Asian Junior Athletics Championships

by Reemus Fernando

Ambagamuwa Central hurdler Ayomal Akalanka who was included in the team at the eleventh hour qualified for the finals of the men’s 400 metres hurdles as he came almost close to matching his personal best time on day one of the Asian Junior Athletics Championships in Dubai on Wednesday.

Akalanka clocked 52.96 seconds to finish second in his heat and qualify for the finals.

Sri Lanka Athletics decided to drop him from the team after the Commonwealth Youth Game medallist failed to reach qualifying standards at the trials. He was included at the eleventh hour on the request of the Sports Minister who heeded an appeal. Akalanka will compete in the final on Friday.

Young Tharushi Abisheka provided the Sri Lankan team a morale boosting start as she qualified for the final of the women’s 800 metres in the morning.

Abisheka is the youngest member in the team and is eligible even to compete at the next edition of this Under 20 event in 2026. The Wickramabahu National School Gampola athlete finished third in her heat and will carry the third fastest time to the final which will be held on Friday.

In the men’s 100 metres, Merone Wijesinghe of Ananda College Colombo finished fourth in his heat.

When this edition went to press women’s team captain Madushani Herath of Nannapurawa MV Bibila was competing in the women’s triple jump.

Sri Lanka fielded a team of 17 athletes including four relay teams for the four-day regional event.

Saneshi Willoraarachchi won three titles at the Bandarawela Open Ranking Tennis Tournament.

The Musaeus College player won the women’s open singles, women’s open doubles and the Under 18 girls’ doubles.

She beat Inuki Jayaweera 6-4, 6-3 in the women’s open singles final and joined the latter to score a 4-2, 5-4 win in the doubles final against Lihini Jayakody and Diyana de Silva.

Saneshi and Inuki overcame a first set defeat to beat Gehansa Methnadi and Sandithi Usgodaarachchi 0-4, 5-4, 10-6 for the Under 18 doubles title.

Hayley Matthews smacked 141 to follow up her unbeaten 140 in the series opener to take an inspired West Indies to a crushing win in the 3rd ODI. The victory sealed a clean sweep over Pakistan.

She powered West Indies to 278 as Pakistan’s bowlers struggled for wickets on a somewhat turgid track in Karachi. Pakistan managed little more than a feeble response, with Muneeba Ali’s 38 the highest score as they were skittled out for a limp 190. Matthews ensured her contribution was all round with figures of 2 for 26 in eight overs as an 88-run win was secured.

This was a dead rubber anyway, but there was little jeopardy in the game from the moment Matthews won the toss and elected to set a target. The captain led from the front as she put the pressure on Pakistan’s bowlers, with the opening attack of Fatima Sana and Nida Dar placed under immediate pressure. First-change spinner Nashra Sandhu, the pick of the attack with 3 for 54, provided an early breakthrough, but it was little more than a speedbump for an unstoppable West Indies side.

Matthews and former West Indies captain Stefanie Taylor combined for a 101-run stand for the third wicket, by which time Matthews brought up her fifth ODI hundred and second this series. As Taylor rotated the strike, Matthews pressed home the visitors’ advantage by hitting 19 fours herself. In contrast, Pakistan managed 21 in their entire innings. Sandhu’s twin strikes in the 46th over to remove Taylor and Chinelle Henry came much too late, with an unbeaten 12-ball 20 from Aaliyah Alleyne helping their side march to 278.

Pakistan’s response saw a bunch of double figures but very little substance. Openers Sadaf Shamas and Sidra Ameen had their stumps knocked back by Shamilia Conell and Henry, and while Muneeba and Bismah Maroof added 45 for the third wicket, the run-scoring was simply too leisurely to trouble the visitors. It took 69 balls for those 45 to be scored before Karishma Ramharack prised Maroof out. Matthews’ twin strikes to get rid of captain Nida Dar and top scorer Muneeba Ali killed the game off for good.

Aalia Riaz and Fatima Sana put on another partnership, but the game was going through the motions by now. West Indies struck at regular intervals, and it all wrapped up in the 48th over when a double strike from Alleyne finished Pakistan off. The two sides will now play a five-match T20I series, with all five games in Karachi.

Brief scores:
West Indies 278 for 6 in 50 overs (Hayley Matthews 141,Shermaine Campbelle 38,  Stefanie Taylor 47, Aaliyah Alleryne 20*; Fatima Sana 2-67, Nashra Sandhu 3-54) beat Pakistan 190 all out in 47.5 overs (Muneeba Ali 38, Aliya Riyaz 36, Fatima Sana 23, Tuba Hassan 23; Aaliyah Alleyne 2-10, Hayley Matthews 2-26, Stefanie Taylor 2-29) by 88 runs

(Cricinfo)