Sports

Samson’s maiden T20I ton powers India’s series-sweeping win

Published

1 year ago

2024/10/13

Priyan

India won their seventh straight bilateral T20I series at home [Cricbuzz]

Sanju Samson scored his maiden T20I century which rocketed India to a mammoth 297 for 6 – their highest T20I score and second-highest overall after Nepal’s 314 for 3. Samson blazed 111 off just 47 balls and was ably supported by Suryakumar Yadav (75 off 35) in a 173-run stand off just 69 balls. Hardik Pandya (47 off 18) and Riyan Parag (34 off 13) added the finishing touches with blistering cameos towards the end of the innings, that saw the hosts hit as many as 25 fours and 22 sixes. Riding on this big total, India cruised to a 3-0 series win with Bangladesh falling short by 133 runs in veteran Mahmudullah’s final T20I game.

Having opted to bat first in front of a festive Hyderabad crowd, India played the first over cautiously for only seven runs, which, as it turned out, was the most economical over of the innings. But the hosts immediately flicked on the switch in the second over as Samson hit four consecutive boundaries off Taskin Ahmed.

Tanzim Hasan picked up Abhishek Sharma after the batter miscued a pull to mid-wicket. Suryakumar wasted no time at the crease scoring a six to get off the mark. At the end of the PowerPlay, which featured a 19-run takedown of Tanzim, India had raced away to 82 for 1.

The removal of field restrictions made no difference. Samson brought up his 50 off 22 balls laying into Rishad Hossain in a 16-run over. Samson played a wonderful shot over extra-cover off Mustafizur for a maximum. Things got much worse for Rishad in his second over as Samson tore into slot deliveries by smashing five consecutive sixes in a 30-run over. The wheels had completely fallen off for Bangladesh by then as Taskin bowled a beamer which Suryakumar followed with a six to bring up the 150-run partnership.

Samson hit a four back over Mahedi’s head to bring up his century off just 40 balls. He fell a few balls later after scoring two more boundaries, holing out to deep-square leg. Suryakumar fell in the next over, caught at deep mid-wicket off Mahmudullah, but there was more punishment awaiting Bangladesh.

Tanzim’s horrid night continued as Pandya scored 21-runs off him while Parag toyed with Mahedi at the other end. Rounding off an innings to forget, Bangladesh also missed two simple run-out chances, one of them in rather comical fashion as Parag and Hardik were stranded mid-pitch but Litton Das lobbed the throw above the bowler’s head. Parag was caught on the boundary in the next over but the fielder had touched the ropes, adding six more runs to the score. But Taskin, the bowler, had the last laugh as Parag nicked a scoop to Litton. Tanzim picked up Hardik and Nitish Reddy off back-to-back balls but birthday boy Rinku Singh clinched a six off the last ball of the innings.

In response, Bangladesh were never really in the chase. Parvez Hossain Emon was bounced out first ball by Mayank Yadav, which was gloved to Parag at first slip. Najmul Hossain Shanto and Tanzid Hasan took the attack to India in the next two overs scoring 30 runs across them. But Tanzid was caught off Sundar at short third-man. Litton found his feet immediately with five boundaries in an over off homeboy, Nitish. Shanto was too early into his reverse sweep off Ravi Bishnoi, as the legspinner bowled a wicket-maiden.

Towhid Hridoy and Litton had a 53-run partnership, not giving up on the fight until the latter holed out to Tilak Varma in the deep. Mahmudullah fell for just 8 in his last T20I. Varun Chakravarthy bowled an economical spell conceding only 23 runs in his four overs as the required run-rate went through the roof. Nitish scalped Mahedi for three while Rishad was caught at long-off for a duck off Bishnoi. Towhid Hridoy brought up his 50 with a six and remained unbeaten on 63, the only shining light for Bangladesh with the bat. It wasn’t close to enough as Bangladesh scampered to 164 whilst India closed out the demolition job.

Brief Scores:
India 297/6 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 111, Suryakumar Yadav 75; Tanzim Hasan 3-66, Mahmudullah 1-26) beat Bangladesh 164 for 7 in 20 overs (Towhid Hridoy 63*, Litton Das 42; Ravi Bishnoi 3-30, Mayank Yadav 2-32) by 133 runs

[Cricbuzz]

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Sports

SLAF men’s Judo team crowned overall champs at 62nd National Judo Championship

Published

4 hours ago

2026/02/5

Priyan

The Sri Lanka Air Force Men's and Women's Judo Teams with officials

The Sri Lanka Air Force [SLAF] Men’s Judo Team emerged overall champions in the Men’s Category at the 62nd National Judo Championship organized by the Sri Lanka Judo Association, reclaiming the prestigious title for the first time since 2014.

The championship was held from 30 January to 01 February 2026 at the Indoor Stadium of the Ministry of Sports, Sri Lanka, with the awards ceremony conducted at the same venue on 01 February 2026.

The awards ceremony was graced by Air Commodore Manoj Galappaththi, Chairman of SLAF Judo, Group Captain MADCI Gunasinghe, Secretary of SLAF Judo, and Wing Commander HDTNS Hettiarachchi, Assistant Secretary of SLAF Judo, along with several senior officers representing the tri-services.

The SLAF Men’s Judo Team secured the overall championship in the Men’s Category with a medal tally of six gold medals, three silver medals and six bronze medals.

Meanwhile, the SLAF Women’s Judo Team delivered a commendable performance to secure the Overall Runners-up position in the Women’s Category, winning four gold medals, four silver medals and six bronze medals.

Further highlighting the SLAF’s success, Sergeant Chamara Dharmawardana was adjudged the ‘Best Male Judo Player’ for the ninth consecutive year, continuing a notable record in Sri Lankan Judo. In recognition of emerging talent, Mr. Wipulaweera was awarded the ‘Emerging Player of the Year’ in the Men’s Category, while Leading Aircraftwoman Yapa YMMM received the ‘Emerging Player of the Year’ in the Women’s Category award. In addition, Leading Aircraftman Hansamal KST was recognized as the ‘Best Ippon Player’ of the championship.

Summary of results

Gold Medalists
Mr. Wipulaweera (66 Kg)
Sergeant Darmawardana RCN (73 Kg)
Leading Aircraftman Hansamal KST (81 kg)
Leading Aircraftman Osman MI (Over 70 kg)
Sergeant Darmawardana RCN (Open Event-Men )
Leading Aircraftwoman Yapa YMMM (57 Kg)
Leading Aircraftman Samaraweera HVPCSD (63 Kg)
Leading Aircraftman Wickramasinghe RMSP (Over 78 Kg)

Team Event (Mix)
Sergeant Darmawardana RCN
Leading Aircraftman Osman MI
Leading Aircraftman Hansamal KST
Leading Aircraftwoman Upamali IR
Leading Aircraftwoman Bandara BGNK
Sergeant Lakshani MGU

Silver Medalists
Leading Aircraftman Arachchi WAASW (73 Kg)
Corporal Mahesh TP (90 Kg)
Leading Aircraftman Hansamal KST (Open Event -Men)
Leading Aircraftman Premalal UKGAN (44 Kg)
Leading Aircraftwoman Bandara BGNK (52 Kg)
Leading Aircraftwoman Upamali IR (70 Kg)
Sergeant Lakshani MGU (Over 78 Kg)

Bronze Medalists
Leading Aircraftman Madushanka RMSL (50 kg)
Leading Aircraftman Weerasinghe RSN (55 Kg)
Mr. Wipulaweera (60 kg)
Corporal Kumara SD (81 kg)
Corporal Abesinghe KGCK (Under 100kg)
Leading Aircraftwoman Priyanthi S (48 Kg)
Aircraftwoman Rupasinghe DGITS (48 Kg)
Leading Aircraftwoman Senarathna JASS (52 Kg)
Leading Aircraftwoman Chathurangani BAI (63 kg)
Leading Aircraftwoman Deumini TML (78 Kg)
Leading Aircraftwoman Upamali IR (Open Event- Women)
Corporal Kumara SD (Open Event – Men)

Sports

Sri Lanka’s mindset muddle clouds World Cup hopes

Published

12 hours ago

2026/02/5

Sahan Weerasooriya

Sri Lanka's batting unit failed to chase down 129 runs in the third T20I at Pallekele and suffered a 3-0 whitewash.

A home series against England was meant to be the ideal dress rehearsal, a chance for Sri Lanka to oil the wheels and gather momentum ahead of the World Cup starting later this week. Instead, the campaign has gone awfully wrong. Plenty of promise, precious little substance. Bar the lone victory in the opening ODI, the hosts have spent the white-ball leg chasing shadows, the ODI series defeat a bitter pill and the T20I whitewash a full-blown reality check. Sri Lanka’s frailties against spin were already an open secret; this series merely put them under a brighter spotlight, throwing up more questions than answers.

Handing three wickets in an over to a part-timer like Jacob Bethell is the sort of generosity normally reserved for charity matches. Failing to hunt down 129 on surfaces the batting unit has been reared on, rank turners that should feel like home cooking, tells its own grim tale.

The malaise is rooted in mindset. Too many batters are reaching for the glory shot, swinging from the heels when the situation demands nudges into gaps, hard yards between the wickets and a willingness to play the waiting game.

Cricket, after all, is not always about clearing the ropes; sometimes it is about milking the bowling and letting the scoreboard tick over. Unless these rough edges are sanded down, Sri Lanka risk walking into the World Cup with the same old cracks papered over.

Recent T20 World Cups have been a sobering reminder of how far the side has drifted. A meek first-round exit last time and the indignity of qualifying rounds before that should have set alarm bells ringing. Yet, carrying largely the same cast into a fourth successive global event, the team continues to tread water, repeating errors like a stuck record rather than turning the page.

One positive has been the improved handling of injuries that once felled key players at the worst moments, but elsewhere the repair job remains half-finished.

The biggest question mark hovers over captain Dasun Shanaka. A skipper struggling to read the wrong’un, let alone steer a chase, can quickly become dead weight. His elevation came out of the blue and the warning signs were there from day one, but they were waved away. Cricket, like life, has a habit of punishing stubbornness, and Sri Lanka are discovering that harsh truth the hard way.

Rex Clementine at Pallekele

Sports

Kishan leads India’s batting show in warm-up win over South Africa

Published

12 hours ago

2026/02/5

Priyan

Ishan Kishan gets creative and launches a six [Cricinfo]

India’s explosive batting juggernaut rolled on to the doorstep of the men’s T20 World Cup 2026, helping them beat South Africa by 30 runs in the warm-up fixture at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. The margin of defeat only reduced because of two overs of 22 and 20 against Shivam Dube at the death.

Opting to bat at a ground which saw teams preferring to chase in the first leg of WPL 2026, Ishan Kishan got India off to an explosive start. He rollicked to a 20-ball 53, which included a sequence of 6, 6, 4, 6 in the fifth over from Anrich Nortje, before retiring out as India finished the powerplay on 83 for 1. Tilak Varma, who played the warm-up for India A a couple of nights ago at the same venue and linked up with the Indian squad just before this warm-up game, looked fluent from get-go in his 19-ball 45.

Suryakumar Yadav as well as Hardik Pandya later freed their arm without inhibition as India posted a mammoth 240 for 5. Nortje, who has played just one international since the last T20 World Cup, conceded 57 in his three overs on the night, after his comeback game against West Indies last week also gave him figures of 3-0-59-0. Kagiso Rabada, too, was expensive, going for 44 off his three overs.

For South Africa, Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton added 65 in just five overs in the powerplay. Markram hit four sixes in his 19-ball 38 while Rickelton, batting at No. 3, made 44 off 21. But they kept losing wickets regularly and had lost half their side by the 11th over.

Jason Smith, Tristan Stubbs and Marco Jansen kept peppering the boundaries to punish Abhishek Sharma and then Dube but the challenge was too steep by then.

Brief scores:
India 240 for 5 in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 53, Tilak Varma 45, Axar Patel 35*; Marco Jansen 1-18) beat South Africa 210 for 7 in 20 overs (Tristan Stubbs 45*, Ryan Rickelton 44, Aiden Markram 38, Jason Smith 35; Abhishek Sharma 2-32) by 30 runs

[Cricinfo]