Sports
Asalanka’s heroics power Sri Lanka to 49-run win over Australia
by Rex Clementine
Sri Lanka pulled off a stunning comeback against world champions Australia, clinching a 49-run victory at RPS yesterday. Defending a modest target of 215, the hosts bowled out the visitors for just 165 inside 34 overs, sealing a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
At the heart of Sri Lanka’s triumph was their talismanic captain Charith Asalanka, who played a captain’s knock for the ages, smashing a career-best 127 before chipping in with the crucial wicket of Alex Carey. It was a masterclass in leading from the front, an innings that turned the tide when his side was staring down the barrel.
Opting to bat first, Sri Lanka found themselves in dire straits at 133 for eight in the 33rd over, with Australia’s four-pronged pace attack running riot. The innings was in freefall and the hosts looked set to fold well below a par score. But Asalanka, cool as a cucumber under pressure, put on a match-defining 79-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Eshan Malinga, dragging Sri Lanka to a respectable 214 all out in 46 overs.
That partnership is a record for the ninth wicket at R. Premadasa Stadium, and how vital it turned out to be! Malinga may have contributed just one run, but his 26-ball vigil was priceless – he was the perfect foil, holding up an end while Asalanka farmed the strike, dictated terms, and took calculated risks.
Asalanka’s knock was a gem – full of grit, flair, and controlled aggression. He found the boundary at crucial moments, striking 14 fours and five sixes in his 127 off 126 balls. His ability to shield the tail and counterattack under pressure justified why he was named captain of the ICC ODI Team of the Year for 2024. His innings finally ended when he misread a Sean Abbott slower ball and holed out to deep midwicket, walking off to a standing ovation.
Chasing 215, Australia never really got going. Asitha Fernando set the tone early, dismissing both openers cheaply, before Sri Lanka’s spinners tightened the noose.
A pivotal moment came when Dunith Wellalage struck with his very first ball, cleaning up Steve Smith, the Australian skipper who had tormented Sri Lanka with back-to-back centuries in the Test series. This time, Smith misjudged a slog sweep and was castled before he had settled in – a huge breakthrough that sent the crowd into raptures.
From there, Sri Lanka’s bowlers kept applying the squeeze. Mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana was the pick of the lot, bamboozling the Aussie batters and finishing with four wickets. The visitors, missing key players Glenn Maxwell, Travis Head, and Josh Inglis, lacked the firepower to mount a serious challenge and folded meekly.
This victory was a shot in the arm for Sri Lanka, who had been mauled in the preceding Test series in Galle, including a crushing innings-and-242-run defeat – their heaviest in Test cricket. To bounce back so emphatically against the world champions was a statement performance, one that will inject confidence.
For Australia, this series is a crucial tune-up ahead of their Champions Trophy campaign in Pakistan next week, but they will be concerned by the way their batting collapsed under pressure.
by Reemus Fernando
Sri Lanka Athletics has invited India, the Philippines and the Maldives for next month’s Relay Championships conducted by Sri Lanka Schools Athletics Association in a bid to provide the men’s 4×400 metres relay quartet with a chance to reach qualifying standards for the World Relays.
Currently Sri Lanka men’s 4×400 metres relay team is within the required ranking position to compete at the prestigious World Relays taking place in Guangzhou, China. The 3:04.48 seconds finish to win the gold medal of the men’s 4×400 metres at the Asian Relays in May last year has placed Sri Lanka in the 31st position in the ‘Road to Guangzhou’ rankings.
But with many competitions coming up within the next couple of months Sri Lanka Athletics wants to leave no stone unturned in their quest to keep the ranking position within the qualifying range.
The teams in the first 32 positions according to the times produced within the qualifying period (January 1, 2024 to April 13, 2025) become eligible for the World Relays taking place on May 10 and 11 in Guangzhou.
Sri Lanka’s chances of improving the current standings (31st) at this week’s World Indoor Championship in China are minimal as Olympian Aruna Dharshana, who is the fastest of the current crop of athletes will not be available for the event.
Dharshana is currently training and competing in Australia. He is looking forward to reach qualifying standards or reach the required ranking position for World Championships in the 400 metres.
The World Athletics has set a tough standard of 44.85 seconds for the men’s 400 metres. While only 17 are selected through direct qualifying standards, 31 athletes are selected through rankings for the 400 metres. Dharshana is yet yo enter rankings to be eligible for the World Championships.
Sri Lanka Athletics will field Dharshana, Kalinga Kumarage, S.B.R. Madushan and Sadew Rajakaruna for the relay event in April.
Defence Services Beach Volleyball Championship 2025 was held from March 12 to 14 at the SLAF beach volleyball courts, Katunayake. During the finals SLAF Men’s team defeated SL Army (2-0) while the SL Navy Women’s team defeated SLAF Women’s team (2-0). Incidentally is the seventh Defence Services Beach Volleyball title won by the SLAF Men’s Team.
Base Commander SLAF Base Katunayake AVM Dhammika Dias graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Chairman of SLAF Volleyball, Group Captain Milinda Mendis, Senior Officers from SL Army and Navy were also present for the finals.
The Central Province Badminton Association (CPBA) is now accepting entries for one of Sri Lanka’s most anticipated badminton competitions, the Summer Season All-Island Open Championships 2025, which will be staged at the Municipal Council Indoor Stadium in Nuwara Eliya from April 21 to 27.
The highly followed seven-day annual badminton tournament, held during the Nuwara Eliya April Holiday Season, is known to attract Sri Lanka’s top ranked shuttlers. The National Ranking Level 1 competition, sanctioned by Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB), is one of the key sporting attractions of Nuwara Eliya during April every year, known to generate increasing public interest.
The championship will feature a wide range of events from Under-11 to Under-19 in the Junior category and Over-30 to Over-70 in the Senior category, with an addition of three Combined Age segment of 100+. The main attraction of the competition will be the Open events comprising Men’s and Women’s Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles, with an addition of a Plate Championship for the losers in Men’s and Women’s Singles.
The opening ceremony will take place on April 21st at 9:00am, followed by the preliminary rounds, leading up to the climax on April 26 with the quarter-finals and semi-finals. The excitement will continue on April 27 with the highly anticipated semi-finals and final matches, followed by the Closing Ceremony to mark the culmination of this championship.
The main draw seeding will be determined based on SLB Ranking as of April 13, followed by the draw on April 16 at 11:00am at No.2, Cambridge Terrace, Colombo 7. Entries will close on April 10 at noon. Entries can be submitted online or by contacting Sadeesha Adithya on 0761759017 and further details of the tournament are available in the prospectus published in the SLB website.
A total prize money of Rs.750,000 for all events based on the number of entries will be on offer, in addition to trophies, medals and certificates guaranteed for winners, runners-up and semi-finalists of each event of the tournament. Junior winners will receive appropriate gifts instead of prize money, according to a decision taken by the tournament organisers. The tournament is sponsored by Mobil, Li Ning, McFoil, 3M and GAC.
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