Sports
A campaign that promised so much but produced so little
The Asia Cup began with Sri Lanka in cruise control, sweeping aside all three opponents in the group stage and sending Afghanistan packing. At that point, it looked as though the ghosts of middle-order jitters and spin struggles had been exorcised. Yet when the business end arrived, those very demons resurfaced, and with them went Sri Lanka’s hopes, knocked out with a game to spare.
The campaign all but flatlined after a limp defeat to Pakistan in Abu Dhabi. The only lifeline was a mathematical miracle: Bangladesh beating India and Pakistan and Sri Lanka themselves thrashing India on net run rate. That was as likely as the dollar crashing to 200 rupees by year’s end.
Much like their botched 2023 World Cup campaign, Sri Lanka once again put too many eggs in the all-rounders’ basket and paid the price. In cricket, an all-rounder is not someone who can bowl a bit and bat a bit but someone who can win you a game outright — a Botham, an Imran, a Keith Miller; in modern times, a Stokes, a Pandya, a Marsh. To bracket Dasun Shanaka and Chamika Karunaratne with that pedigree is a misnomer. They neither bowl their quota nor chip in with telling runs. Having one such player is a luxury; fielding two is a liability.
After the loss to Bangladesh, where Sri Lanka failed to defend a handy total, the think-tank belatedly sought more bowling firepower. Out went a batter, in came Chamika. But was that the best card to play? Matheesha Pathirana was indisposed, Binura Fernando offered the left-arm angle, yet was overlooked. If his fielding is too shoddy for selection, why carry him in the squad at all?
Asitha Fernando, meanwhile, has been steady as a rock in Tests and ODIs. Why he isn’t trusted in T20s defies logic. He has done the job before and for marquee events like the Asia Cup and World Cup, deserves at least a place in the frame.
The formula for success is no secret, seven frontline batters. That mix has served Sri Lanka well across formats. Straying from it has ended in tears and it is baffling that the penny still hasn’t dropped.
Kusal Janith Perera, the lone survivor from the 2014 T20 World Cup triumph, flattered to deceive. On paper, his experience should have steadied the ship in stormy waters, but when the chips were down, he failed to stand tall.
If there was a silver lining, it was the fielding, a far cry from the butter-fingered displays at the 2023 World Cup. This time, the catching and ground work were razor sharp.
With the next World Cup around the corner, soul-searching is the need of the hour. First, get the balance right. To their credit, the board roped in a Power-Hitting Coach before the Asia Cup. Such specialist expertise must become a regular thing.
The 2024 Asia Cup started with a flourish but ended with a whimper. All that remains now is a dead rubber against India, a game where pride is the only prize.
Rex Clementine in Dubai
Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele were on target as France surged past Morocco 2-0 to book their place in the World Cup semifinals.
Mbappe curled in his eighth goal of the tournament on 60 minutes on Thursday before Dembele doubled Les Bleus’ lead six minutes later to settle a clinical victory at the Gillette Stadium outside Boston.
The win sends the 2018 champions into a last-four showdown against either Spain or Belgium in Arlington, Texas on Tuesday.
African champions Morocco had been tipped to pose a serious threat to France’s hopes of reaching a third consecutive World Cup final.
But Didier Deschamps’ men were always in control against a limited Morocco side who failed to register a single shot on goal until an 83rd-minute free-kick by Azzedine Ounahi was parried away by France goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
France, though, struggled to find a breakthrough, and missed the opportunity to take the lead on 28 minutes when Mbappe saw a penalty saved by Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.
Mbappe had won the penalty after being brought down by Noussair Mazraoui but was forced to wait several minutes before being allowed to take the kick after a protracted VAR check.
Morocco managed to hold out to half-time, but it was always only a matter of time before France’s relentless pressure paid off.
The breakthrough came on the hour mark, with Mbappe bending a brilliant right-foot shot past Bounou from the edge of the area.
Paris Saint-Germain star Dembele made the game safe in the 66th minute, striding forward menacingly from midfield before steering a low finish into the bottom corner.
France now await the winner of Friday’s quarterfinal in Los Angeles between European champions Spain and Belgium.
[Aljazeera]
111th Vision Care Colombo Championship
Aahil Kaleel of S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia and Akesha Silva of Newstead College, Negombo emerged as the boys’ and girls’ Under-18 singles champions respectively at the 111th Vision Care Colombo Championship, played on Sri Lanka Tennis Association’s clay courts.
Aahil staged a remarkable comeback in the boys’ Under-18 final to defeat Rehan Gunawardhane 1-6, 6-4, 10-5 after dropping the opening set. The S. Thomas’ player enjoyed an impressive run to the title, overpowering Dehan Wickramasinghe 6-1, 6-1 in the quarter-finals before edging Mayooran Kubheran in a thrilling semi-final 4-6, 7-5, 10-7.
In the girls’ Under-18 final, Akesha Silva was crowned champion after Sahansa Damsiluni retired while trailing 1-0. Akesha booked her place in the final with a convincing 6-1, 6-4 victory over Gethmi Fernando in the semi-finals. Her toughest challenge came in the quarter-finals, where she outlasted Sandithi Usgodaarachchi 6-3, 6-7(4), 14-12 in a marathon encounter.
Akesha Silva
In the boys’ Under-18 doubles semi-finals, Mayooran Kubheran and Ashlin de Silva defeated Ranida Ranaweera and Ashmal Mohamed 5-4, 4-1, while Methika Wickramasinghe and Jayin de Seram overcame Jamal Sabry and Lithum Jayabandu 4-1, 2-4, 10-2 to set up the championship final.
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