Dasun Shanaka has replaced the injured Sam Curran at Rajasthan Royals (RR) for IPL 2026 and has informed his PSL team, Lahore Qalandars, of his decision.

‎‎Shanaka will join RR for INR 2 crore (US$ 214,000 approx.).

‎‎”Sam brings immense value with both bat and ball,” Kumar Sangakkara, director of cricket and head coach, RR, said. “However, we are pleased to have found an ideal replacement in Dasun Shanaka, a finisher with the bat and a quality all-rounder who helps maintain the balance of our side.”

‎‎Curran, who was part of a pre-auction trade between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and RR in which CSK acquired Sanju Samson and RR also got Ravindra Jadeja, has a groin issue, which has ruled him out of the IPL.

‎‎Qalandars, meanwhile, are replacing Shanaka with Australia allrounder Daniel Sams. PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi recently also said the board will be taking action against players such as Shanaka and Blessing Muzarabani who have been opting out of the PSL for IPL deal.‎

‎Shanaka, a lower-order batter and medium-pace bowler who led Sri Lanka at the recent T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, comes in with good batting form: he hit a 20-ball 50 against Oman and 76 not out in 31 balls against Pakistan. He has played one season of the IPL in the past, in 2023, when he played three games for Gujarat Titans (GT) with unspectacular returns.‎

‎He becomes the second player to walk away from his PSL team to join an IPL franchise in the past few days after Muzarabani opted out of his deal with Islamabad United once Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) reached out to him to be a replacement for Mustafizur Rahman, who the team had to release on instructions from the BCCI because of geopolitical tensions between India and Bangladesh.

‎‎For RR, Shanaka joins a strong list of overseas players, the others being Shimron Hetmyer, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Donovan Ferreira, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Kwena Maphaka and Adam Milne.

‎‎RR, who finished one off the bottom last season, begin their IPL 2026 campaign next Monday, March 30, in Guwahati against CSK. (cricinfo)

Today is a red-letter day for Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium. Exactly 25 years ago, to this very day, the venue hosted its maiden international, Sri Lanka locking horns with England and in the quarter-century since, the ground has grown from a bold gamble into one of the country’s prized cricketing possessions.

From Sachin Tendulkar’s silken drives to Dale Steyn’s thunderbolts, the game’s greats have left their imprint here. Dambulla has seen it all, high-octane contests, spin clinics and finishes that have gone down to the wire.

The brainchild of former SLC President Thilanga Sumathipala, Dambulla was not built on a whim but on a clear game plan. Sri Lanka, weary of rain playing spoilsport and washing games down the drain, needed a venue in the dry zone. A study into the country’s driest regions pointed squarely to Dambulla, centrally located, easily accessible and, crucially, less at the mercy of the weather gods.

If location was the first box ticked, aesthetics were the icing on the cake. Perched along the Colombo – Sigiriya road, the ground offers a view that can take your breath away. Climb up to the main stand and you are greeted by a sea of green, with the serene Ibbankatuwa Tank glistening in one corner. Sunsets here are straight out of a postcard. In another corner looms the historic Dambulla Rock, where King Valagamba, in exile, regrouped before marching back to reclaim his kingdom from south Indian invaders. Cricket here, quite literally, is played in the shadow of history.

Dambulla isn’t just a cricket ground. This is part of Thilanga’s visionary thinking. He wanted the game to trickle down to the grassroots, to take cricket out of Colombo’s comfort zone and into the heartland. The response has been overwhelming. Whenever the big boys roll into town, the stands are packed to the rafters and when space runs out, fans perch on nearby trees just to catch a glimpse, a reminder that cricket, in this part of the country, is more than a game; it is a way of life.

The stadium itself was built in double-quick time, a project fast-tracked with military precision. Former captains Bandula Warnapura and Duleep Mendis, then part of the SLC set-up, oversaw the construction, ensuring the ground was ready to host top-flight cricket without missing a beat. Sujeewa Godaliyadda, now SLC Treasurer, has been part of the furniture here from day one, guarding the venue like the apple of his eye.

Back in 2001, the surrounding area was little more than a quiet outpost. Fast forward to today and the landscape has changed beyond recognition, hotels, restaurants and supermarkets have sprung up, proof that cricket has been a catalyst for economic growth. The ripple effect has been unmistakable; livelihoods have improved and the region has been put firmly on the map.

Of course, the journey has not always been smooth sailing. At times, Dambulla was left out in the cold, sidelined due to petty politics while other venues were given the nod. Hambantota’s Suriyawewa had its moment in the sun, but when rain threatens to play havoc, Dambulla remains the trump card. Unlike some white elephants, this ground delivers when it matters.

In recent years, the venue has come back into its own. Floodlights have been upgraded, state-of-the-art training facilities have been added and Dambulla is now being groomed as a Centre of Excellence. A new media centre is in the pipeline, while expansion plans are on the drawing board to meet the ever-growing demand from fans eager to soak in cricket in this picturesque setting.

by Rex Clementine

There is another defection from the Pakistan Super League (PSL), with Dasun Shanaka moving to the Indian Premier League (IPL). Shanaka is set to be signed by the Rajasthan Royals for the upcoming season, coming in as a replacement for the injured Sam Curran, who was earlier ruled out of IPL 2026.

‎‎A top Royals official confirmed the signing to Cricbuzz. “Yes, we’re close to signing him,” an official of the franchise told this website. “A few formalities are pending. He has to complete some paperwork with Sri Lankan Cricket (SLC)”

‎‎Shanaka had remained unsold at the Abu Dhabi mini-auction last December following which he enrolled for the PSL auction, where he was bought by Lahore Qalandars for PKR 75 lakh.

‎‎Shanaka is the second player in recent times to shift to the IPL from the PSL. Blessing Muzarabani of Zimbabwe pulled out of his contract with Islamabad United to join Kolkata Knight Riders, who signed him in place of Mustafizur Rahman. The famous case of PSL to IPL jump, of course, was of South Africa’s Corbin Bosch last year, when he had spurned a Peshawar Zalmi gig to join Mumbai Indians last year.

‎‎The PSL reacted strongly, banning him for a year. However, its policy of scheduling the league concurrently with the IPL – ostensibly to ensure the availability of overseas players – appears to be backfiring, with foreign players opting to withdraw from the PSL when an IPL opportunity came their way. Cricbuzz reached out to the Lahore Qalandars for a comment.

‎‎The choice of Dasun Shanaka by the Rajasthan Royals is hardly surprising. Head coach Kumar Sangakkara is a Sri Lankan, while assistant coach Vikram Rathour worked with Sri Lanka as batting coach during the T20 World Cup, where Shanaka was the country’s captain. Though the co-hosts failed to reach semifinals, Shanaka impressed with two half-centuries in the tournament.

‎‎Meanwhile, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi addressed the media in Lahore on Sunday regarding changes to the PSL operations and venues and hinted that the board may initiate legal action against players who have breached their PSL contracts. (Cricbuzz)