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Plucky UAE look to sign off on a high with South Africa scalp

Published

2 months ago

2026/02/18

Priyan

Haider Ali and UAE will want to end their campaign on a winning note [Cricinfo]

The threat of rain looms over South Africa’s final group stage game in the T20 World Cup 2026, but for a change, there is no jeopardy of weather-induced heartbreak for last year’s finalists. They have won their three games so far, and already secured their spot in the Super Eight.

They will, however, want to keep up their winning habit, and go into the next round with a perfect record. The match against UAE will also see South Africa play their first game outside Ahmedabad this World Cup, so it will be a test for them in comparatively unfamiliar conditions.

The match will offer South Africa a chance to rotate, and also work on any potential weaknesses they may have identified so far.

They come up against a UAE side that showed plenty of fight in their last match against Afghanistan. Although it ended in defeat, Alishan Sharafu and Sohaib Khan’s knocks, as well as their bowling display for most parts of Afghanistan’s chase, will give them confidence.

That game was also a day match in Delhi, so UAE will feel they have a better grasp of the conditions.

They may not have qualification to play for, but a chance to end their campaign by slaying a giant will be ample motivation for UAE.

With just two wickets in three games, it’s been a quiet World Cup so far for South Africa’s pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada. As one of South Africa’s talismans, he will want to improve those numbers and go into the Super Eight stage high on confidence. It was the fast bowlers who enjoyed better results in the last game at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, and Rabada will want to make his mark felt.

UAE’s captain and their most prolific run-getter, Muhammad Waseem, began the World Cup with a half-century against New Zealand, but returned scores of 4 and 10 in their next two games. Against a strong South African bowling lineup, UAE will want Waseem to use his experience and lead the batting lineup from the front.

The match against UAE provides an opportunity for South Africa to rest a player or two before the next round of the tournament, as well as give some minutes to players who haven’t had a chance to play in this World Cup so far. South Africa could hand a game to Jason Smith, who for long looked like he was going to be South Africa’s finisher until Tristan Stubbs’ resurgence to form in the SA20 and his late call-up thanks to Donovan Ferreira’s injury.

South Africa XI (probable): Aiden Markram (capt), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs/Jason Smith, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj/George Linde, Lungi Ngidi/Anrich Nortje

UAE are unlikely to make a change to the side that took on Afghanistan.

UAE XI (probable): Muhammad Waseem (capt), Aryansh Sharma (wk), Alishan Sharafu, Sohaib Khan, Syed Haider, Harshit Kaushik, Muhammad Arfan, Haider Ali, Simranjeet Singh, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Jawadullah

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Landslide Early Warnings issued to the Districts of Kurunegala and Ratnapura

Published

3 hours ago

2026/04/23

Priyan

The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued Landslide Early Warnings to the Districts of Kurunegala and Ratnapura effective from 16:00 hrs on 23.04.2026 To 16:00 hrs on 24.04.2026

Accordingly,

Level 1 landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Rideegama in the Kurunegala district and Kuruwita, Kalawana, Ratnapura, Nivithigala, Pelmadulla and Eheliyagoda in the Ratnapura district.

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US boards ship carrying Iranian oil, as Iran MP says first Strait of Hormuz toll paid

Published

4 hours ago

2026/04/23

Priyan

[pic BBC]

US forces have boarded a ship carrying Iranian oil in the Indian Ocean, the US military says.

It comes as the deputy speaker of the Iranian parliament says Iran has received the first tolls from shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. He did not say who paid the tolls, or how much they were, and the BBC has not verified his claim.

Donald Trump has previously said the US would taget ships if they pay Iran to use the strait.

Yesterday, Iran attacked three cargo ships as they tried to pass through the Strait of Hormuz – and claimed it seized two of them. BBC Verify has analyzed footage said to be of the seizures, released by Iranian media.

[BBC]

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Advisory for Severe Lightning issued for the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, North-central, Southern, Uva provinces, and Ampara and Batticaloa districts

Published

5 hours ago

2026/04/23

Priyan

Advisory for Severe Lightning
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology
Issued at 12.00 noon 23 April 2026 valid for the period until 11.30 p.m. 23 April 2026

Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, North-central, Southern, Uva provinces, and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts after 1.00 p.m.

There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
• Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
• Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
• Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
• For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.