Sports

Sri Lanka focus on automatic World Cup qualifications after off the field distractions

Published

3 years ago

2022/11/25

By Rex Clementine

Sri Lanka have had lot of off the field distractions this month but will try to set them aside in the lead up to the three match ODI series against Afghanistan with the opening game getting underway on Friday at the Pallekele International Stadium. All three games will be played at Pallekele.

Sri Lanka’s campaign in the ICC Men’s T-20 World Cup ended exactly three weeks ago after a hard fought defeat at the hands of eventual champions England. Less than three hours after the game ended, there were dramatic scenes at the Sri Lankan team hotel in Sydney as their opening batsman Danushka Gunathilaka was arrested by New South Wales police and was charged with sexual assault. The batsman is on bail but he is unable to leave Australia until the case is finished.

SLC launched an investigation into the conduct of the players on tour and all-rounder Chamika Karunaratne has been fined US$ 5000 and handed a one year suspended sentence for breaching the code of conduct. The player is alleged to have been involved in a fight in a Brisbane casino.

The members of the national selection committee and the team management are also under fire for not being firm and their fate will be known following the investigations carried out by the probe committee. Middle order batsman Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s withdrawal from the squad on the eve of the ODI series was further distraction. Off the field incidents will be the last thing on Sri Lanka’s mind as they are seeking automatic qualification for next year’s 50 over World Cup in India.

Sri Lanka are placed tenth in the World Cup Super League with 62 points while Afghanistan are seventh with 100 points. Only the top eight teams automatically qualify for the World Cup and Dasun Shanaka’s side would want to improve their chances of going through.

“We have played a lot of cricket here at Pallekele and we know how the conditions will be here. It won’t be easy to bat under lights as the ball moves around a lot. We have a decent attack and some experience in the middle order with the return of Dinesh Chandimal and we are expecting a good contest,” Shanka told journalists.

Along with Chandimal, who missed the World Cup due to injury, all-rounder Dunith Wellalage also returns to the side.Afghanistan, meanwhile have included left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmed in the squad. The Chinaman bowler is popular around the world having established himself in league cricket as an economical bowler. The 17-year-old made his international T-20 debut in June this year and he is expected to make his ODI debut during this series.

“We have prepared well for the series. Obviously there’s a lot of focus on Sri Lanka’s spinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana and I’m sure our batters will be up for the challenge as we play a lot of spin ourselves at the nets against the quality spin bowlers we have,” Hashmatullah Shahidi the Afghanistan captain said.

Sri Lanka (From)

Dasun Shanaka (Captain), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dinesh Chandimal, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara. Dunith Wellalage, Ashen Bandara, Asitha Fernando, Pramod Madushan and Dhananjaya Lakshan.

Afghanistan

(From) Hashmatullah Shahidi (Captain), Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Azmatullah Omarzai, Fareed Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Gulbadin Naib, Ibrahim Zadran, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Najibullah Zadran, Noor Ahmad, Rashid Khan, Riaz Hassan, Shahidullah Kamal, Yamin Ahmadzai and Zia-ur-Rehman

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Sports

Sri Lanka suffer second casualty, face Oman today

Published

1 hour ago

2026/02/12

Sahan Weerasooriya

Wanindu Hasaranga’s injury is a huge blow for Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka’s World Cup campaign has hit another pothole on a road already full of bumps after champion leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga was ruled out of the tournament with a torn hamstring. The injury, sustained during Sunday’s opener against Ireland, leaves the former champions nursing a second casualty following young quick Eshan Malinga’s shoulder setback earlier this month. Fellow leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha has been drafted in as replacement.

Hasaranga, no stranger to the physio’s table, saw his troublesome left hamstring giving him worries after just one over on Sunday. He limped off, returned to soldier on, but the pain proved too sharp to grin and bear. Doctors expect a six-week lay off, a cruel blow for a side that leans heavily on his box of tricks. Hasaranga remains the only Sri Lankan bowler inside the ICC’s top-ten rankings for bowlers and his absence robs the attack bite.

Hemantha brings a handy bit of willow to the table, having featured in five ODIs and three T20Is, yet what Sri Lanka will truly miss is Hasaranga’s street-smart experience and big moment nerve.

While Colombo has been a hive of activity, the team have slipped into Kandy to fine tune their plans for today’s clash with Oman at Pallekele, followed by Monday’s heavyweight bout against Australia. The win over Ireland wasn’t all that convincing with middle over wobbles, playing spin and boundary drought concerning the team.

Questions swirl over team balance after Charith Asalanka was benched for the opener with pundits wondering whether he and Kamindu Mendis can be squeezed into the same XI. Kusal Perera, another man capable of clearing the ropes at will, has been reduced to water boy duties despite his late call up, adding to the selection conundrum.

Critics have also taken aim at Sri Lanka’s habit of fielding Test style batters in a format that demands dash and daring rather than dead bat defence.

On paper, Sri Lanka should have enough in the tank to see off Oman and even Zimbabwe, but Australia will be a different kettle of fish for a batting line-up short on swagger. Two wins from the remaining three games is the equation, anything less and the campaign could go belly up.

It will be an early 11am start at Pallekele today.

by Rex Clementine

Sports

Damesh hogs limelight, St. Anne’s win

Published

1 hour ago

2026/02/12

Sahan Weerasooriya

Under 19 Cricket

Damesh Mathishan hogged the limelight with a knock of 144 (139-ball) runs as his innings and a half century by Nethan Fernando (71) helped Isipatana post 325 for eight wickets declared (65.2 overs) against St. Joseph Vaz’s Wennappuwa (134/3) in the Under 19 Division I Tier B match at Colts ground on Wednesday.

‎

‎In the matches concluded on Wednesday,

‎St. Anne’s College Kurunegala (411/7) enjoyed the result most as they registered an innings and 97 runs win over St. Anthony’s Wattala (171 and 143). Manuja Wijerathna bagged six wickets in the Tier ‘B’ encounter at Kurunegala.

‎‎A five-wicket haul by Bihanga Silva was the highlight as Sri Sumangala, Panadura (245 & 17/2) forced Wesley (132 & 222/6dl.) to follow on in another Tier B match at Bandaragama. Wesley were better in the second innings but Sri Sumangala had first innings points in their bag.

‎‎Nethuja Basitha (5/59) and Minaga Ariyadasa shared nine wickets between them for Richmond (283 & 150/3) to record a first innings win over St. Anthony’s Katugastota (216) in the Tier ‘A’ match at Ambepussa. Ariyadasa then followed up his four wicket haul with a half century.

‎‎In a Tier ‘A’ match which started on Wednesday, Venura Kaveethra led the way with a four wicket haul for Mahanama to bowl out S. Thomas’ for 203 runs at Mount Lavinia. Mahanama were 69 for one wicket at stumps. (RF)