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Sri Lanka hold nerve in face of Esha Oza onslaught to seal T20 World Cup berth
Sri Lanka Women overcame a spirited run-chase from United Arab Emirates in their World Cup Qualifier semi-final in Abu Dhabi, to seal their place in the main event in Bangladesh later this year, as well as a place in Tuesday’s final, where they will face fellow qualifiers, Scotland.
After being asked to bat first, Sri Lanka posted a competitive 149 for 6 in an innings that was well anchored by Vishmi Gunnaratne, who top-scored with 45 from 44 balls.
Gunaratne added 52 for the first wicket with Chamari Athapaththu, who made a run-a-ball 21, and when she fell at 106 for 3 at the end of the 16th over, the middle order picked up the tempo to add 43 in the final three overs. Nilakshika Silva was stumped off the final ball of the innings after three fours in a 10-ball 18.
In reply, Inoshi Fernando gave Sri Lanka a huge lift by bowling Theertha Satish for a duck at the end of her first over, but UAE were not fazed, least of all Esha Oza, whose 66 from 44 balls included two fours and four sixes, and gave her team real belief that an upset was on the cards.
She was given vital support by Khushi Sharma (22 from 23) and Kavisha Egodage (16 from 20), but after Athapaththu had broken through to end Egodage’s stay, Udeshika Prabodhani bowled Oza in her next over, before the run-out of Heena Hotchandani completed a collapse of 3 for 7 in 12 balls.
Athapaththu added a second wicket to remove Samaira Dharnidharka for 5, and though Vaishnave Mahesh kept UAE fighting to the end with 13 not out from eight balls, the asking-rate was already too much.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka Women149 for 6 in 20 overs (Vishmi Gunaratne 45, Chamari Athapaththu 21, Harshitha Samarawickrema 24; Kavisha Egodage 1-28, Vaishnave Mahesh 2-33, Esha Oza 2-27) beat United Arab Emirates Women 134 for 7 in 20 overs (Esha Oza 66, Khushi Sharma 22; Inoshi Priyadarshani 1-29, Sugandika Kumari 1-21, Udeshika Prabodhani 1-31, Chamari Athapaththu 2-28) by 15 runs
(Cricinfo)
India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is back as the No. 1 Test bowler and has also achieved his career-best rating of 883 in the ICC rankings following his match-winning haul of 8 for 72 against Australia in Perth. His team-mate Yashasvi Jaiswal, who smashed 161 in the second innings of the Test, has moved to his career-best No. 2 ranking in the batters’ charts.
Bumrah, whose 5 for 30 in the first innings of the Test skittled Australia out for 104, went past South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada and Australia’s Josh Hazlewood. Bumrah first rose to the top in February this year on the back of his nine-wicket haul against England at home and briefly returned to the top in October following the Bangladesh series, before being overtaken by Rabada in recent weeks.
His India team-mate Mohammed Siraj, who took five wickets in the Perth Test, also made some gains, moving three places to 25th on the list for Test bowlers.
Jaiswal, meanwhile, gained two places to move past New Zealand’s Kane Williamson and England’s Harry Brook. He also earned a new career-best rating of 825 and is 78 points behind the No. 1-ranked Joe Root.
Australia batter Travis Head went three places up to No. 10 following his 89 in the second innings in Perth, while India’s Virat Kohli gained nine spots to move to 13th following his 30th Test century.
West Indies’ fast-bowling trio of Jayden Seales (three spots up to 11th), Kemar Roach (four places up to 17th) and Alzarri Joseph (three places up to 29th) also gained in the bowlers’ rankings following their performances in the first Test against Bangladesh in Antigua. Seales picked up 5 for 87, Roach finished with 4 for 50 and Joseph bagged figures of 5 for 101 to hand West Indies a 201-run win.
Bangladesh captain MehidyHasan Miraz moved three places to No. 3 in the allrounders’ list following contributions with bat (23 and 45) and ball (match haul of 4 for 130) in the Antigua Test. India’s Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin are still the top two respectively on the list despite not featuring in the Perth Test.
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- [Cricinfo]
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake directed officials to provide immediate relief services to affected people in disaster-stricken areas by gathering information on-site rather than relying solely on technological data. The President emphasized the need to establish a strong grassroots-level mechanism to facilitate this process.
These remarks were made during a discussion held today (27) at the Presidential Secretariat with state officials, aimed at expediting relief services for disaster-affected populations.
The President instructed officials to ensure that affected individuals are sheltered in secure locations and provided with essential food, water, and sanitary facilities. He also directed authorities to allocate sufficient funds for relief efforts.
During the meeting, particular attention was given to the high-risk Northern and Eastern Provinces, which are severely impacted by adverse weather conditions.
President Dissanayake further advised education officials to take appropriate measures to address the mental well-being and difficulties faced by students sitting for the Advanced Level examination.
Attention was drawn to identifying fishermen currently at sea and providing the necessary facilities to ensure their safe return to shore.
The President further instructed officials to deliver high-quality services to affected individuals and also conduct follow-up investigations to gather information regarding the affected populations.
The discussion was attended by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security Ravi Seneviratne, Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva, Air Force Commander Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa, and Director General of the Meteorology Department A. K. Karunanayake, among other officials.
[PMD]
Under dark Durban skies, Sri Lanka had very nearly their perfect first morning of a first Test, their captain inserting the opposition, before his seamers removed four South Africa batters.
Vishwa Fernando and Asitha Fernando led Sri Lanka’s advances, zipping the ball around on a somewhat moist Kingsmead surface to frequently beat and occasionally collect the outside edges of South African bats. Vishwa, the left armer, was especially disciplined, finding significant inswing in the air from over the wicket, as well as away-movement off the surface. He took the wicket of Tony de Zorzi, who was caught by a diving Kamindu Mendis at first slip, soon after Asitha had Aiden Markram held in the cordon – both bowlers striking in their second over of the day.
Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs scratched their way through to the drinks break, putting on 32 together, with many of those runs coming off the outside edge through deep third. But Lahiru Kumara, Sri Lanka’s fastest bowler, made amends for a wayward first over by having Stubbs fend one to second slip, before seaming a ball through David Bedingham’s defenses to send his off stump cartwheeling.
Sri Lanka could have had an even better morning, but for two indiscretions. Bavuma, who survived 47 balls and went to lunch on 28, should have been held by Dimuth Karunaratne for 1, but he grassed the low chance at second slip. That was off the bowling of Vishwa. Then, shortly before rain arrived to cut the session four minutes short, Bavuma edged a Kumara bouncer he was trying hook, but Kumara was found to have marginally overstepped. Bavuma was on his way to the dressing room when the umpires called him back. He’d been on 20 at that point.
Bavuma, however, was perhaps the most restrained of South Africa’s batters. He covered the line of his stumps nicely as Sri Lanka’s opening bowlers plugged away in the channel, and though he frequently had his outside edge beaten, did not appear especially eager to feel bat on ball. He had wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreyne for company when the light shower came through.
Though Kumara claimed two wickets, his four overs cost 35 runs. Asitha and Vishwa both went at less than three an over.
Brief scores: at Lunch
South Africa 80 for 4 in 20.4 overs (Temba Bavuma 28*; Lahiru Kumara 2-35, Asitha Fernando 1-22, Vishwa Fernando 1-17) vs Sri Lanka
[Cricinfo]
Bumrah back as No. 1 Test bowler; Jaiswal moves to No. 2 in Test batting rankings
Provide immediate relief to affected people in disaster-stricken areas – President
Red-hot Kumara leaves South Africa reeling
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