Sports

WPL 2024 auction: Athapaththu, Dottin among 165 players in the pool

Published

3 years ago

2023/12/2

Priyan

Chamari Athapaththu went unsold at the 2023 WPL auction but is expected to attract a lot of attention this year (Cricinfo)

Chamari Athapaththu, Deandra Dottin and Shabnim Ismail are among the biggest names in a pool of 165 players who will go under the hammer at the second WPL auction in Mumbai on December 9.

Among the major capped Indian players listed in the final pool are Veda Krishanmurthy, S Meghana, Meghna Singh and Devika Vaidya. The five franchises will have a combined 30 slots to fill, including nine for overseas players.

Only two players – West Indies allrounder Dottin and Australia pacer Kim Garth – have placed themselves in the highest bracket, at a base price of INR 50 lakh (US$ 60,000 approx.), while Sri Lanka captain Athapaththu, in the middle of a spectacular run of batting form and the second-highest run-getter at the WBBL this year, has listed her base price at INR 30 lakh. She went unsold at the 2023 auction.

Dottin was signed for INR 60 lakh ahead of the inaugural season by Gujarat Giants, but was withdrawn from the squad days before the tournament. At the time, Giants said Dottin was “recovering from a medical situation”, a claim she disputed publicly. Dottin was subsequently replaced by Garth, who was let go ahead of the retention deadline.

The Australian pair of Annabel Sutherland and Georgia Wareham, along with England wicketkeeper Amy Jones and Ismail, are bracketed in the second-highest category, with a base price of INR 40 lakh. Like Garth, Sutherland and Wareham were picked by Giants for the inaugural season before being released. Ismail featured in just three matches for UP Warriorz, while Jones had gone unsold.

Thailand batter Natthakan Chantham and USA’s Tara Norris are among 15 players from Associate nations in the auction pool, which also has representation from the Netherlands, Scotland, UAE and Hong Kong. Norris, the left-arm seamer, was the only Associate player to feature in the inaugural season of the WPL. She picked up seven wickets in five games for Delhi Capitals, including the tournaments’s first five-for.

Giants, who finished last in the previous edition, offloaded more than half their squad ahead of the second season. As a result, they have the biggest purse (INR 5.95 crore) and also the maximum slots to fill (ten). Defending champions Mumbai Indians have the lowest budget (INR 2.1 crore).

The inaugural season comprised 22 matches and was played in three venues across Mumbai. The BCCI is in the process of finalising the dates for the second season, which is expected to be held in February. It’s also likely that the tournament will be played in multiple cities, with Mumbai and Bengaluru expected to feature.

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Sports

India closing in on big win in Colombo

Published

2 hours ago

2026/08/27

Sahan Weerasooriya

Sonal Dinusha’s impressive run in the series continued as he posted back to back hundreds, but India are in total control of the game

by Rex Clementine

India are closing in on a big win at SSC after Sri Lanka slumped to 229 for six at stumps on day four of the second Test having been forced to follow on yesterday.

Sri Lanka lead by just 16 runs with four wickets in hand and with three sessions remaining, the tourists will be looking to wrap up victory and complete a 2-0 series sweep. India won the first Test in Galle by 165 runs.

Sonal Dinusha, who batted superbly for a hundred in the first innings, was unbeaten on seven when rain brought play to a premature end. With Sri Lanka now into the tail, Dinusha has his work cut out. He has been the hosts’ standout performer in the series, having also made 100 and 84 in Galle.

Sri Lanka resumed the day on 265 for eight, still needing 39 runs to avoid the follow on, but were bowled out for 290 and asked to bat again.

Although they lost both openers early, Kamindu Mendis and Pasindu Sooriyabandara gave Sri Lanka hope with a 115 run stand for the third wicket.

Sooriyabandara, who had made 80 in the first innings, once again played spin superbly, using clever footwork, while Mendis took on the fast bowlers.

But India had plenty of runs on the board and persisted with the short ball against Mendis, stationing three fielders on the boundary. Eventually, the plan paid off. Mendis took on Mohammed Siraj and perished for 55, with captain Shubman Gill running in from square leg to complete a fine catch.

That was the breakthrough India desperately wanted and the spinners quickly turned the screws. Three wickets fell for just nine runs as Sri Lanka surrendered the initiative and India regained control.

Sooriyabandara missed out on a well deserved hundred when he charged Manav Suthar. The left-arm spinner cleverly fired the ball wide, leaving the batter stranded as Rishabh Pant whipped off the bails in a flash. Sooriyabandara’s 92 came off 173 balls and contained ten fours and a six.

Having spent considerable time in the field, India’s bowlers were beginning to tire, evident from the number of loose deliveries they sent down. But Sri Lanka’s batters lacked the patience to drive home the advantage, with several throwing away their wickets just when the hosts appeared to be clawing their way back into the contest.

Sports

Sri Lanka Air Force win Overall Championship at 14th Defence Services Badminton Championship

Published

2 hours ago

2026/08/27

Sahan Weerasooriya

The Sri Lanka Airforce Men's and Women's Badminton Teams with officials

Sri Lanka Air Force emerged Overall Champions in both the Men’s and Women’s categories at the 14th Defence Services Badminton Championship concluded successfully on 21 August 2026 at the Sri Lanka Army Indoor Sports Complex, Panagoda.

The SLAF Men’s Team secured the Open Men’s Doubles and Men’s Team Championships, while the Women’s Team excelled by winning the Open Women’s Singles, Open Women’s Doubles and Women’s Team Championships.

In the Open Men’s Doubles, Leading Aircraftman Lochana De Silva and Aircraftman Achintha Imeshaqe secured the championship, while Aircraftwoman Praveena Wijesundara and Aircraftwoman Anurangi Masakorala claimed the Open Women’s Doubles title with Aircraftwoman Praveena Wijesundara winning the Open Women’s Singles Championship.

Major General Mohan Premaratne, President of the Sri Lanka Army Badminton Federation, was the Chief Guest at the awards ceremony while SLAF’s Director Sports Air Commodore Prabath Dissanayake, former Chairman Badminton Sri Lanka Air Force Air Commodore Poojana Gunathilake, Secretary Air Force Sports Council Group Captain Eranda Geeganage and Secretary Badminton Sri Lanka Air Force Wing Commander Thushara Wijeratne. were also present.

Sports

Malki and Shashini bowl Sri Lanka Air Force to a 169 run win

Published

2 hours ago

2026/08/27

Sahan Weerasooriya

Malki Madara / Shahini Fernando

Malki Madara and Shashini Fernando shared nine wickets between them to help Sri Lanka Air Force Women beat Chilaw Marians Cricket Club Women by 169 runs and propel their team to the semi finals of the Major Club Womens Limited Over cricket tournament conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket.

In the game played at their home ground in Katunayake on Monday [24], Sri Lanka Air Force posted 276 runs for the loss of eight wickets with Ashani Kaushalya topping the score card with 57 runs off 81 balls with ten hits to the ropes.Sasini Alwis and Wethumya Wijesuriya captured three wickets each.

Chasing 277 to win Shashini Fernando captured five wickets while Malki Madara captured four wickets to restrict the Chilaw Marians Cricket Club Women to 107. Skipper Sanduni Nisansala scored 38 off 61 balls with four boundaries and a six.

Sri Lankan Air Force Women will meet Panadura Sports Club Women for the semi-final at the LRDC ground on Friday (28)

Scores:

Sri Lanka Air Force Women 276/8 in 50 overs [Ashani Kawshalya 57, Malsha Shehani 32, Savindi Cooray 34*; Sasini Alwis 2-48, Wethumya Wijesuriya 2-67]

Chilaw Marians Cricket Club Women 107/10 in 43.5 overs [Sanduni Nisansala 38; Malki Madara 4-14, Shashini Fernando 5-09]