome sign ahead of the sport’s showpiece event. His 158 came off just 87 balls with 19 fours and nine sixes. He retired in a bid to let other batters get a hit in the middle ahead of the business end of the tournament but that was for little use.

Batting number three, Mendis reached his century in just 59 balls and the manner in which he took on opposition’s star leg-spinner Rashid Khan was a treat to watch.

Opener Dimuth Karunaratne was the only batter to be dismissed for a single digit score and when Kusal Perera returns what Sri Lanka will do with the combination of the team remains to be seen.

KJP had retired with a right shoulder pain in Sri Lanka’s first warm-up game and SLC said that he was receiving treatment and in the process of recovery.

Captain Dasun Shanaka had to pull out as he was experiencing a strain on his left elbow.

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Unyielding Dinusha, spirited tail hold off India to save Colombo Test

Published

17 mins ago

2026/08/27

Priyan

Dinusha hit his second century of the Test to wear out India [SLC]

Sonal Dinusha put up an impressive resistance to keep the Indian bowlers at bay on the final day, helping Sri Lanka save the second Test in Colombo after they were asked to follow-on. In a seven-hour vigil, Dinusha remained unbeaten on 133 and, with handy lower order support, ensured that India didn’t bat a second time in the Test. This was the first time in nine occasions that India failed to secure a victory after enforcing a follow-on against Sri Lanka.

Needing only four wickets on the final day in order to begin the chase, the Indian bowlers had to toil hard on a surface which offered a bit of turn, but largely predictable pace and bounce. Overnight batters Dinusha and Keshara Nuwantha kept the Indians all through the morning session even though the new ball was taken within the first half an hour of play.

The seventh-wicket stand stretched to 88 runs, consuming more than 40 overs, which also ensured Sri Lanka cleared the first innings deficit. The first strike of the day came soon after the lunch break when Manav Suthar got a delivery to spin in sharply and took the outside edge of Nuwantha’s bat to the second slip.

Prabath Jayasuriya continued to remain defiant, resisting for 28 balls before his attempted drive off Ravindra Jadeja took the outside edge to Dhruv Jurel at second slip. Even as the lead swelled past the 150-run mark with only two wickets remaining and nearly a session and a half to play, the Indians had enough incentive to go for the kill.

However, Lahiru Kumara provided much-needed support to Dinusha as the duo put an end to India’s hopes. The southpaw used the sweep to good effect to counter the turn. The duo chewed up 169 deliveries for 47 runs in a period of attritional batting, during which Dinusha brought up his century. Kumara did provide India a chance when he attempted a slog sweep which fell in front of Jurel at deep mid wicket soon after Dinusha reached his century. But that was a rare opportunity.

Kumara eventually departed on 12 when an inside edge was pouched at short leg by Yashasvi Jaiswal. Nonetheless, which the number of overs reducing, Dinusha took Sri Lanka till the end of day without any further trouble and helped avoid a whitewash.

Brief scores:
India 503/9 decl (Devdutt Padikkal 117, Dhruv Jurel 115; Asitha Fernando 4-106, Prabath Jayasuriya 2-132) drew with Sri Lanka 290 (Sonal Dinusha 103, Pasindu Sooriyabandara 80; Prasidh Krishna 3-52, Manav Suthar 3-85) and 429/9 f/o (Sonal Dinusha 133*, Pasindu Sooriyabandara 92; Ravindra Jadeja 3-94, Manav Suthar 3-121)

[Cricbuzz]

Sports

US golfer Gogel gets six-month ban for betting

Published

3 hours ago

2026/08/27

Priyan

Matt Gogel is 20th in the PGA Tour Champions' season-long Charles Schwab Cup points race [BBC]

American golfer Matt Gogel has been suspended for six months for betting on golf tournaments, the PGA Tour has said.

The 55-year-old competes on the PGA Tour Champions circuit which is reserved for professional golfers aged 50 and older.

Gogel did not bet on events in which he was participating but admitted to unknowingly violating PGA Tour policy by placing “small recreational wagers” in 2024 and 2025.

“I would never knowingly violate the integrity of the game of golf,” Gogel said in a statement.

“I made an honest mistake and I look forward to playing in 2027 on the PGA Tour Champions.”

He had two top-10 finishes across 18 PGA Tour Champions events in 2026 and was most recently in action during the Rogers Charity Classic in Calgary, Alberta where he finished tied 30th last week.

Gogel, who has earned more than $760,000 (£559,000) in prize money from Champions events, won the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in 2002 – his only victory in 179 starts on the PGA Tour.

His suspension came into effect on 23 August and lasts until 22 February.

[BBC Sports]

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UAE’s Asif Khan handed 15-month ban for using a banned substance

Published

3 hours ago

2026/08/27

Priyan

Asif Khan turned out in 94 internationals for UAE [Cricinfo]

Asif Khan the UAE batter, has been banned for 15 months after admitting to having tested positive for a banned substance – “a metabolite of mesterolone” – in an out-of-competition test conducted in September 2025, the ICC said in a statement on Thursday.

The statement said that Asif, 36, “had admitted the violation” of Article 2.1 of the ICC’s anti-doping code and accepted the period of ineligibility “pursuant to a case resolution agreement entered into with the World Anti-Doping Agency and the ICC”, which means there is no right to appeal on the part of the player.

The sanction is effective from September 8, 2025 and will run until December 7, 2026.

“Asif may return to training with a team or use the facilities of a club or other ICC Member organisation from 8 October 2026 but will only be eligible to play from 8 December,” the statement added. “The player’s individual results from 8 September 2025 until his provisional suspension on 29 December 2025 have been disqualified, along with all resulting consequences, including the loss of any medals, points, prize money or prizes.”

Asif, a former Pakistan Under-19 cricketer, made his UAE debut in March 2022 in an ODI against Oman in the ICC’s Cricket World Cup League 2. He turned out in 38 ODIs and 56 T20Is between then and September 2025.

The last three of those T20Is, against India, Oman and Pakistan in the T20 Asia Cup in 2025, came after September 8, and will be removed from his record.

[Cricinfo]