Sports

Sri Lanka on the brinks of rare series win over mighty Aussies

Published

4 years ago

2022/06/21

Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka added 170 runs for the second wicket as Sri Lanka completed the highest successful run chase at RPS on Sunday.

by Rex Clementine

As David Warner pulled off a stunning one-handed catch to dismiss Pathum Nissanka, the full house at RPS had witnessed one of the best knocks ever played at this ground. Even more importantly, Nissanka’s 137 had put Sri Lanka on the brink of a rare series win over the mighty Australians. Every Australian player ran up to congratulate the 24-year-old. They certainly play the game hard but are quick to acknowledge good performances. Pathum hardly put a foot wrong on Sunday and his stocks are rising at an impressive rate.

This was no mean achievement. RPS is known for its challenges for teams that are chasing under lights. Sri Lanka have come agonizingly close while chasing down some big totals. Everyone conceded that the bowlers had given away too many in the last two overs costing 33 runs. But the Sri Lankans created history breaking the record for the highest successful run chase at RPS – 288 by India against Sri Lanka.

Pathum has had an impressive start to his international career since making his debut in the Caribbean a year ago. There was a Test hundred on debut and at present he is the only Sri Lankan batsman among the top ten batters in ICC Rankings in T20 cricket.

The 170-run stand that Pathum and Kusal Mendis were involved in was the key. They missed the record for the second wicket partnership in ODIs between these countries by just eight runs.

Mendis has been in good nick throughout this series and he looks to have turned a huge corner in his career after years of underachieving and off the field distractions. Cramps prevented Mendis from scoring a memorable hundred but it was an unforgettable day for the 27-year-old as his daughter Heyli was born a few hours later.

Sri Lanka now need to win only one more game to seal the series against Australia. It will be their first series win over the five-time World Champions since 2010. They have not beaten Australia in a series at home since 1992. What’s more important is Sri Lanka have now won back-to-back games without their star performer Wanindu Hasaranga.

While a series win will be celebrated what’s more important is that Sri Lanka look to have turned things around in white ball cricket after seven years of mediocre performances after a series of high-profile retirements.

With this series not part of the ICC World Cup Super League, automatic qualification for next year’s World Cup looks out of the equation but it will certainly help them improve their rankings. It also will bring back the disappointed sponsors and disgruntled fans who have turned up in numbers throughout the series. The team’s good results only put poor cricket writers in a fix as family and friends come up with numerous requests for tickets.

A full house is expected in today’s game while tickets are also in high demand for Friday’s last ODI.

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Muzarabani returns as Zimbabwe opt to bowl against Oman

Published

12 mins ago

2026/02/9

Priyan

Sikandar Raza and Jatinder Singh at the toss (Cricinfo)

Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza decided to field first against Oman in the men’s T20 World Cup match at the SSC in Colombo. Both teams were pleased to arrive in Sri Lanka early to get themselves attuned to the conditions.

Zimbabwe have Blessing Muzarabani back in the squad after he missed the tri-series in Pakistan in November.

Oman, meanwhile, include 44-year-old Aaamir Kaleem the oldest player in the tournament – after he came into the side in place of Hasnain Shah, who was injured after the squad was named.

Zimbabwe return to the tournament after missing out on the previous edition in West Indies and the United States of America. They had made it to the Super 12s of the 2022 T20 World Cup but failed to progress through the qualifiers for the 2024 tournament. They completed qualification alongside Namibia; Brian Bennett was the tournament’s top run-scorer, while Brad Evans and Richard Ngarava were among the leading wicket-takers.

Zimbabwe are bolstered by the return of Graeme Cremer, whose November 2025 comeback marked the longest gap between T20I appearances.

Oman are one of three qualifiers from the Asia-Pacific region, alongside Nepal and the UAE. They have previously appeared in the 2016, 2021, and 2024 editions of the T20 World Cup.

Oman: Jatinder Singh (capt), Aamir Kaleem, Hammad Mirza, Wasim Ali, Karan Sonavale, Jiten Ramanandi, Vinayak Shukla (wk), Sufyan Mehmood, Nadeem Khan, Shah Faisal, Shakeel Ahmad

Zimbabwe: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Dion Myers, Brendan Taylor (wk), Sikandar Raza (capt), Ryan Burl, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani

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Munsey and Leask spoil Italy’s T20 World Cup debut2

Published

21 mins ago

2026/02/9

Priyan

George Munsey top scored for Scotland (Cricinfo)

Scotland may have suffered a blip the last time they faced Italy in a T20I but ensured they picked up the first points of their 2026 T20 World Cup campaign after a dominant performance at Eden Gardens. George Munsey’s 54-ball 84, supported by cameos from Brandon McMullen and Michael Leask, followed by Leask’s four-wicket haul helped Scotland spoil Italy’s debut in the tournament. The 73-run win gave Scotland two points after their defeat to West Indies in Kolkata two days ago.

Brief scores:

Scotland 207 for 4 in 20 overs (George Munsey 84, Michael Jones 37, Brandon McMullen 41, Richie Berrington 15, Michael Leask 22*; Ali Hasan 1-21, Grant Stewart 1-44, Thomas Draca 1-37, JJ Smuts 1-38) beat Italy 134 in 16.4 overs (Anthony Mosca 13, JJ Smutts 22, Harry Manenti 52; Michael Leask 4-17, Brad Currie 1-12, Brad Wheal 1-29, Mark Watt 2-24, Oliver Davidson 1-33 ) by 73 runs

(Cricinfo)

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Italy captain Wayne Madsen injures shoulder in T20 World Cup opener

Published

49 mins ago

2026/02/9

Priyan

Wayne Madsen hurt his shoulder while fielding at Eden Gardens (Cricinfo)

In an inauspicious start to Italy’s maiden T20 World Cup campaign, their captain Wayne Madsen dislocated his shoulder in the fourth over of Scotland’s innings at #den Gardens. He was later ruled out of any further participation in the match.

Madsen was fielding at midwicket when he tried to stop a pull from George Munsey. He unsuccessfully dived to his left and rolled over on the practice pitches and immediately asked for medical attention. He soon left the ground using a towel as a sling for his left arm.

Madsen, by far Italy’s most experienced cricketer at age 42, is playing his maiden T20 World Cup and was taken for X-rays right away at the venue. A typical shoulder dislocation can take anywhere between seven to 21 days for full recovery while more serious cases can take three to four months.

In Madsen’s absence, Italy were captained by Harry Manenti for the remainder of Scotland’s innings. Scotland went on to score 207 for 4 after they were sent in to bat.

While serious injury replacements are being trialled by cricket boards in India and Australia in domestic cricket, there are no injury replacements in the playing XI allowed in international cricket. At the moment, replacements are allowed only if players suffer concussion.

Madsen was appointed Italy captain for the 2026 T20 World Cup after Joe Burns was not selected for the tournament. This World Cup is his second across sports; he also represented South Africa in the men’s hockey in the 2006 World Cup.

After the game against Scotland in Kolkata on February 9, Italy play Nepal in Mumbai on February 12, and then travel back to Kolkata to play England on February 16 and West Indies on February 19.

( Cricinfo)