Sports
Air Force celebrates 75 years of sporting excellence
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) celebrates its 75 anniversary on 2nd March 2026. At this historical juncture, the SLAF could be proud of its rich sporting legacy and achievements. During this period the SLAF has produced some outstanding sportsmen and women who have brought immense glory to the motherland. It’s worthwhile to put on record few of those memorable achievements, which have been written in gold in the annals of the SLAF.
Leading Aircraftman (LAC) Nagalingam Balasubramanium became the first Airman representing the then Royal Ceylon Air Force (RCyAF) to create a National Record, when he cleared a distance of 48: 01/2 (14.64) at the Triple Jump event at the Quadrangle Athletics Meet on 28 November 1959.
LAC Lakshman de Alwis became the first RCyAF sportsman to represent the country at the Asian Games, when he represented Ceylon at the 4th Asian Games held in Jakarta in 1962 in 200m and 400m events. De Alwis was the Ceylonese champion in 200m and 400m in early 1960s and established the national record for 400m (49.8) on 19 July 1964.
RCyAF Relay team popularly known as the Jets Team equaled the National Record in 4 x 200m relay event on 7 September 1963 with a timing of 1:30:2. LAC Lakshman de Alwis, LAC RAC Hubert, LAC G. George and LAC Cristy Fernando represented the Relay team. Incidentally, record remains unbroken to date.
LAC Maurice Coomarawel who represented the country at the Rome Olympics in 1960 had the distinction of winning the prestigious Tour de Lanka in four occasions. He initially won the race in 1960. Then he went on the complete a hat-trick of victories, by winning the tour de Lanka in 1965, 1966 and 1967.
Champion RCyAF Boxer LAC GAS Gunasinghe became the only Ceylonese Boxer to participate at the 8th Commonwealth Games in Jamaica in 1966. He represented country at the International contest against India and Pakistan in 1963 and won a Silver medal in the meet against Pakistan. He won a silver medal at Singapore Sports Festival held in August 1965.
The SLAF Soccer team was a leading soccer team in the country in 1970s and 1980s and won many major championships on offer. They won the FA Cup in 1975 and 1986 whilst producing champion players in the caliber of Mahinda Aluwihare, Sumith Walpola, Mahinda Palitha and Sampath Perera. In 1975, SLAF won the FA Cup under LAC Edmand Silva and Corporal SC Kapukotuwa led the team to victory in 1986.
Sergeant Wijaya Nimal Perera was an outstanding boxer produced by the SLAF. He won a Bronze Medal in Fly Weight Category at the 8th Asian Games in Thailand in 1978. He is the first SLAF athlete to have won a medal at the Asian Games. In 1974, Perera was selected as the Best Boxer at National Boxing Championship, Defence Service Boxing Meet, Clifford Cup, Layton Cup and Albert Perera Memorial Cup.
Sqn Ldr Susil Fernando became the first Test Cricketer to be produced by the SLAF, when he made his Test on the 4 March 1983 against New Zealand as the 17th Test player of the country. He represented the country in five Tests. Sqn Ldr Fernando made his ODI debut in 1983 and played in seven ODIs from 1983 to 1984. The highlight of his career was the representation of the country at the Cricket World Cup in 1983 held in England.
The finest moment of SLAF Rugby was the winning of Clifford Cup in 1986 under Corporal Lakshman Caldera beating a star-studded Police SC 10 -8. In the quarter-final, SLAF beat Navy SC 44 -10 and beat CH & FC 8-4 in the semi-final. A try in the extra time by Flying Officer Harsha Fernando helped Air Force SC to beat CH & FC after the scores stood at 4-all at full time. Air Force SC confronted the mighty Policemen in the final on 16 August 1986 and scored a sensational 10-8 win to clinch club rugby’s richest prize – the Clifford Cup. Second row forward Corporal Lofty Perera (jnr) scored the solitary try for the Airmen, while Corporal Tony Wimalasuriya fired across two penalties.
Group Captain TB Marmbe represents Sri Lanka Rugby Team at three Rugby Asiads and captained the national team at a match in Rugby Asiad in 1988
Group Captain Tikiri Marambe was one of the best Rugby players to represent SLAF. A Trinity Lion, he represented the national rugby team from 1982 to 1988 and captained the team against the Korea at the Rugby Asiad in 1988. Gp Capt Marambe represented Sri Lanka at three Rugby Asiad’s during the period and considered one of the finest scrum halves produced by the country.
Known as the Iron man in Rugby circles, Gp Capt Nalin de Silva represented the National Rugby team from 1982 to 1987 and was the Vice-Captain at the 8th Asian Rugby Asiad held in Singapore in 1982. He represented the National team at the Rugby Asiad held in Japan in 1984 and Tour to Wales in 1984. Gp Capt de Silva was a key member of National Sevens Team that won the “Bowl” Trophy at the Hong Kong 7s in 1984.
Nimali Liyanarchchi, the 800m and 1500m national champion brought immense glory to Sri Lanka and SLAF through her record breaking performances. During the seventh edition of the World Military Games, that was held in Wuhan, China in October 2019, Cpl Nimali Liyanarchchi won the Silver Medal in women’s 800m thus became the first Silver Medalist produced by the Sri Lanka Defence Services at the World Military Games.
At present, SLAF sports have reached greater heights under the sports loving Commander of the air Force Air Marshal Bandu Edirisinghe. In the capacity of the President Air Force Sports Council, he has given a tremendous boost to Air Force sports in the recent past.
Air Vice Marshal Padman De Costa
President
Volleyball and Beach Volleyball Committee of World Military Sports Council (CISM)
This series picks up from Bangladesh’s finest red-ball hour against arguably Pakistan’s bleakest one. Two years ago, Bangladesh came to Pakistan with six away Test wins in their history, and increased that tally by two in two weeks. Pakistan had never lost a Test to Bangladesh before that, but during late summer 2024 in Rawalpindi, a page turned in their cricketing relations.
This time around, the series takes place at an odd, off-kilter time. Neither side has played any Test cricket in six months, with Bangladesh’s last series a straightforward home wipeout of Ireland. Pakistan hosted South Africa in October, splitting the two Tests down the middle. This is the only red-ball international cricket Pakistan have played in 14 months.
Pakistan have filled that time going all in on T20 cricket, preparing for the recent T20 World Cup, before throwing themselves into a full PSL season. There will be just four days between the end of the PSL and the first day in Mirpur.
Bangladesh, meanwhile, have endured a more barren time. They refused to travel to India for the T20 World Cup and that has meant their only international cricket all year was an ODI series against Pakistan and New Zealand’s visit for a white-ball series [ODIs and T20Is]. Wins in all three mean they have a perfect record in international series in 2026 – a record that Pakistan will hope to put to a sterner test than they managed two years ago.
In 2024, Bangladesh’s seam attack outshone Pakistan’s, with Hasan Mahmud and Taskin Ahmed’s movement, and Nahid Rana’s rapid pace, causing more trouble than their Pakistani counterparts. If anything, Rana is in even better form, cutting Pakistan down in the sides’ ODI series, before shining in the recent PSL final for Zalmi, for which the BCB granted him special permission. Bangladesh’s four-man pace attack also includes Shoriful Islam and Ebadot Hossain, alongside Rana and Taskin, and could pose its own challenges against Pakistan.
Pakistan may hope the pitches allow a spin-bowling face-off instead. Soon after Bangladesh’s humbling of Pakistan in that 2024 series, Pakistan volte-faced from playing an all-seam attack in the first Test. Instead, their pitches assisted spin from ball one. To exploit that, Sajid Khan and Noman Ali have run riot on accommodating surfaces. If Mirpur offers assistance for the spinners, Pakistan will feel confident they have the personnel to go toe-to-toe with the hosts.
Mushfique Rahim struck a century in his 100th Test, against Ireland in November last year. He will take fresh guard against Pakistan, despite speculation about his impending retirement. Mushfiqur has resisted being pushed towards the end unless he wants to. His 191 against Pakistan in Rawalpindi was a testament to his hunger for runs, as was his celebration during this milestone 100th Test against Ireland. Mushfiqur remains a vital cog in the Bangladesh middle-order. Pakistan will be wary of him, particularly in Dhaka.
Sajid Khan has found his international opportunities limited to home Tests, but this wasn’t always the case. His first six Test matches all took place away from home, with his finest away moment coming in Bangladesh, at this very ground in Mirpur. With rain laying waste to the best part of three days of that Test, Sajid wrenched the game from the clutches of the weather. He took eight wickets in Bangladesh’s first innings, to bowl them out for 87, and narrowly force a follow-on. Four more in the second innings saw Bangladesh bowled out on the fifth evening, giving Pakistan a sensational innings win. This series is perhaps Sajid’s best chance to demonstrate he remains useful outside Pakistan.
Bangladesh are likely to bring in Taskin Ahmed and Nahid Rana in place of Khaled Ahmed and Hasan Murad, respectively. Shoriful Islam’s white-ball form would put pressure on Ebadot Hossain’s place.
Pakistan have been dealt a blow with Babar Azam* ruled out of the opening Test due to a left knee injury. His absence leaves a hole which is likely to be filled in by a debutant. The visitors will likely go in with two spinners in Sajid and Noman, which leaves them a choice of two of four fast bowlers. With Imam-ul-Haq back in the side, Pakistan are expected to hand a debut to one of Azan Awais and Abdullah Fazal at the top of the order.
Bangladesh (probable): Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana
Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Fazal/Azan Awais, Shan Masood (capt), Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Amad Butt, Shaheen Afridi, Noman Ali, Khurram Shahzad/Hasan Ali, Sajid Khan
[Cricinfo]
Lucknow Super Giants’ (LSG) much-vaunted pace attack applied the skids on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in a banana-peel clash at the Ekana Stadium. They successfully defended 219 in a rain-truncated 19-overs-a-side contest three nights after 228 didn’t seem anywhere enough against Mumbai Indians.
The orchestrator-in-chief was Mitchell Marsh, who converted his second fifty-plus score of the season into a peerless 56-ball 111, setting up the defence on a surface that offered pace, bounce and carry.
Then, Prince Yadav used these elements as his ally to bowl a ball to Virat Kohli that will perhaps make the top-five deliveries of the season. When RCB’s chase truly kicked into gear courtesy of Rajat Patidar, Prince returned to dismiss Devdutt Padikkal and Jitesh Sharma within five deliveries to turn the game around.
Patidar’s dismissal three balls later, to end a six-fest, all but sealed LSG’s third win in ten matches that keeps them alive mathematically. RCB remained third on 12 points, only a superior net run rate separating them from Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans.
He manifests playing a World Cup with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. On Thursday night, he bowled a ball that would make the tournament reel and get the selectors interested, if they weren’t already.
A nip-backer at high pace whooshed past Kohli’s inside edge to splay his stumps. It was Kohli’s first IPL duck since 2023. This left RCB 9 for 2 after they had lost Jacob Bethell cheaply for a fourth game on the trot.
Between finishing his second over and returning for his third, the 11th of RCB’s chase, Prince may have felt a sense of deja vu. Three weeks ago, he finished with 2 for 25 off his full quota in an innings where LSG conceded 254 against Punjab Kings. Here, Patidar threatened an incredible jailbreak as he tore into Mayank Yadav and Digvesh Rathi to pummel a 26-ball half-century.
Patidar was particularly ferocious against Rathi, hitting him for 23 off six deliveries. After some early trouble against Mayank’s high-pace, he returned the favour by nonchalantly whipping and pulling him for sixes. From 60 for 2 in seven overs, RCB ransacked 44 off the next three when Rishabh Pant summoned Prince for a third.
He began by dismissing Padikkal caught and bowled, having deceived him with a slower ball that stuck into the surface. Three balls later, he sent a ripper of a bouncer that had the woefully out-of-form Jitesh top-edge a pull to Pant. Prince now had figures of 3 for 21.
In only his second game of the season, Shahbaz Ahmed made a compelling case to start in the line-up for the rest of LSG’s campaign. He had Patidar in his first over, followed by David for a 17-ball 40 in his third, just when RCB looked like they were looking to pull off a heist. The equation came down to 33 off 12 when Krunal Pandya, promoted ahead of Romario Shepherd, hit Mohammed Shami for back-to-back sixes. With 20 needed off 6, Rathi held his nerve and conceded just one boundary as LSG won by nine runs to arrest a six-match losing streak.
Injuries forced a series of changes for LSG. Amidst a revolving door of openers – this was their fifth new pairing – Marsh has been a constant through the ten games. Thursday’s was only his second fifty-plus score of the season. He made a half-century off 20 balls, and a century off 49 balls – the fastest yet for LSG since their inception – to set the game up.
Where Marsh flew, his new opening partner Arshin Kulkarni struggled. LSG were 95 for 0 in nine overs when rain briefly stopped play. Marsh’s onslaught against his Australia mate Josh Hazlewood – lofted through the line for two sixes in his very first over – was particularly intriguing during that passage. Kulkarni went into the break amid chatter of being retired out, but he returned and fell second ball after the resumption when he hit Krunal straight to cover for 17 off 23.
Marsh’s battle against Hazlewood may have been box office, but his attack against the others wasn’t any less thrilling. He pounced on anything short from the spinners – Suyash Sharma and Krunal. Ninety of his 111 came off boundaries, and he galloped to the landmark when he hit Shepherd for three fours in his only over.
Pant then ensured the perfect finish with a cameo 32 off 10, with the last three balls of the innings, from Rasikh Dar, getting taken apart for 4, 4, 6. LSG hit 64 off their last five, which eventually made a massive difference to the end result.
Brief scores:
Lucknow Super Giants 209 for 3 in 19 overs (Mitchell Marsh 111, Arshin Kulkarni 17, Nicholas Pooran 38, Rishabh Pant 32*; Josh Hazlewood 1-49, Krunal Pandya 1-31, Rasikh Salam 1-53) beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru 203 for 6 in 19 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 34, Rajat Patidar 61, Tim David 40, Krunal Pandya 28*, Romario Shepherd 23*; Mohammed Shami 1-33, Prince Yadav 3-33, Shahbaz Ahmed 2-33) by nine runs
[Cricinfo]
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