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Shamsi, Jansen keep a check on Pakistan’s charge

Published

2 years ago

2023/10/27

Priyan

Tabraiz Shamsi claimed 4 for 60 to keep a check on Pakistan's progress (Cricbuzz)

Probing spells from Tabraiz Shamsi (4-60) and Marco Jansen (3-43) prevented Pakistan from posting a daunting total in their World Cup fixture against South Africa in Chennai on Friday (October 27). Most of the Pakistan batters got starts – skipper Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel produced fifties – but none of them batted deep enough to make a significant impact on the innings. Shamsi and Jansen led South Africa’s quest of wickets and strikes at regular intervals meant that Pakistan, who got to 270, could never really break free except in one or two rare passages of play.

Having opted to bat, the start didn’t go to plan for Pakistan as openers Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique both fell in the first Powerplay to Jansen. With the pitch being the same as the track used in the New Zealand-Bangladesh fixture, there was something in it for the pacers and spinners alike. It had slowed down a touch due to the repeated usage but there still were runs to be had. Despite the early wickets, Pakistan batted positively through Babar and Mohammad Rizwan. The run rate wasn’t outrageously high but a steady momentum was maintained by the pair with Rizwan in particular going at over run-a-ball. However, the wicket-keeper batter was sent packing by Gerald Coetzee to break the crucial stand.

Babar continued to bat with assurance but saw his partners wasting their starts. Iftikhar Ahmed had a scratchy phase out in the middle but even he fell just when it appeared like he was getting settled. The Pakistan skipper then perished to a loose shot just after getting to fifty to put Pakistan in further strife. Shamsi, brought in for Kagiso Rabada who was rotated due to the conditions, bowled attacking lines and while he did leak some runs, the bargain for wickets was a fair deal for him and South Africa. His strike of Babar was massive as the Pakistan no.3 was looking set for bigger things.

At 141/5 with almost half the overs left in the tank, Pakistan were staring at a possibility of being bowled well inside their allotted 50 overs. Shakeel along with Shadab Khan rescued the innings with a counterattacking 84-run stand that put the pressure back on South Africa’s bowlers. Both batters used their expertise against spin to negate South Africa’s slow men with Keshav Maharaj coming in for some harsh treatment. Shamsi also conceded a few but it was he who broke the partnership eventually by dislodging Shakeel. Pakistan were well on course for a total in the 280-300 range but once the pair got separated, the innings fell apart.

South Africa’s bowlers ensured that the lower order was cleaned up without much fuss and in the end, Pakistan were bowled out with 20 deliveries remaining. It’s still a workable total but Babar’s men will regret not batting out their entire quota of overs, especially given that they have a lower total than what they did in the defeat against Afghanistan at the same venue.

Brief scores:
Pakistan 270 in 46.4 overs (Saud Shakeel 52, Babar Azam 50, Mohaamad Rizwan 31, Ifthikhar Ahmed 21, Shadab Khan 43, Mohaamad Nawaz 24; Tabraiz Shamsi 4-60, Marco Jansen 3-43, Gerald Coetzee 2-42) vs South Africa

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Rathnayake in Sri Lanka squad for England T20Is; Thushara, Kamindu left out

Published

5 hours ago

2026/01/29

Priyan

Pavan Rathnayake made his maiden ODI hundred against England [Cricinfo]

Pavan Rathnayake has re-entered Sri Lanka’s T20I squad following his 121 off 115 balls in the third ODI against England. Omitted from the squad to play England in three T20Is, however, are fast bowler Nuwan Thushara and batting allrounder Kamindu Mendis. Legspinner Dushan Hemantha has also been left out.

Left-arm-spinning allrounder Dunith Wellalage retains his place in the T20I squad, though he hasn’t played a T20I since September. Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga are the two other frontline spinners. Dhananjaya de Silva and Charith Asalanka – who both bowl fingerspin – are in the squad too.

On the seam-bowling front, Eshan Malinga and Pramod Madushan are in the squad, in addition to Dushmantha Chameera and Matheesha Pathirana. Thushara had been a consistent presence in Sri Lanka’s T20I squads over the past two years, but his omission comes after several modest performances since September.

Aside from Rathnayake’s inclusion, the batting is largely as expected, with Kusal Perera coming back in the only format he now plays.

Sri Lanka are yet to announce their squad for the T20 World Cup, which will start on February 7. Teams have time till January 31 to make changes to squads, following which they will have to get the approvals from the ICC to make changes.

Sri Lanka squad for England T20Is:

Dasun Shanaka (capt.), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Pramod Madushan, Matheesha Pathirana, Eshan Malinga

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U19 World Cup: Peake ton fires Australia into the semis

Published

6 hours ago

2026/01/29

Priyan

Australia captain Oliver Peake scored a superb century [Cricbuzz]

Australia qualified for the semi-finals of the Under-19 World Cup after beating West Indies by 22 runs in Harare courtesy of their captain Oliver Peake. The left-hander scored 109 off 117 balls to take Australia to 314 for 7 in the Super Six fixture. West Indies came close as Zachary Carter (64) and captain Joshua Dorne (62) scored sixties but they lost their way towards the death as they eventually ended at 292 for 9.

After West Indies opted to bowl at the HSC, the Australian openers – Will Malajczuk and Nitesh Samuel – once again gave them a good start with the former continuing to power the runs. They brought up the 50-run stand in the seventh over but Malajczuk’s fell on 48, as the 73-run stand in the ninth over. Steven Hogan fell cheaply as R’Jai Gittens picked up his second. Samuel and Peake then put on 85 runs in decent time for the third wicket as the former also moved past 50. But West Indies continued to stem the flow of runs which eventually led to the wicket of Samuel for 56. Peake moved to 50 in the next over and found an able partner in ‘keeper batter Alex Lee Young (45).

The duo began to find boundaries regularly between overs 31-40 and began to set up for a big finish but Young fell in the 41st over. Peake and Jayden Draper then combined to score 76 runs in the last nine overs. Jakeem Pollard picked up Draper and Aryan Sharma in back-to-back overs but Peake got to his century in style with a six down the ground in the last over. He was run-out off the last ball of the innings.

West Indies didn’t want to go down without a fight. Tanez Francis and Carter began to deal in boundaries straight away, espeically the latter as the 50-run stand came inside six overs. Carter raced to 50 off 29 balls, and the onslaught in the first 10 overs saw the chasing side knock 84 off the total. Charles Lachmund broke the dangerous stand as Francis was adjudged LBW but the runs continued to flow as Carter and Jewel Andrew took them past 100 in the 14th over.

Naden Cooray picked up the big wicket of Carter off his first delivery, much to Carter’s fury. Andrew fell in the 27th over after playing a fine hand of 44. Kunal Tilokani and Dorne batted the next period of close to 14 overs, as they found the occassional boundary but a bunch of quiet overs continued to take the required run-rate upwards. Dorne brought up his 50 off 81 balls as the game was heading towards a tight finish.

With 83 required off the last ten overs, Lachmund picked up the big wicket of Tilokani while Hayden Schiller scalped Dorne, dragging two new batters to the middle. The equation rose to 59 off the last 30 balls, and Jonathan van Lange began to flex his muscles, scoring 22 off the next two overs. Lachmund picked his third of the game as Shaquan Belle skied one to long-on. Aryan Sharma picked up van Lange and Gittens off successive deliveries as Australia began to assert their dominance. Lachmund scalped his fourth with the wicket of Vitel Lawes in the last over as Australia marched to the final-four undefeated.

Brief Scores:
Australia Under 19s 314/7 in 50 overs (Oliver Peake 109, Nitesh Samuel 56; Jakeem Pollard 2-37, R’Jai Gittens 2-45) beat West Indies Under 19s 292/9 in 50 overs (Zachary Carter 64, Joshua Dorne 62; Charles Lachmund 4-66, Aryan Sharma 2-47) by 22 runs

[Cricbuzz]

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The National Strategic Action Plan to monitor and combat human trafficking (2026-2030) officially launched

Published

6 hours ago

2026/01/29

Priyan

The Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in the official launch of the National Strategic Action Plan to monitor and combat human trafficking (2026-2030) held on 28th of January at the Cinnamon Life Hotel, Colombo. The event was jointly organized by the Ministry of Defence, National Anti Human Trafficking Task Force ( NAHTTF), International Organization for Migration (IOM).

This five-year Action Plan was unveiled under the leadership of the Ministry of Defence, in its capacity as Chair of the NAHTTF and with the technical support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The National Strategic Action Plan 2026-2030 establishes a unified national framework to prevent human trafficking, protect and assist victims, strengthen law enforcement responses, and enhance accountability.

Addressing the event, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to strengthening national efforts to prevent and address human trafficking and stated that the Action Plan must transcend its symbolic launch into concrete, coordinated, and sustained implementation.

The Prime Minister also noted that the launch of the National Strategic Action Plan is timely, as it operationalizes the four internationally recognized pillars of the anti-trafficking framework namely prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership.

The Prime Minister further stated,

“Caring for trafficking survivors in Sri Lanka requires a holistic, gender-sensitive, and survivor-centered approach that addresses both immediate protection and long-term recovery. This includes safe shelter, medical care, and trauma-informed psychological support, with particular attention to women and girls who experience more severe and gendered forms of violence, alongside legal assistance, economic empowerment, and skills development to prevent re-trafficking.

Human trafficking is a structural and social challenge that requires sustained, multi-sectoral action. Ministries and government agencies must embed anti-trafficking priorities into their core strategies and day-to-day operations, ensuring institutional integration and professional accountability”.

The event was attended by Parinda Ranasinghe Jnr, PC, Attorney General of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Chair of the NAHTTF, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha; and Kristin Parco, IOM Chief of Mission in Sri Lanka and Maldives. Members of the NAHTTF representing 23 key government entities, along with representatives of the diplomatic community, United Nations entities and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)