Sports
Bimsara, Jithma bag best athlete awards at Western Province Schools Games
Dharmapala College, Pannipitiya hurdler Pawan Bimsara and Lyceum International sprinter Jithma Wijetunga won the best athlete awards at the Western Province Schools Games Athletics Championship held at Diyagama.
The outstanding 13.9 seconds feat to win the Under 18 boys’ 110m hurdles title earned Bimsara the coveted award.
Jithma was the winner of both the 200metres and the 400metres. From the time she clocked 54.5 seconds to win the Under 20 girls’ 400 metres on day three of the event she was the clear favourite for the award.
Bimsara had a remarkable start to the year winning the Junior National title with a record-breaking 14.08 seconds feat in the Under 18 boys’ 110m hurdles in June. “What was achieved at the Western Province Meet was a continuation of the good start at the Junior National Championship,” Dulip Dushmantha, who has trained many athletes of Dharmapala to reach national level told the ‘Sunday Island’.
Jithma shattered the meet records in winning the two sprint events. It was all anticipated following her podium place at the senior National Athletics Championship. She clocked 24.1 seconds to win the Under 20 girls’ 200 metres before bagging the 400 metres title and the record.
Lyceum’s Dhananjana Fernando who excelled in the Under 18 girls’ 200 metres with a 24.0 seconds finish was adjudged the best athlete in her age category.
In the Under 20 boys’ category, Chethiya Dodanduwa’s 2.10 metres high jump performance was the standout performance.
St. Joseph’s College, Darley Road thrower Mayon Rajasinghe had a remarkable outing winning both the shot put and the javelin throw. He was adjudged the best athlete for his record breaking feat in the (16.44m) shot put. In the corresponding girls’ category Sanuli Methlini’s long jump performance of 5.51metres was the best.
Bens and Lyceum win boys’ and girls’ championships
The four-day championship saw fierce competition between St. Benedict’s and Maris Stella, Negombo for the boys’ overall championship which the former won by just one point. They aggregated 169 against the 168 won by Maris Stella Negombo. While Lyceum Wattala were third with 133 points, Maris Stella Thimbirigaskatuwa made their presence felt aggregating 121 points to secure a creditable fourth place finish.
In the girls’ category there was hardly any challange for Lyceum Wattala. They collected 342 points against the 97 points aggregated by Ave Maria Convent Negombo. While Dharmapala College, Pannipitiya were in the third place with 75 points.Gateway Rajagiriya were placed fourth with 69 points.For the fifth consecutive year Western Province Education authorities failed to award medals at the meet.
by Reemus Fernando ✍️
Oman have suffered three heavy defeats to Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, and Ireland at the 2026 T20 World Cup, and had been thumped by Australia the only other time these two teams met, at the 2024 edition. But captain Jatinder Singh says his team sees their final match of this tournament as an opportunity to surprise a wounded Australia team.
Australia have nothing to gain from the match against Oman in Pallekele on Friday, aside from preserving some pride. Perhaps the gloom around the Australia camp will give Oman an opening. In fact it might be “the best time to crush them”.
“One hundred percent this is an opportunity,” Jatinder said. “And our boys are looking forward to it. Because T20 is a game of momentum and the moments, and if you play those moments right, you can do anything on that particular day. Australia is not doing well at the moment… it is the best time to crush them.
“The boys are really positive. They are looking forward to the match against Australia to make their mark.”
On how to make Oman more competitive in the long term, Jatinder believed franchise cricket opportunities for Oman players could be one route. Oman did not have a heavy cricket schedule in 2025, playing only 15 T20Is that year in addition to eight ODIs.
“Well if I have to sum up how Oman can improve, it would be if we have the franchise cricket happening in the country or our guys get a chance to play franchise cricket elsewhere,” Jatinder said. “I think we can fill that gap and they can bring vast amount of experience for our national team.
“But if we don’t get to play competitive cricket, whereas other teams are getting to play the competitive cricket, we will need to fill that gap. There have been instances where we’ve been inviting the teams to come and play in Oman. The response has been really delayed, or we don’t get any response. So I think if we have the franchise cricket, that would really fill the gap.”
[Cricinfo]
Oman made a couple of changes in the last two fixtures without success. Shakeel Ahmed went in and out of the side in the three games, but picked three wickets against Ireland and should keep his place. Jatinder might look at giving top-order batter Karan Sonavale another go.
[Cricbuzz]
Zimbabwe marched into the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup with the swagger of a side that refuses to read the script, completing the group phase unbeaten after a polished six-wicket win over co-hosts Sri Lanka at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium on Thursday.
Ranked 11th in the world, the African side have been the tournament’s disruptors-in-chief. Having already sent former champions Australia packing last week, they now added 2014 winners Sri Lanka to their growing list of scalps, underlining that this is no flash in the pan but a team riding a serious wave of momentum.
Chasing 179 on a surface that demanded both muscle and method, Zimbabwe found themselves at crossroads when 65 were needed off the last 36 balls. Enter Sikandar Raza, sleeves rolled up and eyes locked in.
The all-rounder flipped the contest on its head in one decisive over from Dushan Hemantha, plundering 20 runs with two towering sixes and a rasping boundary. In the blink of an eye, the asking rate dipped and Sri Lanka’s shoulders sagged.
Raza and Brian Bennett stitched together a match-defining 69 off 40 deliveries for the third wicket, mixing clean ball-striking with smart running between the wickets. Zimbabwe crossed the line with three balls to spare.
While Raza provided the late fireworks with 45 off 26 balls, peppered with two fours and four sixes, opener Bennett was the glue that held the innings together. His composed 63 off 48 deliveries, studded with eight fours, ensured Zimbabwe never lost sight of the target.
Even when Raza departed with 13 still required from two overs, Sri Lanka sensed a sniff. But Tony Munyonga calmly clubbed Maheesh Theekshana’s first delivery of the final over into the stands, draining the tension from the contest. Fittingly, Bennett sealed the deal with the winning boundary. Raza was named Man of the Match.
It was Zimbabwe’s second-highest successful run chase in T20Is.
Earlier, after opting to bat, Sri Lanka were once again anchored by Pathum Nissanka. Fresh from becoming the tournament’s first centurion earlier in the week, Nissanka produced a polished 62 off 47 balls, bringing up his seventh T20 World Cup half-century, equalling Mahela Jayawardene’s record for the most by a Sri Lankan.
He and Kusal Perera gave the innings early impetus with a brisk 54 off 30 balls for the opening stand before Nissanka added a further 46 in 43 deliveries alongside Kusal Mendis.
Pavan Rathnayake provided the late thrust, clearing the ropes twice in a 44 off 25 balls as Sri Lanka posted a competitive 178.
Zimbabwe’s bowlers, however, ensured it was a chaseable target rather than a daunting one. Veteran leg-spinner Graeme Cremer led the way with 2-27, applying the squeeze in the middle overs, while the towering Blessing Muzarabani struck twice to finish with 2-38.
Sri Lanka now turn their attention to a Super Eight showdown against England in Kandy on Sunday, a contest that promises high stakes and little margin for error. Zimbabwe, brimming with belief, head to Bombay to face the West Indies on Monday, no longer the underdogs but a side that has earned its place at the top table.
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