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New York, new challenges as Sri Lanka begin a long road
Puff of dust. Not on the pitch but on the outfield. That’s the first thing you notice about cricket at the Nassau County International Cricket Ground just outside New York City. The next thing you see is that the ball plugs in it. It doesn’t zip off like we are used to seeing in pretty standard conditions in cricket on TV these days. It is a sandy outfield where fielders won’t be queuing up to dive.
Then there is the drop-in pitch. In the warm-up game between India and Bangladesh held two days before the ground hosts its first World Cup match, the ball seamed around and also sat in the surface. Yet again, these are anything but standard conditions. And because of reasons not explained to the South Africa and Sri Lanka teams, they go into the match without any training session at the actual venue.
This is precisely why South Africa requested for at least a fielding session on the actual outfield after they were done with their nets at the Cantiague Park, another facility outside New York City. Even during the India-Bangladesh match, their coach Rob Walter and bowling coach Eric Simons made it a point to come to the venue and check the conditions out.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, will visit the venue for the first time when they come in for the match. They even cancelled their nets session at the Cantiague Park. They have decided what they saw of the warm-up game on the TV is all they need to know. That is not as dramatic as it sounds because conditions are a little similar to Sri Lanka: sticky pitch, heavy outfield. That is what they have seen in their other practice sessions as well.
“First of all, we prepared really well,” Sri Lanka’s captain Wanidu Hasaranga said. “We came two weeks early to North Carolina, and we had practice sessions there. And we played two practice matches in Florida. And I think as a team, we prepared really well. And conditions are similar to Sri Lanka. So, I think as a team we have prepared really well.”
You can detect some sulkiness with Sri Lanka, though. Firstly, their flight into New York was delayed by seven hours. Then, unlike India and South Africa, they are staying in downtown Brooklyn, which makes it quite a trek to the ground. In fact when asked about adjusting to early-morning starts this World Cup – to cater to the TV audience in India – Hasaranga didn’t omit to mention the travel to the ground.
“No, if we played under lights, then we have to prepare, with the field and everything under the lights,” Hasaranga said when asked if they needed to make adjustments to early starts. “Then the only concern is we have to come early to the ground. We have to come at 7.30 in the morning because we are so far from the ground. It will take like one-and-a-half hours to the ground. That’s the only concern we have.”
Hasaranga is not incorrect. During the warm-up match, almost everyone had trouble getting to the ground with the police closing down the entrances to Eisenhower Park, which houses the stadium. Everyone is hopeful there is better co-ordination between the police and the ICC come match day when the roads will be closed at 7.30am for everyone except the team buses.
And then there is the frequent travel for them. Along with Netherlands, Sri Lanka are one of the only two teams that will play all their four first-round matches in four different venues. So they will be in a loop of match-travel-train-optional train-match through then first round.
We can sometimes not appreciate the small little challenges that can accumulate with these daily things. For example, when you are asked to train at another venue a day before the match, this is what happens: you load the cricket kits in the hotel at the team bus, then you unload them at the training facility, then you load again and go to your hotel, then you unload in the morning at the ground and load again because you have to travel immediately and don’t have the luxury of playing another match at the same venue.
South Africa were more philosophical with the logistical challenges that are part of coming to a new country, which on top of that is not used to hosting cricket, but they do get to play three matches in New York. Even they were bemused they had to train elsewhere. They didn’t know a reason why. Asked if they would have rather they trained at the venue of the match, their captain Aiden Markram said: “It’s hard to say because I’m not sure what [training facility] is there [at the venue of the match], because I haven’t been there. This facility is incredible to be honest, so we don’t mind training here either.”
[Cricinfo]
Approval has been granted at the cabinet meeting held on 01-03-2023 for the National Curriculum Framework and the methodology for implementing the aforementioned framework, which was initiated by the National Institute of Education in 2019 under the education reform process.
However, considering the modules relevant to Grades 1, 6, and 10 that have been prepared by the National Institute of Education for the implementation of the new education reforms by the time the new government comes into power in 2024, it was planned to implement the new National Curriculum Framework only for Grades 1 and 6 in 2026, ensuring appropriate adjustments to the new government’s policies.
Further, it has also been planned to introduce vocational subjects from grade 10 onwards.
Accordingly, the concept paper required for ‘Transformational Change in Sri Lanka’s General Education’, which has been prepared to inform and make relevant parties aware of the proposed adjustments, has also been submitted to the Parliamentary Subcommittee on Education Reforms on 22-10-2025.
Subsequently, as decided at the Cabinet Meeting held on 13-01-2026, steps have been taken to postpone the implementation of education reforms for grade 6, which had been planned under the first phase of the comprehensive reform agenda for general
education, up to the year 2027, and only to implement new curriculum reforms for grade 1 in the year 2026.
Subsequently, the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education has followed these steps.
• preparing a new concept paper with policy recommendations after reviewing the concept paper prepared related to bringing about transformational change in Sri Lanka’s general education
by the National Education Commission.
• Having reviewed the revised concept paper by the National Steering Committee established as per the cabinet decision dated 23-03-2026 and subcommittees established under 5 pillars
relevant to the education reforms-namely Curriculum Reform, Human Resource Development, Education Administrative Reforms & Infrastructure Development, Evaluation & Assessment, and Public Awareness & Promotion-and obtaining further observations and recommendations.
• Based on those observations and recommendations, further revising the National Curriculum Framework prepared by the National Institute of Education in 2023 and obtaining approval
from the Academic Affairs Board of the National Institute of Education.
• Obtaining approval from the Council of the National Institute of Education for the National Curriculum Framework approved by its Academic Affairs Board.
• Obtaining concurrence from the National Steering Committee for New Education Reforms on 2026-08-13 for the National Curriculum Framework approved by the Council of the National Institute of Education.
• Printing and preparing activity books and teacher guides for all 3 terms of Grade 1 and Grade 2 for the year 2027, so as to continue carrying forward the primary education reforms
commenced in the year 2026.
• Preparing Grade 6 modules for Terms I, II, and III, as well as teacher guides for all 3 terms.
• Master trainers have been trained by the National Institute of Education for all primary and secondary subjects, and all plans related to teacher training at the provincial level have been
prepared.
• Formulating the policy guidelines on school-based evaluation and assessment—prepared for practical implementation while managing available resources within the school system by the
Evaluation and Assessment Sub-Committee and obtaining the approval of the National Steering Committee.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Hon. Prime Minister in her capacity as the Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education to further implement the education reform process for grade 1, which has been initiated in the year 2026,
and to further initiate the education reform process for grade 2 and grade 6 in the year 2027, based on the concept paper prepared by the National Education Commission, the National Curriculum Framework approved by the National Steering Committee for New Education Reforms, and the School-Based
Evaluation and Assessment Guideline.
Sri Lanka will face India in the semi-finals of Asian Games men’s tournament after their quarter-final clash against Nepal was abandoned without a ball being bowled in Nisshin, Japan. The game was called off prior to the toss, with rain having begun hours prior to the scheduled 9am local start and not looking like abating.
Sri Lanka’s progression was assured by virtue of their higher seeding in terms of the ICC T20I rankings – Sri Lanka, alongside India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are the four seeded teams in the tournament. On Monday, India had qualified over Afghanistan after another washout, again by virtue of their higher. Similarly, Pakistan’s qualification was assured following a rain abandonment in their quarter-final against Hong Kong.
In the 2022 Asian Games, Sri Lanka had been eliminated at the quarter fial stages by Afghanistan. Another washout in the semis against, India though, will see the latter qualify for the final.
A few hours later, the fourth quarter-final between Bangladesh and Malaysia was also washed out. Bangladesh will now face Pakistan in the first semi-final on October 1, followed by India vs Sri Lanka later on the same day
(Cricinfo)
The Bangladesh vs Malaysia abandonment on Tuesday completed a quartet of rained off matches in the Asian Games men’s tournament. The match was called off two hours before the toss, with the teams told not to even turn up at the venue.
Bangladesh, by virtue of higher seeding, go through to the semi-finals where they will now face Pakistan on October 1. Earlier in the morning, the Sri Lanka vs Nepal fixture was also called off due to rain, with Sri Lanka advancing into the semi-finals where they will meet India.
There is, however, some good news, as the weather forecast in Nisshin is better for the semi-final and the medal match day, on October 1 and 3, respectively.
In the last edition (2023), Bangladesh had lost to India in the semi-final but won the third-place playoff against Pakistan to take home the bronze medal. They had won the bronze in 2014 as well and Bangladesh’s best finish was winning the gold medal in 2010, when they beat Afghanistan in the final.
(Cricinfo)
Cabinet nod to increase the number of new automated passenger clearance gates at the Bandaranayake International Airport to 12
Draft Bill for amending the Trust Ordinance
Implementing further relief programme to Public sffected by the Middle East conflict situation
Establishment of a Spectrum Management and Monitoring System and a Quality of Service and Quality of Experience System for the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka
Appointment of a Committee for the Restitution of Sri Lankan Cultural Heritage Held Abroad
Ten-Year National Action Plan on the Social Protection Sector (2026–2035)
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