Sports
Why not much Sri Lankan representation in IPL?
Since its launch in 2008, the popularity of Indian Premier League has gone through the roof. Some boards like the English and Wales Cricket Board, Cricket Australia and even the International Cricket Council did not take kindly to the idea that the IPL should have its own window where all international cricket ceased. But such is India’s clout in world cricket today that there’s little international cricket scheduled during the time the IPL is played.
This year’s edition has produced some cracking games that have resulted in Super Overs. With virtually no cricket being played elsewhere, the talk of the town is about Ravichandran Ashwin not Mankading Aaron Finch and M.S. Dhoni losing his golden touch and much more. Sadly, there is very little representation from Sri Lanka in recent IPL events and this year there is just Isuru Udana.
Time was when the entire Sri Lankan team and even the reserves featured in the IPL. The likes of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene even captained IPL sides and did terrific jobs.
Business tycoon Mukesh Ambani paid almost US$ 1 million a year to acquire the services of Sanath Jayasuriya. There was fierce bidding for Jayasuriya, who is immensely popular in India and eventually Mumbai Indians paid him US$ 975,000. Always wonder how much Aravinda de Silva would have fetched if IPL was there during his time?
Other popular Sri Lankans in the IPL were Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan, T.M. Dilshan and Chaminda Vaas. Even, Suraj Randiv, who played a handful of T-20 Internationals for Sri Lanka had an IPL contract with N. Srinivasan acquiring his services for his Chennai franchise.
It is no secret that it has been all downhill for Sri Lankan Cricket in the last decade and it is reflected by number of their players attracted by the IPL. Meanwhile, the South Africans, Australians and even Englishmen are in high demand for the franchise based T-20 tournament. We have made some blunders down the line.
Of all three formats of the game the one in which Sri Lanka have done poorly is the T-20 format. Six years on from winning the World title, they have been so bad that they have got to play a qualifying round to enter the tournament proper in next year’s event.
While the money is attractive in the IPL, the extremely competitive nature of the tournament brings the best out of players and this is an area that Sri Lankans are missing out. You see the amount of high pressure games the Indian players are exposed to at a young age and then they turn up at the international level like ducks taking to water as they have already got a taste of the international flavour thanks to IPL.
That is why Sri Lanka’s efforts to conduct a franchise based tournament of their own needs to be commended. We know that SLC’s effort to launch an event has failed on a few occasions now but they have got to start somewhere. Boards like West Indies, Australia, Pakistan and even Bangladesh have started a franchise based competition of their own in small scale and the players are benefiting by it.
In a bold stride towards sporting excellence, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) unveiled a state-of-the-art swimming pool at the National High Performance Center, located within the iconic R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo.
The eight-lane, semi-Olympic standard facility was ceremonially declared open by the Honorable Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Sunil Kumara Gamage, at the invitation of SLC President Shammi Silva. SLC’s Ex-Co members too were present at the occasion alongside former Test captain and current Head Coach Sanath Jayasuriya.
National women’s team captain Chamari Atapattu and her teammates also marked their presence, signaling the pool’s immediate value to elite athletes.
Spanning 25 meters in length and 21 meters in width, with a depth between 1.2 and 1.8 meters, the new pool is a cornerstone of SLC’s ambitious National Pathway Program.
It aims to bolster player fitness, post-match recovery, and injury rehabilitation for the National, ‘A’ team, and the fast and spin bowling squads. Visiting international teams will also have access to the facility during Sri Lanka tours.
Fully equipped with modern changing rooms, first aid units, and athlete support amenities, the new aquatic addition is more than just a pool — it’s a symbol of SLC’s commitment to building a holistic, world-class training environment.
The High Performance Center already boasts a full gymnasium, an international-standard cricket ground, under-lights training facilities, a dedicated physiotherapy wing, and the acclaimed Brain Center for data-driven performance analysis.
Coming soon in Phase Two: a Jacuzzi, an ice bath, and a new indoor net complex — all part of Sri Lanka Cricket’s drive to stay ahead of the curve in global cricketing infrastructure.
The Grade A category Colombo Championships, which is the oldest tennis tournament of the country, gets underway for the 110th time on April 25 at the SLTA (playing section) courts at Green Path. The tournament has attracted a record number of participants which include the cream of Sri Lankan tennis players.
The title sponsor of the tournament is eye care provider ‘Vision Care’. In addition, this year it is also Co-sponsored by ‘Thambapanni Leisure’. Events ranging from juniors (Boys/Girls- under 12 to 18), men’s, women’s and veterans (for over 35, 45, 55 and 65) are being held, giving every segment of the tennis playing community an opportunity to participate.
Making his title sponsorship commitment, Janaka Fonseka, Managing Director of Vision Care said “we are very happy to be involved in this prestigious tournament for over a decade. We believe sport is vital for the health of the nation and are strongly committed to supporting the Colombo Championships. The objective of the tournament is in line with our corporate objectives and as such we want to be part of this wonderful event.
Sria Munasinghe, President of the SLTA Playing Section said “I would like to place on record my utmost appreciation of all the sponsors specially Vision Care for unstinted support during the last ten years and the Managing Director of Thambapanni Leisure Prashanth Dissanayake and others who wish to remain anonymous”. The organisers have received 1200 entries for this tournament.
Rain had a major say on the third day’s play of the Sylhet Test. Bangladesh moved to 194 for 4 before play was called off at 5pm local time due to bad light, although play could be extended up to 6pm after rain had washed out the first three hours of the day.
The hosts could bat for only 44 overs. They lost three wickets, and added 137 runs. Captain Najimul Hossain Shanto, who went unbeaten on 60, reached his half-century during a rearguard fifth-wicket partnership with Jaker Ali.
It was Blessing Muzarabani who rocked Bangladesh within the first hour after play started on the third afternoon. He bowled with a slower run-up but often brought up his pace with the short deliveries. Muzarabani tested Mahmudul Hasan Joy with the short ball a few times, before the Bangladesh opener fended one to first slip. Mahmudul made 33 off 65 balls with six boundaries, stretching his lean run of form. He has now played 17 innings without a half-century, the last one coming in Sylhet in November 2023.
Meanwhile, Shanto got the ball rolling with some confident shots, before he edged one off Wessly Madhevere when on 26. For the second time in the game though, wicketkeeper Nyasha Mayavo dropped a sitter.
The third-wicket stand between Shanto and Mominul Haque kept Bangladesh stable, but once again, it was the short ball that rocked Bangladesh. Victor Nyauchi got one to rear up at Mominul, who had little room to move out of the way once he had committed to it. Thankfully for Zimbabwe, though, Mayavo held on to the chance.
Shanto and Mominul had added 65 for the third wicket. Mominul made 47 off 86 balls to go with his half-century in the first innings.
Captain Craig Ervine then brought back Muzarabani to bowl at Mushfiqur Rahim closer to the tea interval. He bowled nine dot balls in a row to Mushfiqur before finding the outside edge with the tenth delivery. Ervine completed the catch at first slip as Bangladesh were reduced to 155 for 4 at tea.
Shanto reached his fifty shortly afterwards with a rousing cover drive off Wellington Masakadza. His fifth-wicket partnership with Jaker is increasingly looking like Bangladesh’s last resort to stay competitive in the game.
Brief scores:
Bangladesh 191 in 61 overs and 194 for 4 in 57 overs (Najimul Hossain Shanto 60*, Jaker Ali 21*, Mahmudul Hassan Joy 33, Monimul Haque 47; Blessing Muzarabani 3-51) lead Zimbabwe 273 in 80.2 overs (Sean Williams 59, Brian Bennett 57, Mehidy Hassan Miraz 5-52) by 112 runs
[Cricinfo]
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