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Relentless Sri Lanka restrict confused England to 156
In what is practically a must-win game for both sides, England were bowled out for a lowly 156 by Sri Lanka at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on Thursday (October 26). Jos Buttler & Co. seemed keen to follow the template of the tournament in scoring big first to put scoreboard pressure on the opponents but the plan backfired for the defending champions.
The start was decent enough with Dawid Malan finding the fence regularly in the first few overs. Jonny Bairstow also struck a couple of silky strokes and it seemed like we had another potential run fest at this venue. The momentum shifted with the introduction of comeback man Angelo Mathews and Maheesh Theekshana in the first Powerplay. Malan and Bairstow had raced away to 39/0 in the first five overs but only 20 came off the next block of five overs. Mathews struck in his first over to remove Malan while Joe Root fell to an uncharacteristic run out.
It was the start of the batting implosion that blew England’s innings away. Although, the surface wasn’t a typical Chinnaswamy deck where batters could hit through the line with ease. There was a definite two-paced nature to it and the sluggish pitch played straight into Sri Lanka’s hands. Kusal Mendis rotated his bowlers well and ensured that his side made optimal use of the favourable conditions on offer. It also helped that England’s batters failed to adapt to the change in conditions and their method of hitting their way out of trouble backfired.
Three of the top four England batters got starts but there wasn’t any impetus to their knocks, particularly Ben Stokes who had a 73-ball vigil out in the middle for his 43. Barring Dilshan Madushanka who was expensive in his spell, all the Sri Lankan bowlers hit their straps and used the surface brilliantly to stifle the flow of runs. There was no let up in the intensity both with the ball and in the field as England capitulated meekly. Mathews set the tone early with his first spell and then the run out to get rid of Root. From there, it was one-way traffic till the end of the innings.
Brief scores:
England 156 in 33.2 overs (Jonny Bairstow 30, Dawid Malan 28, Ben Stokes 43; Kasun Rajitha 2-36, Lahiru Kumara 3-35, Angelo Mathews 2-14) vs Sri Lanka
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Bangladesh and Nepal to host Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup from January 21 to February 6
Four venues in Bangladesh and Nepal will host the 2027 Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup, which is set to run from January 21 to February 6. Chattogram, Sylhet, Kirtipur and Mulpani are the four venues, with Chattogram set to host the two semi-finals on February 4 as well as the final on February 6.
The 16-team event will feature four groups of four teams each, with the group stage set to be followed by a two-group Super Six stage, and then the semi-finals and final.
This is the third edition of the tournament, with India having won the first two back-to-back in 2023 and 2025. The defending champions have been drawn in group A alongside Ireland, West Indies and Nepal. Group B has 2025 runners-up South Africa as well as New Zealand, Pakistan and Samoa.
Australia, Bangladesh, Nigeria and UAE make up Group C, while England, Sri Lanka, USA and Scotland have been drawn in Group D.
The tournament will kick off with four matches on January 21, with Sylhet hosting Bangladesh vs UAE and Australia vs Nigeria, and Mulpani hosting Sri Lanka vs Scotland and England vs USA. The other two venues and other eight teams will be involved on January 22: New Zealand vs Samoa and South Africa vs Pakistan in Chattogram, and Nepal vs Ireland and India vs West Indies in Kirtipur.
All 41 games of the tournament will be played during the day. Morning matches will begin at 9.30am local time, and afternoon games at 1.30pm local time.
“The ICC U19 World Cup is the stage that showcases the future of our sport and serves as the ultimate platform for young players to make the leap towards elite careers representing their countries,” ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta said. “These future stars representing 16 teams will garner the world’s attention and become relatable role models for many young girls playing the sport, serving inspiration for their continued cricket journeys.
“The choice of our hosts – Bangladesh and Nepal – is also reflective of the ICC’s belief and investment in the future of the cricket ecosystem. With deep passion for cricket and nearly 40% of the two countries’ populations below the age of 20, they serve as the ideal hosts for one of the world’s biggest youth sporting events.”
(Cricinfo)
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake today (20) paid his last respects to the remains of Most Venerable Kappetiyagoda Siri Wimala Thera, Anunayake of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya and Chief Incumbent of the Rajopawanaramaya Temple in Gatambe, Kandy, who passed away.
The President visited the Rajopawanaramaya Temple in Gatambe, Kandy, where the remains of the Thera are lying, and paid his last respects. He subsequently expressed his deepest condolences to the Maha Sangha and the temple’s Dayaka Sabha, who are mourning the passing of the Thera.
Central Province Governor and Consultant Physician Dr Harsha Suranga Fernando, Kandy District Secretary Indika Udawatta and several others were present.
President’s Media Division (PMD)
India opener Shafali Verma has received an official reprimand and a demerit point for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the second T20I against Zimbabwe on Sunday.
Shafali, an ICC release said, breached Article 2.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an International Match.”
It was Shafali’s first offence in a 24-month period.
The incident occurred in the 12th over of Zimbabwe’s innings when Shafali threw the ball into the ground in frustration after dropping a chance at mid-off offered by Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano off Sree Charani.
Shafali admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee GS Lakshmi, which meant there was no need for a formal hearing.
Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50% of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.
India currently lead the three-match series 2-0 with the third game to be played on Tuesday evening. The T20Is will be followed by three ODIs in Vadodara from October 23.
(Cricinfo)
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