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Rugby remembers Nizar Haji Omar

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By a Special Sports Correspondent

Domestic rugby in Sri Lanka kicked off three weeks ago and most of the top clubs are playing cohesive rugby and entertaining appreciative crowds that made it to the grounds. Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club (CR&FC) produced a surprise package in their encounter with Colombo Hockey & Football Club (CH&FC) to record a 27-22 win and keep alive hopes of doing well. The match was played for the Nizar Haji Omar Memorial Trophy and CR & FC did well to win the game and bring respect to the late Omar who was a rugby stalwart this Longden Place club produced.

In an era where the average individual can become a star overnight using social media outlets real heroes like Omar must be remembered and spoken of through our rugby fraternity. He passed away in 2009. Former CR&FC and Royal College player Jehan Canaga Retna writing about Omar in this newspaper, some years ago, rated him as a kind-hearted and respectful player who never lost his cool. Wow! That’s the stuff rugby players must be made of. Today we see more of self-centred players who are committed players alright, but they could learn much about human relations from the generations who played the game before them.

In life we get to see and meet people who have achieved much in a short period of time and also at a very young age. Omar was the youngest President CR & FC produced at age 36 and he was also the youngest SLRFU president; taking the hot seat at age 38. He was to be appointed life member of the SLRFU, but death came in the way. Perhaps nice people, who have to go fast, get the blessings of the Almighty and the nature to achieve their targets at a young age. He had been a successful career man and also a keen traveller and reveller. When this writer reads appreciations about the late Omar it is evident that he made it a point to enjoy life, where ever he was and both on and off the field. In the good old days rugby games were followed by socializing and this built much camaraderie among players; hence we rarely saw players leaving a ‘nest’ which nurtured them. Players were not paid for their availability and commitment. Instead players were willing to sweat to maintain their reputation and names which they worked on like nurturing a child.

This piece about him would not be complete if we didn’t say that Omar represented Sri Lanka at rugby from 1966-74 and captained the national side in 1969. He was also the president of the SLFRU when Sri Lanka won the ‘Bowl’ competition at the famed Hong Kong Sevens in 1984; a feat which has to date not been emulated by any Sri Lankan side. He played for the Red Shirts alongside players like Dushyantha Samarasekare, Bumpy Jayasekera, Sari de Sylva, Eric Roles, Mohan Sahayam, Tony Sirimanne, Regi Bartholameusz, Didacus de Almeda, Kamal Ratnapala and Ajith Abeyratne.

During these Covid days we also lost some rugby players of repute like Chandrishan Perera, Ibrahim Hamid, Gamini Fernando Shyam Sideek, Kamal Jayawardene, Iswan Omar and Vajira Jayatilake and the rugby fraternity misses them while remembering their contributions to the game.

Coming back to the game a young CR&FC side had done well to record a memorable win where the difference in score was an unconverted try. It would have been hard for the CH side to stomach the defeat given that the Maitland Crescent side is buying the best players and also has the influence of elite members of the family clan who are the decision makers of this country.

After major layoff from the game Kandy Sports Club too has returned to the field and maintains its winnings ways. Last week it got the better of Navy Sports Club (35-30) in a close game where the ‘Sailors’ came back fighting in the second half. The Nittawela Club is a hot prospect in the league rugby tournament and it has the player resources in the likes of Bawantha Udangamuwa, Buddhima Piyaratne, Jason Dissanayake, Roshan Weeraratne, Lavanga Perera, Danush Dayan and Skipper Nigel Ratwatte to take them a long way this season. The professional environment they train in make the players committed to the game and raise their game to the next level. In the hills up here in Kandy no king on the hill is assured of his place because there are other hungry ‘wolves’ climbing up the hill and wanting ‘the life of a rugby player’.

Havies, also known as the Park Club, is another team knocking on the door this season to be considered as a winning outfit. It did well to down the ‘Soldiers’ 36-14 and much is expected of this side led by Shenal Deelaka. Air Force Sports Club is also there with much fire power and did remarkably well in their January 29th game against CR & FC where they recorded a handsome 19-11 win. The captain of the side Nuwan Perera, the scrum half, is expected to marshal the side. The other side that can spring some surprises this season is Navy Sports Club which has some dedicated and tough as nails players.

On the financial side of the tournament Sri Lanka Rugby had to start the tournament sans a sponsor because negotiations with Dialog Axiata PLC didn’t reach the stage of inking an agreement and having a working document in terms of a sponsorship deal. The president of SLR Rizly Illyas received the approval of the council members to go ahead with the tournament without a sponsor. All this goes on to prove that the club rugby structure in Sri Lanka is strong and can survive a ‘journey on rough sea’.



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Scotland face West Indies with a chance to reopen World Cup wounds

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Scotland captain Kathryn Bryce is in good form with both bat and ball [Cricinfo]

Scotland take on West Indies in Leeds at 18:30 local time (17:30 GMT) in Group 2 of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.  Both teams won their opening matches in this competition – Shemaine Campbelle’s unbeaten 90 aided by New Zealand’s dropped catches saw West Indies emerging victorious, while a strong all round performance from Scotland brushed aside Ireland.

Scotland and West Indies have played each other only three times across formats – their lone T20I meeting coming at the last World Cup. Crucially, though, Scotland dealt West Indies perhaps their biggest blow in recent times with their win in the Women’s ODI World Cup Qualifier last year. Scotland staved off an all-round show from Hayley Matthews to eke out an 11-run win, denying West Indies a chance to qualify for the ODI World Cup last year.

Coming on the back of a comfortable win, expect Scotland to go in unchanged.

Scotland (probable XI): Darcey Carter, Katherine Fraser, Kathryn Bryce (capt),  Sarah Bryce (wk),  Ailsa Lister, Megan McColl, Priyanaz Chatterji, Rachel Slater,  Chloe Abel,  Kirstie Gordon,  Gabriella Fontenla

West Indies head coach Shane Deitz had said that Chinelle Henry was close to playing their opening game. If fit, she can add heft to their lower-middle order as well as the bowling department.

West Indies (probable XI): Qiana Joseph, Hayley Matthews (capt),  Shemaine Campbelle (wk),  Deandra Dottin,  Jahzara Claxton/Chinelle Henry,  Jannillea Glasgow,  Aaliyah Alleyne, Zaida James,  Shawnisha Hector,  Afy Fletcher, Karishma Ramharack

Players to watch:

Kathryn Bryce: The Scotland captain had a big role to play in their first win at this T20 World Cup. She scored a rapid half-century and picked up two wickets against Ireland. Bryce has picked up at least one wicket in 11 of the 12 T20Is she has played this year, apart from being consistent with the bat. Her experience of playing regularly in England’s domestic circuit could be key for Scotland against West Indies.

Deandra Dottin: She was at her brutal best in the last iteration of the T20 World Cup (strike rate 165.54, average 39.4, 12 sixes) but since the start of 2025, Dottin has only one T20I half-century at a strike rate of 122.84. Dottin had scored an unbeaten 15-ball 28 the last time she faced Scotland. Can she find her mojo back against them?

While Australia’s bowlers bulldozed Bangladesh, India’s batters made merry to show the batting-friendly nature of the surface in Leeds. Weather wise, the evening is likely to become cooler, with temperatures ranging from 19 to 22 degrees Celsius. There is no forecast of rain, even though it grew slightly overcast towards the start of Netherlands’ innings on Wednesday.

[Cricinfo]

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Sooryavanshi to have parents with him on tour of Ireland and England

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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is currently playing for India A in Sri Lanka [SLC]

The BCCI has allowed Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s parents to accompany their son on his maiden India tour of Ireland and England in June and July to help the 15-year-old cope with any challenges that may arise. The board secretary Devajit Saikia said the BCCI would cover their expenses on the trip.

“You see, not all national teams at the senior level have a 14 or 15-year-old in their squad. After many decades, we have someone like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi,” Saikia told PTI. “At one point in time, it was Sachin Tendulkar who made it to the national team at such a young age. When such a young kid is part of the senior team, there are obviously a lot of issues that can crop up.

“Therefore, to make him comfortable and help him get used to an adult environment, where all the other players are above 18 years of age, and the team management members are also adults, we felt it would be helpful.

“We are doing this because we believe it will ease a lot of issues as far as Vaibhav is concerned.”

Sooryavanshi was picked in India’s T20I squad for the first time following a stellar IPL 2026 season in which he top-scored with 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.30, winning the Orange Cap, the MVP, and Emerging Player awards.

He is currently in Sri Lanka, representing India A for the first time, in a 50-over tri-series against Afghanistan A and Sri Lanka A, and became the focal point of an on field confrontation that involved physical contact during the game against the hosts.

While no official sanctions have been announced for any code of conduct breaches, the A-team tri-series falls within the jurisdiction of the host board – Sri Lanka Cricket – and not the ICC or BCCI. Saikia dismissed the notion of the BCCI taking any action.

“A lot of things are going on in the social media that BCCI is contemplating action, etc. Do you want BCCI to step into the domain of match referee?” Saikia said. “The BCCI is not an authority, we should not intrude into the area where the match referee and the umpires are the main persons who can take any decision regarding any incident that had happened in the playground.

“Whatever had happened, it was a part of the game, and the BCCI have no role to play. The role is of the match referee. If anything is going wrong, he will take a call, the umpires will take a call, and there is a system in place.”

Sooryavanshi has so far scored only 117 runs with a high score of 44 in four innings in the tri-series , but those runs have come at a strike rate of 153.94. India A have qualified for the final in Dambulla on June 21.

[Cricinfo]

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Luis Diaz, Colombia defeat World Cup 2026 debutants Uzbekistan

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Colombia's Luis Diaz celebrates scoring their second goal [Aljazeera]

Colombia opened their World Cup Group K campaign with a 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan at the Estadio Azteca on Wednesday, as Daniel Munoz, Luis Diaz and Jaminton Campaz ⁠struck to overcome a spirited second-half response from the tournament debutants.

Uzbekistan were disciplined for long periods under their Italian coach Fabio Cannavaro, but Colombia’s greater quality stood out in front of a crowd of over 80,000 on a cool, rain-tinged evening in Mexico City.

Colombia the Copa ⁠America runners-up, had early sights of goal through Jhon Arias and James Rodriguez, but Uzbekistan sat deep, scrapped gamely and waited for mistakes. Bekhruz Karimov almost profited when he burst forward, only for Jhon Lucumi to intervene before he could shoot.

Diaz had the clearest chance of the opening half when he struck the post, before Abdukodir Khusanov slid in after the winger ‌had knocked the ball past him, taking out both the Colombian player and a pitchside cameraman who required medical treatment.

Uzbekistan’s resistance finally cracked in the 40th minute. Diaz gathered the ball after an attack had broken down and clipped a fine pass into the path of Munoz, who guided home a neat finish for his third international goal.

The large  Colombian contingent erupted, their yellow shirts making the Azteca look and sound almost like home. Chants of “Vamos Colombia”, adapted from a Club America-style chorus, rolled around the ground, while Uzbekistan’s small band ⁠of supporters answered with drums of their own.

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group K - Uzbekistan v Colombia - Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico - June 17, 2026 Colombia's Luis Diaz celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Eloisa Sanchez
Colombia’s Luis Diaz celebrates scoring their second goal [Aljazeera]

Uzbekistan improved after the ⁠break and equalised on the hour with the country’s first World Cup goal.

Dostonbek Khamdamov fed Eldor Shomurodov, whose shot from the right side of the box was saved low by Camilo Vargas. The goalkeeper could not hold it, however, and Abbosbek Fayzullaev nodded in the rebound from ⁠close range.

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group K - Uzbekistan v Colombia - Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico - June 17, 2026 Uzbekistan's Abbosbek Fayzullaev celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Eloisa Sanchez
Abbosbek Fayzullaev celebrates scoring Uzbekistan’s first World Cup goal [Aljazeera]

However, Uzbekistan’s joy lasted only five minutes.

Gustavo Puerta released Diaz in the 65th minute, and the forward side-footed across goal to restore Colombia’s lead. The crowd ⁠responded with chants of “Lucho, Lucho”.

Uzbekistan kept pushing. Akmal Mozgovoy shot narrowly off ⁠target in stoppage time, Karimov hit the bar with an effort from distance, and Azizbek Amonov had a shot blocked after Otabek Shukurov’s pass.

But Colombia had the final word, Campaz scoring in the ninth minute of stoppage time to settle a contest in which Nestor Lorenzo’s side had 15 attempts to Uzbekistan’s nine, ‌and extended their strong recent group-stage record to seven wins in eight World Cup matches.

Colombia face DR Congo on Tuesday in Guadalajara, after Uzbekistan play Portugal on the same day in Houston.

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group K - Uzbekistan v Colombia - Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico - June 17, 2026 Colombia's Jaminton Campaz celebrates after the match REUTERS/Eloisa Sanchez
Colombia’s Jaminton Campaz celebrates after the match [Aljazeera]

[Aljazeera]

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