Sports
Denying junior team World Championship opportunity will have detrimental effect on sport
by Reemus Fernando
It is no easy task reaching qualifying standards for a global event conducted by World Athletics. The World Athletics qualifying standard for the just concluded Paris Olympics was so high that no Sri Lankan could reach direct qualifying standards. The three athletes who represented Sri Lanka accomplished the task by improving their world rankings.
This year Sri Lankan juniors created history as 12 athletes – the highest number ever- reached entry standards for the World Junior Championships to be held in Lima, Peru.
But with just days remaining for the start of the event their journey to Peru remains uncertain due to lack of funds.
Sri Lanka Athletics is among many national sports bodies heavily dependent on Sports Ministry funds for such journeys. The latter has informed the track and field governing body that they do not have funds to provide for the costly trip at the eleventh hour.
At a time when the magnificent achievement of the young athletes have to be appreciated and encouraged, it seems the sports ministry had turned their backs to the future athletes of country’s track and field sports.
Hundreds of school athletes train hard throughout the year to excell at junior national level and reach qualifying standards for top international level competitions. The twelve athletes and their coaches have not received much support from authorities thus far except for the technical guidance they have received from the sports governing body. But their hard work will help Sri Lanka make their presence felt at a global stage where some of the Paris Olympics participants too are set to compete.
Due to financial constraints sports and cultural activities are the areas the parents are least interested in encouraging their children to take part. On such a backdrop denying the Junior Team the opportunity to take part in the World Junior Championships is certain to have huge repercussions.
Incidentally, the Sports Ministry, which is claiming not to have funds has ventured into organizing a major sports event just after concluding their flagship event, the National Sports Festival spending a colossal amount of money.
It was not long ago the Asian Games medallist Tharushi Karunaratne gained her first global level exposure at the previous edition of the World Junior Championship in Cali. Karunaratne and co faced lot of odds before reaching Cali. However, the experience has stood her and fellow athletes in good stead. It is incumbent upon authorities to provide necessary facilities for the country’s future athletes to prosper in their field before they give up on athletics.
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.
Yuhansa Peiris is set to meet Aaraa Aasaal Azim of Maldives in the girls’ singles final after emerging victorious in the semi finals of the J30 ITF Junior Week 4 tournament continued in Colombo on Thursday.
She was the only Sri Lankan player reaching the finals as Ganuka Fernando was eliminated in the boys’ semi final.
Semi Final results
Girls
Yuhansa Peiris beat Aarioda of Japan 6-4, 6-1.
Aaraa Aasaal Azim of Maldives beat Chiu Kwan Nina Wang of Hong Kong 4-6, 6-2, 7-6
Asahi Yamazaki of Japan beat Ganuka Fernando 6-4, 1-6, 6-2
Kenshin Sato of Japan beat Eunho Park of Korea 6-3, 6-1
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