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Shanaka dropped for Afghanistan ODIs; Nissanka and Karunaratne return
Opening batter Pathum Nissanka, who missed the recent series against Zimbabwe due to injury, is back for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, beginning on Friday (February 9). All-rounder Chamika Karunaratne also returns to the mix while former captain Dasun Shanaka is the notable omission from the Zimbabwe series in the 16-member squad announced by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
Shanaka’s form with the bat in white-ball cricket has been under the scanner since 2022. Over the last two years, the 32-year-old has only tallied 584 runs from 32 innings at an underwhelming average of 20.13 while the strike-rate of 87.55 is also ordinary for a batter who has primarily played as the designated finisher. The other senior player who continues to be out of the selectors’ radar is Dhananjaya de Silva. The newly appointed Test captain hasn’t featured in ODIs since the 2023 World Cup.
Kusal Mendis continues to captain the side with Charith Asalanka donning the deputy’s role. Core of the squad that featured in the Zimbabwe series has been retained with Jeffrey Vandersay being the one to miss out among the bowlers. His spot has been taken up by Karunaratne as the selectors look to add more balance to the squad. Janith Liyanage, who starred in a famous heist win against Zimbabwe, keeps his spot while Shevon Daniel and Sahan Arachchige also keep their spots.
All the games in the series are to be played at the Pallekele International Stadium in Pallekele on February 9, 11 and 14.
Squad: Kusal Mendis (c), Charith Asalanka (vc), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka, Pramod Madushan, Sahan Arachchige, Akila Dananjaya, Dunith Wellalage, Chamika Karunaratne, and Shevon Daniel.
Four persons including a Budhist monk died and 32 others were injured when two SLTB buses collided head on at Weerawila at arond 12 noon today (18).
Three of the deceased were women. 22 of the injured were admitted to the Hambanthota Hospital while 10 others have been admitted to the Debarawewa hospital.
Families have gathered outside a drug treatment centre in the Afghan capital, Kabul, looking for their loved ones after it was hit in a Pakistan air strike, which Taliban authorities said killed 408 people.
The attack on Kabul’s Omar Addiction Treatment Hospital took place at about 9pm local time (16:30 GMT) on Monday.
[Aljazeera]
African football’s governing body has stripped Senegal of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title they won in a chaotic final two months ago and declared Morocco the champions.
In a stunning decision, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) said on Tuesday that its appeals board ruled that Senegal is “declared to have forfeited” the match, a 1-0 victory. The result, it said, was now “being officially recorded as 3-0” in favour of host nation Morocco.
At the January 18 final in Rabat, Senegal’s players walked off the pitch, led by coach Pape Thiaw, in protest against a penalty awarded late in regulation time to Morocco.
When play resumed after a delay of about 15 minutes, Morocco forward Brahim Diaz’s penalty was saved. In extra time, Pape Gueye scored the decisive goal that saw Senegal become champions of Africa for the second time.
The heated final also saw supporters trying to storm the field, players scuffling on the sidelines, reporters from the two countries fighting in media areas, and a bizarre sequence in which Moroccan ball boys tried to seize a towel being used by Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy – in an apparent bid to distract him and help their team win the continental title.
At a disciplinary hearing in January, CAF imposed fines of more than $1m as well as bans for Senegal and Morocco players and officials, but it had left the result untouched.
The case could go to a further appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
[Aljazeera]
SriLankan Airlines Alerts Customers to Social Media Scams
Four dead 32 injured in head on collision at Weerawila
JMSDF ship OONAMI concludes goodwill visit
Cabinet nod to amend Central Cultural Fund Act No. 57 of 1980
’National Namal Uyana’ declared as a National Heritage
Establishment of Supervisory Committees for restoring economic activities.
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