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Avishka – Asalanka barrage trumps Kusal Perera’s ton

Published

2 years ago

2024/07/3

Priyan

Kusal Perera celebrates his maiden T20 hundred [SLC]

A 134 run fourth wicket partnership between Avishka Fernado and Charith Asalanka eclipsed Kusal Perera’s 52 ball 102 to help Jaffna Kings defeat Dambulla Sixers by four wickets in a last ball thriller.

Brief scores:
Dambulla Sixers 191/2 in 20 overs [Kusal Perera 102, Nuwanidu Fernando 40, Mark Chapman 33*; Dhananjaya de Silva 2-25] lost to Jaffna Kings 197/6 in 20 overs [Pathum Nissanka 27, Avishka Fernando 80, Charith Asalanka 50; Nuwan Thushara 2-34, Mustafizur Rahman 2-30, Mohammad Nabi 1-20] by four wickets

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Vulnerable Sri Lanka present Ireland opportunity for an upset

Published

4 mins ago

2026/02/8

Priyan

Dunith Wellalage and Maheesh Theekshana will support Wanindu Hasaranga [Cricinfo]

There was a time when Sri Lanka were among the most consistent T20I sides. Between 2009 and 2014, they made the semi-finals of four successive T20 World Cups. But since then, they haven’t qualified for the knockouts even once.

This time, they are the co-hosts. But that may not be a huge advantage. Their captain Dasun Shanaka isn’t happy with the Sri Lankan pitches, which he feels are too slow for T20 cricket. At the R Premadasa Stadium, where they start their campaign and later play against Zimbabwe, their win-loss record in T20Is is 8-24 – the worst among the four home venues. Having recently been swept 3-0 at home by England, their confidence may not be high either.

So, can Ireland, their opponents today [Sunday], take advantage of that? At the 2024 T20 World Cup, Ireland had failed to win even one match. But they come into this edition on the back of two series wins, albeit against Italy and UAE but in Dubai, where the conditions might not have been too different from what they will get in Sri Lanka. If they are to qualify for the Super Eights, they will have to beat at least one of Sri Lanka and Australia.

Pathum Nissanka, Sri Lanka’s leading run-getter in T20Is, has a career strike rate of only 127.25. But don’t get fooled by that. In the last couple of years, he has really upped his game. Since the start of 2025, he has scored 717 runs at a strike rate of 147.22 . He also scored his maiden T20I hundred during this period: 107 off 58 balls against India in the Asia Cup. Sri Lanka will need more blazing starts from him at the World Cup.

Just like Nissanka, Ireland captain Paul Stirling is the leading run-scorer for his team. But unlike Nissanka, he hasn’t been in great form. Since 2025, he has scored only 233 runs in 14 T20Is, at an average of 19.41, a strike rate of 133.14 and a best of 45. Can he find his mojo and lead by example?

Sri Lanka may decide to go in with an extra batter, possibly in the form of Janith Liyanage. But the nature of the pitch will decide that. Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka, and Pavan Rathnayake are also competing for two spots.

Sri Lanka (probable): Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Pavan Rathnayake/Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis/Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana

Josh Little is the only Ireland player to have played in the IPL, but given his recent struggles with form and fitness, he is not assured of a spot in the first XI.

Ireland (probable): Paul Stirling (capt), Ross Adair, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Curtis Campher, Ben Calitz, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy/Josh Little, Matthew Humphreys

[Cricinfo]

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Suryakumar’s unbeaten 84 helps India overcome USA scare

Published

17 mins ago

2026/02/8

Priyan

Suryakumar Yadav gave India a big finish [Cricinfo]

The shortest official format of the game, T20, it turns out, is long enough to build someone up and then break their hearts. USA were the third team on the opening day of the T20 World Cup 2026 to threaten an upset, reducing India’s much-feared batting to 46 for 4 and 77 for 6, but met the same fate as Netherlands and Scotland. Suryakumar Yadav – dropped on 17 off 15 – scored a masterful 84 not out off 49 to give India plenty to defend on a surface where the ball gripped enough to make shot-making fraught.

Suryakumar scored 48 off the last 18 balls he faced, including 21 off the last over, dragging seven deliveries from wide outside off to the leg-side boundary, often ending up on his back after completing the shot. The bowlers, led by the early strikes from Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh, never let the chase get going to ensure the lowest successful defence in a T20I at Wankhede Stadium.

The moment USA asked the clearest of favourites in any T20 World Cup to bat first, talk revolved around 300. Not without reason: India have crossed 250 three times since the last World Cup, and here they were on a generally true batting surface, a small playing field and an Associate team to take on.

USA began with square leg and sweeper cover as the two men outside the ring. Abhishek Sharma, the best T20I batter in the world, fell for a golden duck to deep cover. Shadley van Schalkwyk then took three wickets in the last over of the powerplay: Ishan Kishan to a slower full ball, Tilak Varma to a quick short ball and Shivam Dube for another golden duck to a slower short ball. Perhaps because of extra grass and moisture in order to have the square last the tournament, the pitch just had a bit of grip to make these wickets possible.

Grandson of Vasant Ranjane who played seven Tests for India, Shubnam Ranjane played his last match for Mumbai under the captaincy of Suryakumar. Now an international for USA, he started off the night at former home ground with a dive to save four runs. Then he dropped Kishan for not much damage. When he started bowling, he created a return chance from his former captain, but put it down by his shoe laces.

A tall and quick legspinner, Mohammad Mohsin kept the choke hold in the middle overs. Not having conceded a single boundary in the first 15 balls, he created a long-on catch from Rinku Singh. Harmeet Singh, another former Mumbai player, then got the current Mumbai Indians captain, Hardik Pandya, caught at deep cover, again the ball stopping on him.

Once Harmeet got Axar Patel caught at deep midwicket to make it 118 for 7 in the 17th over, two things were clear. That even a tall left-hand batter was struggling to time left-arm spinners, which meant India had a chance. And that Suryakumar still had work to do.

Just as India started to open up, Ali Khan – two overs for 13 runs – injured himself while diving. Ranjane took up the bowling job, bowled well and then injured himself diving in his followthrough. Suryakumar then took full toll of the 20th over, bowled by Netravalkar, who now holds the record for most runs conceded in a T20 World Cup match: 65.

Siraj was not supposed to be a part of this World Cup. Then Harshit Rana injured himself in the warm-up fixture against South Africa. He still wasn’t supposed to be in the XI, but Jasprit Bumrah fell sick. On he came, playing a T20I for the first time in two years, and took a wicket fourth ball, sending back the big-hitting Andries Gous. Arshdeep Singh, who set the tone with no runs off the bat in the first over, got stuck in with the wicket of Monank Patel. Siraj made it three similar wickets when he had Saiteja Mukkamalla caught at short midwicket. All three were mistimed slightly because of the slowness of the pitch.

With no dew around, Varun Charavarthy and Axar proved to be too good for USA on this surface. A period of 22 balls without a boundary was broken by a six by Milind Kumar, but Varun soon had him stumped. Sanjay Krishnamurthi hung in, brought the equation down to 62 off the last five overs, but Axar ended the fight with two wickets in two balls.

Brief scores:
India 161 for 9 in 20 overs (Isshan Kishan 20, Tilak Varma 25, Suryakumar Yadav 84*, Axar Patel 14; Ali Khan 1-13, Shadley van Schalkwyk 4-25, Mohammed Mohsin 1-16, Harmeet Singh 2-26) beat USA 132 for 8 in 20 overs (Milind Kumar 34, Shubham Ranjane 37, Sanjay Krishnamurthi 37; Mohammed Siraj 3-29, Arshdeep Singh 2-18, Varun Chakravrthy 1-24, Axar Patel 2-24) by 29 runs

Ali Khan celebrates USA’s first wicket [Cricinfo]

[Cricinfo]

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US wants Russia and Ukraine to end war by June, says Zelensky

Published

7 hours ago

2026/02/7

Priyan

A fire broke out at a warehouse in the city of Yahotyn as a result of a Russian drone strike [BBC]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says the US wants the war with Russia to end by June, adding that both sides had been invited to the US for talks next week.

“America proposed for the first time that the two negotiating teams – Ukraine and Russia – meet in the United States of America, probably in Miami, in a week. We confirmed our participation,” he said.

There was no immediate comment from Washington or Moscow, but US President Donald Trump has been pushing for an end for the conflict since he took office again more than a year ago.

Meanwhile, Russia has continued its attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure – causing further widespread blackouts during freezing conditions.

In comments released on Saturday, Zelensky told reporters about what had taken place during the second round of US-brokered peace talks in Abu Dhabi, which ended on Friday with no reports of a breakthrough.

Zelensky said “difficult issues remained difficult”, including territorial concessions that Ukraine is under pressure to make.

He said the parties discussed, for the first time, the possibility of a trilateral meeting between leaders, not simply representatives, but cautioned that “preparatory elements are needed for this”.

Asked whether a time frame had been given for an agreement, the Ukrainian leader replied: “The Americans say that they want to do everything by June.

“Why before this summer?” he added. “We understand that their domestic issues in the US will have an impact.” These issues include the November midterm elections, which could affect the balance of power in the US government.

As the diplomacy continues, so too are Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy facilities.

“Russian criminals carried out another massive attack on Ukraine’s energy facilities,” Ukraine’s energy minister, Denys Shmyhal, wrote on Telegram.

Substations, which control the flow of electricity, and overhead power lines that “form the backbone of Ukraine’s power grid” were targeted, Shmyhal said. Power plants were also struck.

Ukraine’s state-owned energy operator, Ukrenergo, said “the power deficit in the power system of Ukraine significantly increased” as a result of the latest attacks.

Shmyhal said neighbouring Poland had been asked for emergency power supplies.

Zelensky wrote on social media that Friday night’s attack involved more than 400 drones and 40 missiles. Air-defence systems intercepted most, but not all, of them, the Ukrainian military said.

“The main targets were the energy grid, generation facilities, and distribution substations,” he said, adding that damage had been reported in at least four regions.

In the western region of Lviv, the Dobrotvir power plant came under attack, leaving thousands of people without electricity, according to the regional head, Maksym Kozytskyi.

At least 6,000 people were without power as a result of hourly power outage schedules, he added.