Sports
Sri Lanka chase unbeaten run while Afghans battle for survival
Heading into the last game of Group ‘B’ in the Asia Cup, former champions Sri Lanka are not under the pump, having ticked off both their fixtures so far. Along with India, they remain one of only two unbeaten sides in the competition. The Sri Lankans don’t need to win today’s clash against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi, but they will want to march into the next round with a clean slate and more importantly, keep nudging their way up the global rankings, which remains very much a work in progress.
Victory for Sri Lanka would slam the door on Afghanistan, who would be bundled out of the tournament. But if the Afghans upset the apple cart, then it’s calculators out: their far superior net run rate means they would sail through alongside Sri Lanka, with Charith Asalanka’s men pushed into second place. All Sri Lanka really need to do is avoid a hiding – something in the region of 75 runs.
Why today’s result doesn’t weigh heavily is down to the format: the second round is a Super Four, with two sides apiece from Groups A and B squaring off once each. The top two move into the final with no semi-finals being played. So topping the table is no holy grail.
Yet, Sri Lanka looked all at sea in their last outing, dishing out half-volleys and wayward stuff, before their middle order folded like a pack of cards, four wickets for eight runs.
That frailty is what they must iron out. All eyes are on Kusal Janith Perera, the one true power-hitter in the ranks, but his carefree dismissals have set tongues wagging. The spotlight falls squarely on the only survivor from the 2014 T20 World Cup-winning squad. Janith Liyanage is tipped to come in for him.
Sri Lanka are slated for a lengthy net under lights Wednesday at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, a strip kinder to batters than the spin-friendly surfaces across in Dubai. Maheesh Theekshana, who looked off-colour after replacing Matheesha Pathirana against Hong Kong, could be the man to make way.
That emphatic win over Bangladesh has given Sri Lanka a handy cushion on the points table, but their stuttering show against Hong Kong showed the wheels can still wobble. It remains to be seen how they will turn up against Afghanistan.
Pathum Nissanka with back to back half-centuries is in good touch and Sri Lanka would be hoping that a few other batters too would get back into form.
Rex Clementine
in Abu Dhabi
The Rose Bowl, which has been awarded to the winner of ODI series between the women’s teams of Australia and New Zealand since 1985, has now been expanded to include T20Is as well.
New Zealand’s three match T20I tour of Australia, which begins on Sunday at the North Sydney Oval, will be the first T20I edition of the Rose Bowl. The teams will get to face off again for the trophy in March 2027 when they meet again for three ODIs, also in Australia.
For Rose Bowl series that include matches in both white-ball formats, the trophy will go to the team with the most wins overall. In case of a drawn series, the current holder will retain the trophy.
“The Rose Bowl is a prestigious trophy that holds a lot of meaning to current and past players, and it’s a series we’ve always taken a lot of pride in competing in,”Catherine Campbell, NZC’s chief cricket operations officer and a former New Zealand player, said. “With so much T20I cricket now being played, this is a brilliant opportunity to keep the Rose Bowl relevant and to build on the history between us and our Australian rivals.”
New Zealand captain Melie Kerr was excited by the broadening of opportunities to compete for the Rose Bowl.
“We’re all aware of what the Rose Bowl represents and the importance it holds in the White Ferns whakapapa [genealogy],” said Kerr. “Great players and teams have fought for it over the years and we’d love the opportunity to claim our own piece of that history.”
Australia have held the Rose Bowl continuously since wresting it back from New Zealand in 2000. Since that 3-0 win, Australia have won 18 times with one series – in 2008-09 – shared 2-2. Overall, Australia have won 26 of the 31 ODI series played for the Rose Bowl, with New Zealand winning three times and three series drawn.
North Sydney will host all three T20Is of the upcoming Rose Bowl series, on October 18, 20 and 22.
[Cricinfo]
The inaugural Sastralian Premier League (SPL), a T10 cricket tournament aimed at strengthening the cricketing fortunes of Ananda Shasthralaya National School, Matugama, will get underway next month, bringing together eight teams.
Organised by the Old Sastralians Cricket Association in collaboration with the school, the tournament is designed to provide a platform for emerging talent while generating much needed financial support for the school’s cricket development programme.
Each franchise will be required to assemble a squad of 16 players, excluding the captain, with the competition featuring a unique set of regulations aimed at encouraging participation across different age groups.
Cricketers from other schools in the Matugama area will also have an opportunity to showcase their skills under the ‘Guest Players’ category. Each team can recruit up to six guest players, with four required to feature in the playing XI.
In a move designed to nurture the next generation, every team must include two current school cricketers in its squad, with at least one guaranteed a place in the playing XI.
The tournament will also accommodate experienced campaigners, with teams permitted to select five players over the age of 20 and three over 40. The provision to use an ‘Impact Player’ is another feature of the competition.
The eight teams have been divided into two groups. Group A comprises JSD Challengers, Jagath Express, Liveka Power Lions and Rexhill Warriors, while JPI Royals, Five Star Heroes, Marine Titans and Finnk Falcons make up Group B.
A total of 16 matches will be played across November 7, 8 and 15, with November 16 set aside as a reserve day.
Beyond the action on the field, organisers hope the tournament will provide a financial boost to school cricket while forging stronger ties between past and present cricketers.
Squad for the first three ODIs: Shubman Gill [C], Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer [VC], KL Rahul [WK], Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan [WK], Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna*, Kuldeep Yadav
Squad for fourth and fifth ODIs: Shreyas Iyer [C], Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan [WK, VC], Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Kumar Kushagra [WK], Mohammed Siraj, Yash Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav
[Cricbuzz]
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