Latest News
West Indies fight but India chip away on rain-hit, attritional day
Rain cut short the opening session with only 10.4 overs possible in the pre-Lunch period. Jaydev Unadkat was expensive at the start of the day, being struck for boundaries by Kirk McKenzie. Mohammed Siraj bowled testing lines but the batters kept him at bay, with Brathwaite continuing with his solid batting. Ravichandran Ashwin came on with 10-odd minutes left in the first hour but it was Mukesh Kumar who dismissed fellow debutant McKenzie as the batter looked to play it through the off side but edged to the ‘keeper to depart for 32, ending a 46-run stand. It started raining soon after, forcing the players off the field and the umpires called for early Lunch.
Brathwaite crossed fifty early in the second session, getting there with a couple off Mukesh. The pacer tried to go short at Brathwaite who managed to clear the fence with an awkward pull for his first six. There were also extra runs for Brathwaite via overthrows and the West Indies captain punched an Ashwin delivery for three runs. India were otherwise disciplined, bowling in the right channels with persistence, but Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood were up to the task as they built a watchful partnership and ensured that they put away the loose deliveries.
Ashwin ended the partnership worth 40 off 128 deliveries, getting the better of Brathwaite’s defence with drift and spin. Athanaze looked to play his shots, executing sweeps and a cut off Ashwin to get going. India then lost a review when they went up for a caught behind appeal off Blackwood in Jadeja’s over while Athanaze survived a leg-before appeal and a review from India in Ashwin’s over, with the umpire’s call saving the batter. Blackwood and Athanaze batted through for the remainder of the extended second session, with only 57 runs being scored in 35.4 overs.
Jadeja struck early in the third session, getting one to turn sharply off the rough to catch the edge of Blackwood’s bat, with Ajinkya Rahane taking a stunning one-handed catch at first slip to end a 21-run fourth wicket partnership that came off 83 deliveries. Jadeja and Unadkat bowled in tandem and had the batters in trouble on a few occasions but Athanaze and Joshua Da Silva kept West Indies going as they took their side past the 200 mark. But their stand came to an end when Da Silva was bowled by an incoming delivery from Siraj. But just like the first session, rain stopped play soon after a wicket.
Play resumed after a nearly an hour’s break due to rain, with Siraj and Ashwin continuing the bowling. India opted for the second new ball in the 103rd over, with Mukesh and Siraj operating with it. Mukesh found some movement and troubled Athanaze on a couple of occasions, but no damage was done. With the light fadiing, India got Jadeja to bowl one over but the umpires decided to call it Stumps soon after.
Brief scores:
India 438 lead West Indies 229/5 (Kraigg Brathwaite 75, Alick Athanaze 37*; Ravindra Jadeja 2-37, Mukesh Kumar 1-35) by 209 runs.
US President Donald Trump has threatened to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell if he does not step aside at the end of his term in May.
The two have been embroiled in a bitter spat over Powell’s reluctance to cut the central bank’s interest rate, despite Trump’s repeated calls.
Powell’s term expires on 15 May, but he is planning to remain in post until his successor, Kevin Warsh, is confirmed by the Senate.
“Then I’ll have to fire him,” Trump told Fox Business, when asked about Powell’s plans to stay on in the job.
“I’ve held back firing him. I’ve wanted to fire him, but I hate to be controversial,” Trump said.
Thom Tillis, an influential Republican senator on the committee which oversees nominations for the Federal Reserve chair, has threatened to block Warsh’s confirmation. If Warsh is not confirmed before Powell’s term expires, he plans to stay on temporarily in the post.
“That’s what the law calls for. That’s what we’ve done on several occasions,” Powell has said.
Tillis has warned Trump he will not let Warsh’s appointment go ahead unless a criminal investigation into Powell, linked to the renovation of the Federal Reserve building, is dropped.
[BBC]
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) bowled Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) out for 146 and chased it down with nearly five overs to spare as they moved to the top of the IPL 2026 points table.
This win was thanks to the defensive bowling skills of Josh Hazelwood and Krunal Pandya. They took three wickets between them. Others were more successful on the night but it was very much a case of pressure created at one end resulting in mistakes at the other. Rishabh Pant had a chastening night, taking a blow to his left elbow, retiring hurt in the fifth over, coming back in the 16th with LSG in dire straits and being dismissed for 1 off 6.
With Hazlewood back in the team, and bowling three of the first seven overs, RCB gained an early stranglehold over the game. On a pitch which was dry and holding up a bit, he made life extremely hard for the batters by never giving them a chance to free their arms. When Pant tried, he suffereed a blow on the left elbow and had to retire hurt. When Nicholas Pooran tried, he dragged the ball onto his stumps. RCB’s quicks conceded runs at just over seven an over in the first 10. When they focused on keeping the ball around the off stump, runs would only come at just over three an over during this same period. Hazlewood was running so hot he merited a slip and a short leg at one point.
There are now 12 spinners with 100 wickets in the IPL. It is a list dominated by wristspinners and mystery spinners. For Krunal to end up there shows just how well he works within his limitations though lately he has been pushing against them, bowling bouncers and, on Wednesday, a crouched, low-arm delivery that did for Mitchell Marsh. The Australian had made 40 of LSG’s 71 runs at that point and thought he had a short ball he could put away, but the change in Krunal’s action made sure it didn’t bounce as much as expected.
Marsh was bowled off an inside edge. Together, Hazlewood and Krunal bowled 23 dot balls. The pressure they put resulted in wickets for Rasikh Salam (4 for 24) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3 for 27). Pant came back to bat again with his left arm strapped up but was one of five wickets that fell in the death overs (17 to 20).
Playing for the first time in his IPL career as an Impact Sub, Virat Kohli hit six fours and a six in his first 14 balls, showing once again a willingness to manufacture shots and hitting in the air. LSG helped his cause as well by bowling too full. These were not the conditions to go searching for conventional help. RCB hit the deck. Even a swing bowler like Bhuvneshwar didn’t bother pitching the ball too far up.
LSG didn’t get the memo. They were a distant second in this game tactically. Kohli was 32 off 14 as RCB put on 60 in the powerplay. Once the field spread, and LSG hit better lengths, runs became harder to come by. Kohli made 17 off his last 20 balls and fell for 49 off 34.
Rajat Patidar came in and played a very sixy innings. He has cleared the boundary 21 times this season, more than anybody else. His balls-per-six ratio is under five. RCB could have knocked these runs over and taken the game. But they kept putting pressure on the LSG bowlers. They felt no need to take a backwards step. The win came in the end, at the cost of maybe one or two more wickets, which seems a reasonably price to pay to stay true to your identity.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 149 for 5 in 15.1 overs (Virat Kohli 49, Devudutt Padikkal 10, Rajat Patidar 27, Jitesh Sharma 23, Tim David 14*, Romario Shepherd 14*; Prince Yadav 3-32, Avesh Khan 2-23) beat Lucknow Super Giants 146 in 20 overs (Mitchell Marsh 40, Aiden Markram 12, Ayush Badoni 38, Mukul Choudhary 39; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 3-27, Josh Hazelwood 1-20, Rasikh Salam 4-24, Krunal Pandya 2-38) by five wickets
[Cricinfo]
Latest News
Heat Index at Caution Level in the Northern, North-central, North-western, Western, Sabaragamuwa, Eastern and Southern provinces and in Monaragala district
Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 3.30 p.m. on 15 April 2026, valid for 16 April 2026.
The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Northern, North-central, North-western, Western, Sabaragamuwa, Eastern
and Southern provinces and in Monaragala district.
The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.
Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.
ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.
Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491
Babar Azam 71* helps Peshawar Zalmi extend lead at top
Trump threatens to fire Fed chair Jerome Powell if he doesn’t leave in May
Royal Challengers Bengaluru top the table after bowlers help thump Lucknow Super Giants
Showers expected in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Central, Uva and North-western provinces
Heat Index at Caution Level in the Northern, North-central, North-western, Western, Sabaragamuwa, Eastern and Southern provinces and in Monaragala district
Pakistani army chief in Tehran amid bid to restart US talks
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
News4 days agoCEB orders temporary shutdown of large rooftop solar systems
-
Features4 days agoFrom Royal College Platoon to National Cadet Corps: 145 years of discipline, leadership, and modern challenges
-
Business6 days agoIsraeli attack on Lebanon triggers local stock market volatility
-
Business6 days agoHNB Assurance marks 25 years with strategic transformation to ‘HNB Life’
-
Latest News4 days agoPNS TAIMUR & ASLAT arrive in Colombo
-
News5 days agoAnura Solomons passes away
-
Features4 days agoCIA’s hidden weapon in Iran
-
Latest News3 days agoPrasidh, Buttler set up comfortable win for Gujarat Titans