Sports
Nissanka has redefined his game – Asalanka
Rex Clementine at Pallekele
Opening batter Pathum Nissanka is emerging as Sri Lanka’s leading batter in white ball cricket with consistent performances. Last year he was the team’s leading run scorer in ODIs with over 1000 runs and this year too he has remained the top run scorer. In T-20 cricket, he has lifted a new gear hitting at a strike rate of almost 160 in 2024. His fabulous batting display was on show on Saturday as he kept Sri Lanka interested chasing a huge target. His downfall triggered a sensational collapse.
Captain Charith Asalanka speaking after the first T-20 International said that she has seen a big improvement in Nissanka in recent months.
“Pathum Nissanka, we have seen a big improvement this year. He has changed his game in white ball cricket. He is making a conscious effort to improve his strike rate. That’s his natural game. I think we need to back him to play the same game.”
Asalanka this year became the first Sri Lankan to score a double hundred in ODIs and in the process broke Sanath Jayasuriya’s record for most runs in an innings in an ODI – 189. That record had stood for 24 years.
Pathum’s effort saw Sri Lanka reaching 140 for one chasing a target of 214. However, there was little contribution from rest of the batters. “Until the 16th over we were in the game, but from thereon we lost track. The middle order couldn’t click and that’s the reason why we lost.”
Asalanka also blamed the team’s fielding. Misfields cost Sri Lanka some 20 runs and there were a couple of dropped catches as well costing dearly.
“We were sloppy on the field. We need to improve our catching percentage. When you drop a crucial catch that proves costly.”
Sri Lanka have a tendency to keep fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana for the last. He did finish with four wickets on Saturday but should he come to bowl earlier than that before the batters are settled?
“I thought if I used him in the second half he could be handy. He did a good job. When the ball gets older it is hard to face him. That’s the reason we held him back.”
“We could have used him earlier. Wanindu bowled from the seventh over. He is our main wicket taking bowler. When he is bowling from one end, we thought we could hold back Matheesha.”
(Cricbuzz)
The remainder of the tenth edition of the PSL has been moved to the UAE amid escalating border tensions between Pakistan and India. The PCB has said that the dates and venues of the remaining eight games in the PSL 2025 season would be officially confirmed in due course.
On Thursday, Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi were due to play a game at the Rawalpindi Stadium, which was rescheduled following an emergency meeting. At the meeting, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi met with overseas players in the league, who overwhelmingly expressed a desire to relocate the league to the UAE.
ESPNcricinfo understands that foreign players are already on their way out of Pakistan to the UAE, where the rest of the league will be played. It is likely to be several days before the next game is played as the PCB works out which venues to play the games at.
The original schedule would have seen four of the remaining games in Rawalpindi, one in Multan, and the final three in Lahore. An earlier update from the PCB had said the league would be rescheduled, but did not confirm at the time it would be taken out of Pakistan, with Karachi considered a likely option.
The PSL, now in its tenth season, is familiar with the UAE, having started there back in 2016. It was played there in full – barring the PSL 2017 final – for the first two seasons. Part of season six, in 2021, also had to be played in the UAE because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Any delays to the PSL are likely to impact Pakistan’s international calendar, too. Bangladesh are due to arrive in Pakistan three days after the PSL final, originally slated for May 18, with the first of five T20Is to begin on May 25 in Faisalabad. The PCB told ESPNcricinfo that no decision had yet been taken on the fate of that series.
(Cricinfo)
Bangladesh Under 19s won the six-match Youth ODI series 3-2 after the final Youth ODI against Sri Lanka Under 19s ended without a result due to rain at the Colts ground on Thursday.
Sri Lanka came to the final match with the hope of leveling the series but rain prevented a full match.
Deciding to bat first, the visitors were 188 for three wickets in the 40th over when rain prevented further play.
Skipper Azizul Hakim led Bangladesh with 94 runs inclusive of seven fours and two sixes. For the hosts, Tharusha Navodya, Kugathas Mathulan and Himal Ravihansa took a wicket each.
Sri Lanka Under 19s won the opening encounter by a big margin but three consecutive defeats thereafter saw the visitors take command. Sri Lanka Under 19s bounced back in the penultimate match to keep alive the series but rain spoilt their plans in the final encounter.
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