Sports
Dialog powers SLC National Super League Limited over Tournament
Sri Lanka’s premier connectivity provider, Dialog Axiata PLC has come forth as the title sponsor for ‘Dialog – SLC National Super League’ Limited over Tournament which will be played on a standard 50 over format from January 24 to February 19.
The ‘Dialog – SLC National Super League’ will be broadcast LIVE on Dialog Television Channel 140 and will also be live streamed on SLC (Sri Lanka Cricket) YouTube Channel.
The five teams, ‘Kandy,’ skippered by Kamindu Mendis, ‘Colombo,’ skippered by Dasun Shanaka, ‘Jaffna,’ skippered by Dhananjaya De Silva and ‘Galle,’ skippered by Angelo Mathews, and ‘Dambulla,’ skippered by Ashan Priyanjan will be competing for top honours in the tournament. The Dialog – SLC NSL will be Sri Lanka’s ‘Elite Domestic Cricketing Competition,’ which, once in operation, will act as the primary competition for National Selections, and the country’s top 100 cricketers will be in action
The Dialog – SLC National Super League will see each team playing eight games in the initial round, whilst the top two teams will qualify for the finals to be played on February 19 at the picturesque Pallekelle International Cricket Stadium. The Tournament will be played in accordance with international standards, with the first game starting at 09.45 AM at parallel venues. The inaugural game of the league will take place between the Galle and Colombo at SSC and Jaffna and Dambulla at P Sara Oval.
The entry of Dialog Axiata PLC to power with the latest competition comes on the back of its long-standing partnership and much broader engagement with the SLC as the ‘Official Sponsor of the National Cricket Team.
“The Sri Lanka national and the junior national team have performed well in the past few outings and high intense tourneys such as the National Super League play a clear role in providing an excellent platform to discover and groom new talent that one will don the national journey,” Mohan de Silva, Honorary Secretary of Sri Lanka Cricket said.
“I take this opportunity to thank our partner Dialog Axiata for coming forward once again to power a major tournament such as the Dialog – SLC National Super League which will provide four weeks of excellent sporting action to Sri Lanka’s cricket loving spectators.”
“As the Official Sponsor of the National Cricket Team, we are pleased to have partnered with Sri Lanka Cricket to come forth as the title sponsor of the ‘Dialog – SLC National Super League,’ which would help identify fresh talent into the National pool ahead of the upcoming tournaments. I wish the ‘Dialog – SLC National Super League’ a successful tourney,” said Harsha Samaranayake, Senior General Manager – Brand and Media, Group Marketing, Dialog Axiata PLC.
Dialog Axiata is the official sponsor of the National Cricket team, and also the sponsors of volleyball and netball teams. The Company also has a close association with the President’s Gold Cup Volleyball, national junior and senior netball tourneys, beach volleyball, schools rugby, premier football, beach soccer, schools’ cricket, junior volleyball and Paralympic sports – whilst also powering the Army Para Games, National Para Games and the Sri Lanka contingent to the World Paralympic Games.
A record-breaking fourth-wicket partnership between skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto and seasoned campaigner Mushfiqur Rahim put Bangladesh firmly in the box seat at stumps on day one of the opening Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium on Tuesday.
The pair stitched together 247 runs – now the highest fourth-wicket stand for Bangladesh in Tests against Sri Lanka – steering the tourists to a commanding 292 for three at close after a wobbly start.
Having elected to bat first, Bangladesh were reeling at 45 for three when the duo came together. What followed was a gritty rescue act – a partnership built on sound temperament, clever shot selection and an unflinching resolve as they dug their team out of early trouble.
Mushfiqur, the most capped Test player in Bangladesh history with 97 appearances, silenced his critics with a timely ton. The veteran, under the pump after a lean patch spanning 13 innings without a half-century, rolled back the years with a knock of poise and purpose.
The 38-year-old has fond memories of Galle, having struck a monumental double hundred here in 2013 and once again turned tormentor-in-chief for the Sri Lankan bowlers. He did enjoy a slice of luck – a tough chance spilled by debutant Tharindu Ratnayake on 25 – but made it count, navigating a nervy passage in the 90s before scampering a quick single to notch up his 12th Test hundred.
Shanto, positive from the outset, kept the scoreboard ticking with deft footwork and a keen eye for the loose ball. He brought up his sixth Test century – and second against Sri Lanka – with a cheeky paddle sweep off Prabath Jayasuriya, marking his first ton since November 2023.
Earlier, Sri Lanka made early inroads with right-arm quick Asitha Fernando drawing first blood, removing opener Anamul Haque for a duck. Off-spinner Ratnayake, handed his Test cap on the back of a prolific domestic season, struck twice in quick succession – but once the Shanto-Mushfiqur duo got their eye in, it was one-way traffic.
Sri Lanka also handed a debut to opening batter Lahiru Udara, another domestic heavyweight, while the hosts paused before the start of play to felicitate retiring stalwart Angelo Mathews. The 38-year-old Mathews, playing his 119th and final Test, will hang up his boots with over 8,000 runs – behind only Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene in Sri Lanka’s all-time charts.
This Galle encounter marks the curtain-raiser of the new World Test Championship cycle – and by stumps on day one, Bangladesh have already made a strong statement of intent.
Rex Clementine in Galle
Sri Lanka commenced the Billie Jean King Cup Asia Oceania Group 3 campaign with a 3-0 victory over Qatar as Akesha Silva and Dinara de Silva won their singles and doubles encounters at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association clay courts on Tuesday.
In the first singles match, Akesha Silva beat Hind Ai Mudahka (Qatar) 6-3, 3-0 (Hind Al Mudahka retired) before Dinara de Silva beat Mubaraka Ai Naimi (Qatar) 6-3, 6-0 in the second singles match.
Akesha Silva
Dinara and Akesha then joined to beat Mubaraka Ai Naimi and Dana Khalifa 6-0, 7-5 in the doubles match.
Sri Lanka are set to meet Nepal today.
The four-day Junior National Athletics Championship concluded at Diyagama on Sunday. Here are some action pictures from the final day.
Chathushka Imesh (713), Pasindu Sandaruwan (697), and Shihan Nadeeshana (973) won the first, second and third places respectively in the Under 18 boys’ 100m final.
(Pix by Kamal Wanniarachchi)
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- Madushani Herath won the best athlete award in the Under 23 women’s category for her notable performance in the triple jump.
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- Dilni Rajapaksha established two new meet records in the Under 16 age category. Here she is competing in the triple jump
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- Mihinsa Hasarangi clinched gold in the Under 16 girls’ 100 metres
Rumesh Tharanga established a new meet
record in the Under 23 men’s javelin throw.
Mihisara Gunarathna (1232) won the Under 20 boys’ 1,500m.
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