Sports

Why not much Sri Lankan representation in IPL?

Published

5 years ago

2020/10/11

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.

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Sports

Chamuditha hammers 192 to break Youth World Cup record as SL beat Japan

Published

18 mins ago

2026/01/19

Thilina Walpola

Viran Chamuditha and Dimantha Mahavithana put on a record stand of 328 for the opening wicket. (Getty Images)

Sri Lanka commenced their Under-19 World Cup campaign with a massive win on Saturday, as their openers all but batted Japan out of the contest. Viran Chamuditha’s record-breaking 192 alone surpassed Japan’s eventual total, while Dimantha Mahavithana chipped in with a fluent 115. Together, they put on a monumental 328 for the first wicket, a partnership that ended only in the 44th over when Mahavithana was run out.

‎While Mahavithana hit 11 fours in his 125-ball knock, Chamuditha batted at a strike rate of 134, smashing 26 fours and a six.

‎St. Servatius’ College Matara batsman broke the record for the highest individual score in Youth World Cup history. He erased the record held by Hasitha Boyagoda since 2018. The Trinity batsman scored 191 against Kenya at the 2018 World Cup at run rate of 125.65.

‎The open batsmen Chamuditha and Trinity’s Mahavithana also broke the record for the highest partnership for any wicket at World Cup with their stand of 328 runs.

‎ At 326 without loss after 43 overs, Sri Lanka looked set for a 400-plus total; but over the next four overs, they scored just 21 runs for the loss of three wickets. During that mini-collapse, Chamuditha missed out on a double hundred when he fell at the start of the 45th over.

‎Sri Lanka captain Vimath Dinsara, however, provided a finishing flourish with an unbeaten 44 off just 24 balls, setting Japan an improbable target of 388.

‎Japan never found any momentum in the chase. They lost a wicket in the first over, and Sri Lanka kept them in check throughout. Hugo Kelly and Taylor Waugh added 50 for the fourth wicket after Japan had slipped to 56 for 3 in the 15th over, but the innings continued to stutter even as Kelly held one end up.

‎In Japan’s only real positive, Kelly finished unbeaten on 101 as his side huffed and puffed to 184 for 8 in 50 overs. The next highest score was Kazuma Kato-Stafford’s 19, as Sri Lanka thumped Japan by 203 runs to begin their campaign with a bang.

‎‎Scores

‎Sri Lanka 387 for 4 (Viran Chamuditha 192, Dimantha Mahavithana 115, Vimath Dinsara 44n.o.)

‎Japan

184 for 8 (Hugo Kelly 101n.o.)

Sports

Maheesha helps St. Sebastians’ Katuneriya record come from behind victory ‎

Published

40 mins ago

2026/01/19

Thilina Walpola

Under 19 Division I Cricket

Maheesha Sithum cracked an unbeaten 66 in 50 balls inclusive of two fours and three sixes after ripping apart the Maliyadewa batting line up with a six wicket haul to lead St. Sebastians’ Katuneriya to two wickets win in the Under 19 Division I Tier B tournament match at Katuneriya.

‎In fact the home team were bowled out 46 runs behind Maliyadeva’s first innings total before Sithum produced the match turning performance.

‎His six wicket haul reduced the visitors to 100 runs in the second innings.

‎The home team reached the target in 37 overs with two wickets in hand.

‎In Tier A matches, St. Joseph’s top order continued to impress as Aveesha Samash (64), Pamoda Dalpadado (47), Rishma Amarasinghe (87) and Chamath Perera (43n.o.) joined to post 265 for four wickets declared and score first innings points against S. Thomas’ at Mount Lavinia.

‎In the other Tier A match, Mahinda College Galle took first innings points against Trinity .

‎‎Match Results

‎Tier B

‎St. Sebastians’ win at Katuneriya

‎‎Scores

‎Maliyadewa 202 all out in 52 overs (Thiwnka Pabasara 47, Navodya Samarasinghe 65, Dushan Sayuranga 25, Nishuda Chandrasiri 21; Maheesha Sithum 2/57, Tharuka Manaram 3/41, Damsith Subashana 3/45) and 100 all out in 34.3 overs (Dimath Abeysinghe 61; Maheesha Sithum 6/55, Tharuka Manaram 3/26)

‎St. Sebastians’ Katuneriya

156 all out in 63.5 overs (Dinindu Dilan 67, Ashen Sathsara 20; Dimath Abeysinghe 3/36, Sonal Ashvin 3/31) and 148 for 8 in 36.4 overs (Dinindu Dilan 26, Maheesha Sithum 66n.o.; Dimath Abeysinghe 3/56, Sonal Ashvin 3/46)

‎‎Tier A

‎‎Mahinda take first innings points at Asgiriya

‎‎Scores

‎Trinity 203 all out in 63.4 overs (Puleesha Thilakarathne 28, Chaniru Senarathne 36, Malika Vithanage 29, Praveen Mithila 35, Santhosh Kritheekshan 39; Arosha Udayanga 3/63, Gesandu Bisas 2/09, Sehas Ashinsa 3/22) and 136 for 6 in 47 overs (Puleesha Thilakarathne 82; Manitha Rajapaksha 2/50, Sehas Ashinsa 2/37)

‎Mahinda 262 all out in 68.2 overs (Thevindu Rashmika 72, Randula Mabarana 26, Dineth Pehesara 41, Gesandu Bisas 36, Manitha Rajapaksha 47n.o.; Ranul Gunarathna 2/50, Dawood Hilmy 4/38, Chaniru Senarathne 2/31)

‎‎Joes win first innings points at Mount

‎Scores

‎S. Thomas’ 198 all out in 78 overs (Avinash Fernando 22, Aaron Kodithuwakku 52, Raphael Hettige 23, Gimhan Mendis 22; Thisanga Perera 2/25, Vishwa Peiris 4/67) and 104 for 2 in 34 overs (Avinash Fernando 57n.o., Ludeesha Matarage 38;

‎St. Joseph’s

265 for 4 decl. in 76.1 overs (Aveesha Samash 64, Pamoda Dalpadado 47, Rishma Amarasinghe 87, Chamath Perera 43n.o.)

(RF)‎

Sports

Thehan, Dinara win singles titles

Published

40 mins ago

2026/01/19

Thilina Walpola

Thehan Wijemanne and Dinara de Silva with their trophies. (Pic by Kamal Wanniarachchi)

SSC Open Tennis Championship 2026

‎Thehan Wijemanne and Dinara de Silva won the men’s and women’s singles titles of the YETI-SSC Open Tennis Championship continued in Colombo on Sunday.

‎In the final, Wijemanne beat Ganuka Fernando 7-6, 3-6 and 6-4 for his second men’s singles title of these championships.

‎Women’s singles final saw Dinara de Silva recording 6-1, 5-7, 6-1 win over Yuhansa Peiris.