Sports

Rugby milestones for Suri, Mithun and Nuwan

Published

4 years ago

2023/02/20

By A Special Sports Correspondent

Domestic rugby in Sri Lanka is making steady progress in its first complete club rugby season after the covid pandemic really crippled the game in the club scene during the past two years.Kandy Sports Club is making great headway in the season and watching all this progress with a sense of contentment is scrum half Srinath Sooriyabandara (Suri) who represents the Nittawela Club for the eighth consecutive year.

There is much talk about Sooriyabandara right now because he just turned 34; which makes him a very senior player in domestic rugby in both club and national rugby after having stepped into the senior category of rugby in 2009. One of the unique achievements of his is that he has represented Sri Lanka at rugby at three consecutive Asian Games.

Sooriyabandara is a stepper; a rugby jargon used to highlight the fact that a player can run pretty fast. This player also can take a few knocks on the field and has had his share of injuries. In a newspaper interview he had once said that he would love to erase all the injuries he has suffered which was his answer to the question ‘what would you erase from your life if given a chance’.

Sooriyabandara has been around for a while; hence he has made some vital combinations with players in the likes of Nigel and Tharinda Ratwatte and before that with rugby legend Fazil Marija. As scrum half he has paired off with some of the best fly halfs in the game.

He came as acting skipper for the Asian Sevens Series in the absence of regular skipper Sudarshana Muthuthantri. But then there were seniors in the caliber of Gayan Weeraratne to guide him. That was the start to his leadership in rugby and he went on to captain the national side on many occasions; his role as captain at the last Commonwealth Games in Birmingham serving as a feather in his cap.

He got his opportunity to play alongside Marija. At the ‘Mumbai Sevens’ he played alongside Marija and helped Sri Lanka emerge the victor. Sri Lanka beat Malaysia 22-17 in the final at that tournament. If one takes Sooriyabandara, Tharinda, Nigel and even Mithun Hapugoda the country is now blessed with some able senior rugby players who have been around for a while. Sooriyabandara commenced his rugby career at Isipathana College in Colombo and showed enough promise that he would continue into the senior level and graduate to the national side. But despite all his achievements in rugby union he still cherishes the moment he was presented with the Isipathana College rugby jersey and rates that as the crowning moment in his rugby career.

After leaving school he represented CR&FC and shifted to Upcountry Lions and then Navy Sports Club before settling down at Kandy Sports Club. At the Nittawela Club it was not easy for him to cement his place with Roshan Weeraratne playing in his pet position. But as he put in the years and moved to the next level of playing and with Weeraratne hanging up his boots Sooriyabandara made himself the number one choice to wear the number nine jersey for Kandy SC and Sri Lanka. Critics believe it’s encouraging and inspiring to see such an aged player making continuous headway in the game and also retaining his slot with the number one domestic team in the island. He is now at the peak of perfection and it is interesting to see how much longer he can hold on to his pristine condition as a semi-professional sportsman. He has played 13 years of rugby as a senior player and retirement must be a topic flashing in his mind now and then. But the game he plays from the base of the scrum suggests that Sooriyabandara has some unfinished business to attend to as a player.

This guy doesn’t need any motivation to tie up his boot laces and get on the field. We read somewhere in an interview Sooriyabandara saying he makes it a point to give off his best in whatever he does. That leaves him with being made to answer the question ‘what he would do the day he cannot give off his best? Many great players who were in the Kandy SC side left the ‘game’ before a coach or the club hierarchy told them ‘the decline has commenced’. Great players like Marija have taken to coaching and are running their own rugby academies. The grass is greener in areas outside the playing area at the Nittawela Club.

Havelocks Sports Club back division player Mithun Hapugoda reached the milestone of playing his 100th domestic rugby game. Hapugoda has been playing domestic rugby since 2012. He too is of the same age as Sooriyabandara; hence we see a rugby product of stellar quality. But there are other qualities in Hapugoda to talk about. This player has been loyal to Havelocks Sports Club which is commendable because players do switch their alliances with clubs ‘for a few dollars more’. He has had a pretty decent career as a rugby player and played in positions like winger and full back and also as scrum half when the need arose. That’s the caliber of this player. More than the skill he possesses as a utility player Hapugoda has catered to the need of shifting his playing position to meet the demands of the situation; underscoring the thought that ‘the club is more important than the individual’.

We have seen the best of Hapugoda in both 7s and 15-a-side rugby and what stands out in him is that he is a team player. He had his education at Mahanama College and this academic institute can take pride in producing an individual like him.

The other player who has come under the limelight this season is Air Force Sports Club back division player Nuwan Perera. He accumulated 100 points recently while playing as fly half for Air Force. The Airmen are going great this season and are now contesting the Plate Championship of the Inter-club League rugby tournament.

All News Advertisement

Sports

Sri Lanka kickstart Asia Cup campaign with record win

Published

8 hours ago

2026/08/31

Thilina Walpola

Mithali Ayodhya returned figures of 3 for 14. (Getty)

Sri Lanka began their Women’s Asia Cup campaign in emphatic fashion, cruising to a nine-wicket win over the UAE after bowling them out for just 79. Mithali Ayodhya and Chethana Vimukthi led the way with three wickets apiece, while Sugandika Kumari took two, before Chamari Athapaththu’s unbeaten 48 off 25 balls and Imesha Dulani’s 25 off 18 powered the defending champions to the target in just 7.5 overs. The victory, completed with 73 balls to spare, was Sri Lanka’s biggest in T20Is in terms of balls remaining.

‎Sri Lanka made an ideal start after opting to bowl, with Mithali Ayodhya striking in the fourth ball of the innings to bowl Theertha Satish for a duck. Chethana Vimukthi then joined in, bowling a disciplined spell and removing Lavanya Keny in the fourth over to leave UAE at 8 for 2. Esha Oza and Heena Hotchandani tried to rebuild, but scoring remained difficult, with Sri Lanka’s bowlers giving little away. Oza’s first boundary, which was also the first of the innings, did not come until the 4.1 over, and UAE reached only 16 for 2 at the end of the Powerplay.

‎The pressure continued after the field spread, and Oza was eventually dismissed for 18 off 24 by Sugandika Kumari. By the halfway stage, they had crawled to 31 for 3, having played out 37 dot balls. Hotchandani fell for 10 off 18 to Chamari Athapaththu soon after, and although Rinitha Rajith provided some impetus with 15 off 16, wickets kept falling around her. Samaira Dharnidharka made 17 off 25 before Kavisha Dilhari had her caught and bowled in the 15th over, and Rajith followed in the 19th over. Ayodhya then returned to remove the final two batters, bowling UAE out for under 80.

‎In contrast to the first innings, Sri Lanka made a flying start to the chase, with Dulani and Athapaththu dealing in regular boundaries. Dulani was particularly fluent, striking five fours in her 18-ball 25, while Athapaththu became the first to reach 500 runs in Women’s Asia Cups, with a six off Esha Oza in the fourth over.

‎‎The pair raised a half-century stand inside the Powerplay before Dulani was run out for 25 when a drive from Athapaththu ricocheted off the bowler and hit the stumps at the non-striker’s end. Athapaththu, though, continued the assault with Sanjana Kavindi for company. Having struck two boundaries off Athige Silva, she hit a six off Oza before finishing off the chase with a couple as Sri Lanka began their Asia Cup campaign with a facile win.

‎‎Brief scores:

‎UAE 79 in 19.5 overs (Esha Oza 18; Mithali Ayodhya 3-14, Chethana Vimukthi 3-16, Sugandika Kumari 2-18)

‎Sri Lanka 80/1 in 7.5 overs

(Chamari Athapaththu 48, Imesha Dulani 25) (Cricbuzz)

Sports

Sri Lanka complete vital win over Kyrgyzstan in FIBA Asia pre-qualifiers

Published

8 hours ago

2026/08/31

Thilina Walpola

The Sri Lanka Men’s National Basketball Team delivered a composed performance to defeat Kyrgyzstan 72-65 yesterday at the Baluan Sholak Sport Palace in Almaty, Kazakhstan, in the FIBA Asia Cup Pre-Qualifiers Group B.

In a tightly contested first half, Sri Lanka trailed narrowly at the break 31-33. Team Sri Lanka regrouped in the second half, outscoring Kyrgyzstan 20-16 in the third quarter and 21-16 in the fourth quarter to secure a crucial two points in the group standings.

Simron Yogananthan led the way with a game high 27 points and was instrumental in the fourth quarter comeback.

Praneeth Udumalagala also supported well with 22 points and a last moment match winning three pointer.

With this win, Sri Lanka took a massive step towards qualification for the next round of the FIBA Asia Cup Pre-Qualifiers.

Sports

Kandy and Jaffna set up Premier League tennis final

Published

8 hours ago

2026/08/31

Thilina Walpola

Kandy Kings and Jaffna Flamingos emerged as the top teams of Groups A and B respectively to book their places in the final of the Sri Lanka Tennis Premier League, following the completion of the group stage at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association clay courts.

‎Kandy finished on top of Group A with 122 points, while Jaffna topped Group B with 120 points, setting up a highly anticipated clash for the title.

‎On the penultimate day of the competition, Kandy Kings recorded a 38-26 victory over Colombo Chargers to consolidate their position at the top of Group A. Although Colombo’s Annaya Norbert produced an emphatic 6-0 win over Savini Jayasuriya in the women’s singles, Kandy dominated the remaining ties.

‎Thehan Wijemanne beat Akaash de Silva 6-2 in the men’s singles, while Navya Banagala defeated Sethuli Muthugama 6-2 in the girls’ Under-15 event. Dehan Wickramasinghe continued Kandy’s dominance in the boys’ Under-15 category with a 6-0 victory over Yudhiraya Atapaththu.

‎Colombo gained another point through Aqeel Khan and Annaya Norbert, who defeated Mineth Navarathne and Tuvini de Alwis 6-4 in the mixed doubles. However, Kandy sealed their convincing overall victory when Thehan Wijemanne and Mineth Navarathne defeated Aqeel Khan and Lithum Jayabandu 6-2 in the men’s doubles.

‎Baticaloa ACES also ended their group campaign on a winning note, defeating Kurunagala Royal 35-25. Sandithi Usgodaarachchi gave Baticaloa an early advantage by beating Biyanka Acquistapace 6-2 in the women’s singles, while Barker Ullaha defeated Ganuka Fernando 6-1 in the men’s singles.

‎Kurunagala fought back through Jennifer Mercy, who beat Sayuri Muthuthantiri 6-2 in the girls’ Under-15 match, and Eshan Bandara, who overcame Udeera Gunasinghe 6-3 in the boys’ Under-15 contest.

‎However, Baticaloa prevailed in both the mixed and men’s doubles. Jaithra de Seram and Sandithi Usgodaarachchi defeated Saha Kapilasena and Biyanka Acquistapace 6-4, before Jaithra de Seram and Barker Ullaha beat Ganuka Fernando and Saha Kapilasena 6-3.

‎The Group B contest between Weligama Warriors and Nuwara Eliya Highlanders proved closely contested, with Weligama prevailing 34-30.

‎Yuhansa Peiris defeated Gehansa Methnadhi 6-2 in the women’s singles, while Aahil Kaleel edged Ifram Husein 7-5 in the men’s singles. Risindi Hewawasam added another win for Weligama by defeating Taaliya Silva 6-1 in the girls’ Under-15 event.

‎Nuwara Eliya responded strongly in the remaining categories, with Methvan Wijemanne and Gehansa Methnadhi defeating Harishwer Parameshwaran and Yuhansa Peiris 6-1 in the mixed doubles. Revan Amarasinghe beat Chirath Subasinghe 6-1 in the boys’ Under-15 match.

‎Aahil Kaleel and Harishwer Parameshwaran, however, ensured victory for Weligama by defeating Ifram Husein and Methvan Wijemanne 7-5 in the men’s doubles.

‎Jaffna Flamingos underlined their position at the top of Group B with an impressive 42-29 victory over Negombo Icons.

‎Janali Manamperi gave Jaffna a hard-fought start, defeating Akesha Silva 7-6 in the women’s singles, before Muzammial Murataza comfortably beat Ashlin de Silva 6-1 in the men’s singles.

‎Samaira Fernando defeated Eliza Kahagalla 6-4 in the girls’ Under-15 event, while Damsath Peiris beat Shennon Sandheera 6-3 in the boys’ Under-15 category.

‎Negombo claimed the mixed doubles through Dilvan Herath and Akesha Silva, who defeated Aravind Fernando and Janali Manamperi 6-4. However, Jaffna completed their dominant performance when Aravind Fernando and Muzammial Murataza defeated Dilvan Herath and Ashlin de Silva 6-3 in the men’s doubles.

‎At the end of the group stage, Kandy Kings finished comfortably on top of Group A with 122 points, followed by Baticaloa ACES on 105. Colombo Chargers finished third with 95 points, while Kurunagala Royal ended fourth with 78.

‎Jaffna Flamingos topped Group B with 120 points. Weligama Warriors finished second with 99 points, closely followed by Negombo Icons on 97, while Nuwara Eliya Highlanders finished with 93 points.

‎With the end of group stage, Group A winners Kandy Kings and Group B leaders Jaffna Flamingos were set battle for the Sri Lanka Tennis Premier League title yesterday evening.

‎