Sports
Shamsi, Hendricks architects of South Africa’s 1-0 lead
South Africa took a 1-0 lead in what’s effectively a two-match series with a five wicket win over India in Gqeberha.
Put in to bat on a pitch that was under covers for a while, India put on 180/7 on the board, thanks to fifties from Suryakumar Yadav and Rinku Singh, before rain arrived with three balls left in the innings. South Africa’s adjusted target of 152 in 15 overs was driven by Reeza Hendricks’ 27-ball 49 and achieved with seven balls to spare, but wasn’t without its fair share of drama as India found ways to overcome conditions consistently against them.
With Ruturaj Gaikwad unavailable due to illness, India were saved from a difficult choice at the top of the order but the organically assembled opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill totalled zero runs between them. Jaiswal was out off the third ball of the innings, trying to back-cut a delivery from Marco Jansen and offering a sharp chance to David Miller at point; Gill was trapped on the back leg by Lizaad Williams, leaving India wobbling at 6/2 after two overs.
Gerald Coetzee to Suryakumar Yadav: that was the contest. First ball, a yorker. Second ball, a drive-and-a-miss outside off-stump. Third ball, a cover drive for a boundary. Another four and six followed later in the over as India captain Suryakumar added 15 runs in the third over and then 13 runs in the next to help India repair their PowerPlay and finish at 59/3. This 29-ball fifty was Suryakumar’s fourth in the last five matches and also delivered him to 2000 runs in the T20I format, the second-fastest batter to that milestone in terms of innings taken.
It doesn’t matter if it’s the IPL or the Asian Games or a home series against Australia or an overseas tour of South Africa, Rinku Singh scores everywhere. This time, he walked out to bat inside the PowerPlay after Tilak Varma’s dismissal and got off the mark with a classic straight drive first-ball. He then let the in-form Suryakumar take the lead, playing the perfect foil while scoring the next five runs off 10 balls. The gears went into overdrive with consecutive boundaries off Marco Jansen, followed by flicking, cutting, pulling and even stepping out to Aiden Markram in the 19th over for back-to-back sixes. His 30-ball fifty was his first in T20Is, doing his World Cup selection chances no harm.
Gerald Coetzee, who had dismissed Tilak Varma and then added the wickets of Ravindra Jadeja and Arshdeep Singh, returned figures of 3 for 32 but the pick of the bowlers was Tabraiz Shamsi who finished with 1 for 18, the wicket being that of hard-hitting Suryakumar. The left-arm legspinner was named Player of the Match for his frugal bowling figures in a T20I match where the average scoring rate was above 10.
Mohammed Siraj conceded three boundaries in the first over of the run-chase but two of them were off outside edges. With every passing minute, the South Africa batters looked more and more comfortable at the crease, not in the least because the ball got wet on a moist outfield in the aftermath of the rain delay. The openers set the side on course to 67/1 in the five PowerPlay overs (reduced from six in a rain-affected match) and it took a sharp Tilak Varma throw to end an explosive first-wicket stand of 42. But the damage had been done.
South Africa were going comfortably at 96/1 when Mukesh Kumar banged one short and had the in-form Markram top-edging to the deep. Reeza Hendricks, going hammer at tongs at the other end, was caught off the bowling of Kuldeep Yadav in the next over but it was when Heinrich Klaasen was caught off the bowling of Mohammed Siraj that India started to believe. The moment witnessed South Africa with two new batters at the crease, with 44 runs still needed. But David Miller struck crucial runs only for Tristan Stubbs and Andile Phehlukwayo to finish things off.
Brief Scores:
India 180/7 in 19.3 overs (Tilak Varma 29, Rinku Singh 68*, Suryakumar Yadav 56;Marco Jansen 1-39, Lizaad Williams 1-32, Gerald Coetzee 3-32, Tabraiz Shamsi 1-18, Aiden Markram 1-29) lost to South Africa 154/5 in 13.5 overs (Reeza Hendricks 49, Aiden Markram 30; Mohammed Siraj 1-27, Mukesh Kumar 2-34, Kuldeep Yadav 1-26) by 5 wickets (DLS)
by Rex Clementine
India are closing in on a big win at SSC after Sri Lanka slumped to 229 for six at stumps on day four of the second Test having been forced to follow on yesterday.
Sri Lanka lead by just 16 runs with four wickets in hand and with three sessions remaining, the tourists will be looking to wrap up victory and complete a 2-0 series sweep. India won the first Test in Galle by 165 runs.
Sonal Dinusha, who batted superbly for a hundred in the first innings, was unbeaten on seven when rain brought play to a premature end. With Sri Lanka now into the tail, Dinusha has his work cut out. He has been the hosts’ standout performer in the series, having also made 100 and 84 in Galle.
Sri Lanka resumed the day on 265 for eight, still needing 39 runs to avoid the follow on, but were bowled out for 290 and asked to bat again.
Although they lost both openers early, Kamindu Mendis and Pasindu Sooriyabandara gave Sri Lanka hope with a 115 run stand for the third wicket.
Sooriyabandara, who had made 80 in the first innings, once again played spin superbly, using clever footwork, while Mendis took on the fast bowlers.
But India had plenty of runs on the board and persisted with the short ball against Mendis, stationing three fielders on the boundary. Eventually, the plan paid off. Mendis took on Mohammed Siraj and perished for 55, with captain Shubman Gill running in from square leg to complete a fine catch.
That was the breakthrough India desperately wanted and the spinners quickly turned the screws. Three wickets fell for just nine runs as Sri Lanka surrendered the initiative and India regained control.
Sooriyabandara missed out on a well deserved hundred when he charged Manav Suthar. The left-arm spinner cleverly fired the ball wide, leaving the batter stranded as Rishabh Pant whipped off the bails in a flash. Sooriyabandara’s 92 came off 173 balls and contained ten fours and a six.
Having spent considerable time in the field, India’s bowlers were beginning to tire, evident from the number of loose deliveries they sent down. But Sri Lanka’s batters lacked the patience to drive home the advantage, with several throwing away their wickets just when the hosts appeared to be clawing their way back into the contest.
Sri Lanka Air Force emerged Overall Champions in both the Men’s and Women’s categories at the 14th Defence Services Badminton Championship concluded successfully on 21 August 2026 at the Sri Lanka Army Indoor Sports Complex, Panagoda.
The SLAF Men’s Team secured the Open Men’s Doubles and Men’s Team Championships, while the Women’s Team excelled by winning the Open Women’s Singles, Open Women’s Doubles and Women’s Team Championships.
In the Open Men’s Doubles, Leading Aircraftman Lochana De Silva and Aircraftman Achintha Imeshaqe secured the championship, while Aircraftwoman Praveena Wijesundara and Aircraftwoman Anurangi Masakorala claimed the Open Women’s Doubles title with Aircraftwoman Praveena Wijesundara winning the Open Women’s Singles Championship.
Major General Mohan Premaratne, President of the Sri Lanka Army Badminton Federation, was the Chief Guest at the awards ceremony while SLAF’s Director Sports Air Commodore Prabath Dissanayake, former Chairman Badminton Sri Lanka Air Force Air Commodore Poojana Gunathilake, Secretary Air Force Sports Council Group Captain Eranda Geeganage and Secretary Badminton Sri Lanka Air Force Wing Commander Thushara Wijeratne. were also present.
Malki Madara and Shashini Fernando shared nine wickets between them to help Sri Lanka Air Force Women beat Chilaw Marians Cricket Club Women by 169 runs and propel their team to the semi finals of the Major Club Womens Limited Over cricket tournament conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket.
In the game played at their home ground in Katunayake on Monday [24], Sri Lanka Air Force posted 276 runs for the loss of eight wickets with Ashani Kaushalya topping the score card with 57 runs off 81 balls with ten hits to the ropes.Sasini Alwis and Wethumya Wijesuriya captured three wickets each.
Chasing 277 to win Shashini Fernando captured five wickets while Malki Madara captured four wickets to restrict the Chilaw Marians Cricket Club Women to 107. Skipper Sanduni Nisansala scored 38 off 61 balls with four boundaries and a six.
Sri Lankan Air Force Women will meet Panadura Sports Club Women for the semi-final at the LRDC ground on Friday (28)
Scores:
Sri Lanka Air Force Women 276/8 in 50 overs [Ashani Kawshalya 57, Malsha Shehani 32, Savindi Cooray 34*; Sasini Alwis 2-48, Wethumya Wijesuriya 2-67]
Chilaw Marians Cricket Club Women 107/10 in 43.5 overs [Sanduni Nisansala 38; Malki Madara 4-14, Shashini Fernando 5-09]
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