News
Sri Lanka cricket debacle: Chief selector to “reveal all”, hints at conspiracy
ECONOMYNEXT –Chair of Sri Lanka Cricket’s selection committee Pramodya Wickramasinghe has implied the existence of a conspiracy behind Sri Lanka’s less than spectacular performance at the Cricket World Cup.
The beleaguered cricket team along with officials returned to the island Friday November 10 morning and, amid tight security, spoke to reporters at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo.
Fielding questions from reporters, Wickramasinghe said he would “reveal all” in two days’ time.
Expressing his disappointment at the team’s dismal performance in India, the chief selector said, while he accepts responsibility for it, there was a “reason for the collapse” in performance.
“I won’t say anything today. Give me two days. I will reveal all,” he said.
“We didn’t do our best. Give me two days and I will reveal the reason for that, and also where the collapse occurred,” said Wickramasinghe.
The official said Sri Lanka went to India with a plan, which will be evident in how the team plays in the future.
“I accept responsibility. I won’t run away. I will reveal in the future whether there was a conspiracy,” he said.
“There was a conspiracy by a certain group. I will talk about it,” he added.
Wickramasinghe said he needs time to study the developments that took place in Colombo with regard to cricket administration during their absence.
Sri Lanka’s parliament passed a resolution on Thursday to remove the top officials of the island nation’s Cricket Board over the 2023 World Cup debacle, a day after a local court granted a stay order for the officials to continue at least for two weeks.
In an unusual manner, the resolution was passed unanimously in a highly divided 225-member legislature. The move comes amid protests near the Sri Lanka Cricket Board head office in capital Colombo, demanding the top cricket officials to be ousted.
More than 84,000 people have been affected by the prevailing dry weather conditions linked to El Niño, according to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC).
The DMC said yesterday that 84,545 people across seven districts had been affected by the ongoing dry spell, with Moneragala recording the highest number at 11,074.
Batticaloa has reported 9,547 affected people, while 2,823 people in Ampara have also been impacted by the dry conditions.
Residents in several Divisional Secretariat areas of Badulla, Polonnaruwa, Hambantota and Ratnapura are also facing water shortages as the dry spell continues.
The DMC said arrangements had been made to provide drinking water to 75,734 people affected by the conditions.
Meanwhile, the Department of Meteorology has said the heat index, which reflects the temperature felt by the human body, is at a level requiring attention today in the Eastern Province and the districts of Polonnaruwa, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Moneragala.
Rooftop solar power systems with a generation capacity exceeding 300 kilowatts will be temporarily switched off until August 30 due to lower electricity demand during the holiday period, the National System Operator (Pvt) Ltd. (NSOL) said.
According to a notice issued by the NSOL, rooftop solar systems with capacities above 300 kilowatts have been requested to suspend generation daily from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. from August 27 to August 30.
The temporary measure has been introduced as electricity demand is expected to remain low during the holiday period, with the suspension intended to help maintain stability across the national power system.
Operators of affected rooftop solar installations have been requested to comply with the specified deactivation schedule.
by Norman Palihawadane
Three people, including a 10-day-old infant, were killed in a head-on collision between an SUV and a three-wheeler in the Gonamariyawa area on the Medawachchiya–Kebithigollewa main road yesterday morning (27), police said.
The deceased were identified as a 49-year-old woman from Padavi Sri Pura, her 26-year-old daughter and the grandchild.
Police said the victims were proceeding from Kebithigollewa in the three-wheeler to take the baby to the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital for medical treatment when the vehicle collided with the SUV travelling in the opposite direction.
The 31-year-old three-wheeler driver sustained serious injuries and was admitted to the Kebithigollewa Base Hospital.
Kebithigollewa Police have arrested the jeep driver in connection with the accident, and further investigations are underway.
Over 84,000 people adversely affected by prevailing El Niño dry weather
Rooftop solar systems over 300kW to be temporarily switched off
Three perish in head-on collision between trishaw and SUV
Police probe ‘drug-planting’ allegations against cops
Redefining ageing in Sri Lanka
Jaffna Teaching Hospital secures lifeline water supply via ADB-funded Thalaiyadi sea water desalination plant
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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