Sports
Sri Lanka in quarter-finals for the first time since 2016
ICC Under 19 World Cup
Sri Lanka Under 19s are in the quarter-finals of the ICC Under 19 World Cup for the first time since 2016 after Dunith Wellalage lead team completed the group stage unbeaten on Friday.
Sri Lanka emerged champions of Group ‘D’ after scoring a dramatic victory over West Indies to enter quarter-finals as one of the four teams to reach that stage unbeaten. England, India and Pakistan were the champions of the other groups and have remained unbeaten.
As Group ‘D’ champions Sri Lanka are set to meet Afghanistan in the super league quarter-finals.
After failing to go beyond the Group stage in the last two editions, the team coached by Avishka Gunawardena have done exceptionally well to reach where they are as they beat formidable Australia, West Indies and Scotland during group stage.
Sri Lanka reached the semi-finals of the tournament when Charith Asalanka captained the team in 2016. They were beaten in the semi-finals by India that year.
At the last edition, Sri Lanka were placed third behind India and New Zealand in group ‘A’ where Japan were the other team. The 2018 edition saw Sri Lanka finishing just above Ireland in Group ‘D’ dominated by Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Australia, the runners up to Sri Lanka in Group ‘D’ in this tournament will meet Pakistan in their quarter-final.
On Friday, Dunith Wellalage and Matheesha Pathirana both took three wickets apiece as Sri Lanka restricted the hosts to 250 before Sadisha Rajapaksa (76), Anjala Bandara (40) and Ranuda Somarathna’s unbeaten 28 guided the team to a three-wicket success at Conaree Sports Club in Basseterre.
Chasing a target of 251 runs to win, Sri Lanka lost opener Chamindu Wickramasinghe in quick time as Nathan Edward enticed him into a flick outside off stump that went straight to Rivaldo Clarke.
Sadisha Rajapaksa and Shevon Daniel got the side back on track as they reached the end of the 11th over on 56 for one before Daniel was removed by McKenny Clarke for 34.
Rajapaksa powered on regardless and despite losing Sakuna Liyanage (9), he reached his fifty in the 25th over with support from new partner Anjala Bandara at the crease.
Bandara contributed 40 from 52 balls before his wicket was taken by Isai Thorne, with Rajapaksa (76) also falling the same bowler in the 40th over as Sri Lanka reached 200 for five.
With 51 still needed off 60 balls for victory, Shiva Sankar removed Wellalage (15) to set up a tense finale as Ranuda Somarathna and Raveen de Silva came together in the middle.
Mckenny Clarke bowled De Silva (13) but a nerveless 28 from 27 balls from Somarathna saw Sri Lanka home as they secured a three-wicket victory with 10 balls to spare.
For hosts openers Shaqkere Parris and Matthew Nandu ensured they made a steady start, reaching the end of the fifth over for 20 without loss before Treveen Mathew removed the latter for seven.
Parris was then bowled by Dunith Wellalage for 16 before Teddy Bishop and Kevin Wickham combined for a fruitful partnership, taking the West Indies to 102 for two after 26 overs.
Bishop was eventually removed on 45 by Wellalage, caught by Mathew, but Jordan Johnson picked up where his teammate left off as he raced to 26 from 30 balls.
Wickham reached his half-century before falling for 56 to Matheesha Pathirana in the 38th over, although Johnson and Rivaldo Clarke kept West Indies ticking along nicely.
Two wickets in three balls in the 45th over stunted the hosts’ momentum, though, with Wellalage accounting for Johnson as he fell three runs short of his fifty before Giovonte Depeiza was run out moments later by Anjala Bandara without scoring.
A late cameo from McKenny Clarke of 21 from 13 balls saw West Indies finish all out for 250, with Wellalage (3-39) and Pathirana (3-67) both taking three wickets.
Super League Quarter-final line up
26 January – Quarter-Final 1 England v South Africa; Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground
27 January – Quarter-Final 4 Sri Lanka v Afghanistan; Coolidge Cricket Ground
28 January – Quarter-Final 3 Pakistan v Australia; Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground
29 January – Quarter-Final 2 India v Bangladesh ; Coolidge Cricket Ground
Both the men’s and women’s cricket events at the LA 2028 Olympics are set to be six-team competitions, as approved by the Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Wednesday (April 9). Further, a total of 90 athlete quotas have been allotted to each gender, allowing each nation to name a 15-member squad.
As reported earlier, T20 Internationals have been designated as the format of choice for the competition. The venues are yet to be confirmed although New York is in the fray to host the matches.
It is unclear how the six participating nations will be determined and the issue of representation, in the cases of Great Britain and the West Indies, is yet to be addressed as well.
Cricket was last part of the Olympic Games in 1900, when it was contested by just two teams – Great Britain and France. Great Britain went on to win the only cricket Olympics Gold Medal thus far by winning what was a 2-day game.
Cricket has recently been a part of other international multi-sport events. Both men’s and women’s cricket competitions were part of the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games whereas the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games featured an eight-team women’s competition.
(Cricbuzz)
The three-day Schools Relay Carnival will conclude at Diyagama today. Here are some action pictures from day two of the event on Thursday.
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- St. Benedict’s dominated Under 20 4×800 metres
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- (From left) Shadhen Ravihansa, Rohith Akshana, Manuwa Nethsara and Enok Dilshan of Rathnayake Central won the Under 18 boys’ 4×800 metres
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- The quartet of St. Joseph Vaz’s College Wennappuwa (from left), Camidu Sandew, Maleesha Anuhas, Ruchira Daham and Kavindu Maleesha won the Under 16 boys’ 4×800 metres
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- (From left) Nethmi Sadamaya, Githmi Nehara, Gihara Karunarathne and Sahasra Sithumini of Rathnayake Central Walala pose after winning the Under 16 girls’ 4x800m relay.
Rathnayake Central lead Under 18 4x800m relay.
(Pix by Kamal Wanniarachchi)
Karunaratne dropped from South Asian Championships
Veteran coach Susantha Fernando has questioned the credibility of the selection process of Sri Lanka Athletics after Harsha Karunaratne, the reigning national champion in the men’s 800 metres was dropped from the team for the up coming South Asian Athletics Championships.
The South Asian Athletics Championship will be held from May 3 to 5 in Ranchi, India. Unlike at previous editions, Sri Lanka Athletics has picked only one athlete per event for a majority of disciplines in a bid to cut costs.
Karunaratne who trains under Fernando was placed second in the 800 metres at the final selection trial. While the governing body has picked two athletes each for 100m, 200m, 400m, 110m hurdles, javelin throw and high jump, only one athlete each has been picked for all other events from 800 metres to 10000 m and other field events.
Fernando has requested the intervention of the sports minister to include Katunaratne in the team.
“Sri Lanka Athletics has sent two athletes each for the 800 metres for all South Asian Championships and South Asian Games since 1995. On all occations the governing body had picked athletes who had clocked sub 1:50 seconds. This will be the first time an athlete who had clocked sub 1:50 is not picked in the team,” Fernando has stated in a letter addressed to the sports minister.
Karunaratne, the elder brother of Asian Games gold medallist Tharushi, was pipped to the second place by G.K. Chathuranga at the selection trial held early last month. The two athletes were seperated only by miliseconds. While Chathuranga returned a time of 1:49.89 seconds, Karunaratne clocked 1:49.98 seconds.
Fernando has also stated that Karunaratne had recovered from a virus fever just a week prior to the selection trial.
When contacted on this regard an offical of Sri Lanka Athletics said that the governing body of the sport was reluctantly compelled to pick a pruned down team in a bid to reduce costs and all selection decisions were taken after careful consideration of the current rankings of the South Asian region in each discipline.
by Reemus Fernando
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