Sports
From City of Joy to God’s own City
Rex Clementine in Trivandrum
The results have not gone their way true in the ODI leg of the tour of India and the series has been already lost while Sunday’s final game in Trivandrum is a dead rubber. But how well Sri Lanka’s bowlers fought back after a poor effort by the batters on Thursday.
Another 50 more runs would have done the deal. The efforts of young Dunith Wellalage need to be appreciated for his fighting knock which enabled Sri Lanka to give their bowlers something to bowl at. Then Lahiru Kumara was on the money generating good pace and troubling all batters. He should have played the first game too. Kumara will go for runs but he will also get you the much needed breakthroughs as batters won’t get away trying to thrash every ball during the Power Play.
At the moment Sri Lanka are following the blueprint of England of the 1990s who depended on too many all-rounders or in Sanjay Manjrekar’s words, ‘bits and pieces cricketers’. That’s not going to get you anywhere. If Dilshan Madushanka is declared fit for the final game both he and Kumara should play and we will be able to see what India will do against extra pace.
Trivandrum is in the state of Kerala. The city looks very much similar to Colombo. There are two airports in Kerala – Trivandrum and Kochi. It’s a four and half hour drive between the two cities. Kochi used to host international cricket but since 2017 Trivandrum is hosting games. Sri Lanka have never played a match in the state of Kerala.
Calcutta was short but sweet. Beef is something hard to find in India these days but Calcutta which is a multireligious city offers beef and pork in plenty. Beef after two weeks is like manna from heaven.
From City of Joy, which is how Calcutta is known, we are now heading to Trivandrum, popularly known as God’s own city.It’s only a short flight from Colombo. Someone suggested that you spend more time at the security at the airport and check-in rather than the actual flying time from Katunayake to Trivandrum.
The team travelled to Trivandrum in a chartered flight and it takes little over three hours. Direct flights from Calcutta to Trivandrum are expensive so reporters opt to travel via Bombay which is much cheaper but flying time of six hours and another three hours at airport security and changing terminals makes you exhausted. But God’s own city is a good experience and worth the trouble.
Gaby Lewis has been rested for Ireland’s upcoming T20I tri-series against Pakistan and West Indies at home in Clontarf as she recovers from a recent leg injury but has been named captain – for the first time at a global event – for the T20 World Cup in June-July in England.
Orla Prendergast, the vice-captain for the World Cup, will lead the side in the tri-series in Lewis’ absence. No vice-captain has been named for the tri-series.
In terms of ins and outs, Jane Maguire, the right-arm medium pacer, has been ruled out of contention with an injury, but her sister Aimee Maguire, the left-arm orthodox spinner, has returned from her own injury and has been included in both squads. Apart from the missing Lewis, there are no changes from the squad for the tri-series, which is a 14-member line-up, for the World Cup.
At the T20 World Cup, Ireland have been grouped with tournament hosts England, defending champions New Zealand, Scotland, Sri Lanka and past winners West Indies.
Ireland are ranked ninth in the format, ahead of only Scotland (11th) among the teams in their group, and will start their World Cup campaign on the second day of competition, against Scotland in Manchester.
Ireland were most recently in action at the T20 World Cup qualifiers played in Nepal in January-February this year, and finished second to Bangladesh.
Lewis’ fitness will be key for Ireland at the World Cup, with her being their top-ranked batter, currently at joint-14th on the ICC T20I rankings. She was also the top run getter at the qualifiers with 276 runs in seven innings, scoring her runs at a strike rate of 119.48.
Prendergast is the next best at No. 26, followed by Amy Hunter at No. 29. Prendergast is also the seventh-ranked allrounder in women’s T20Is.
Ireland squad for women’s T20 World Cup
Gaby Lewis (capt), Orla Prendergast (vice-capt), Ava Canning, Christina Coulter Reilly, Alana Dalzell, Laura Delany, Georgina Dempsey, Amy Hunter, Arlene Kelly, Louise Little, Aimee Maguire, Lara McBride, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Rebecca Stokell
Ireland squad for tri-series against Pakistan and West Indies
Orla Prendergast (capt), Ava Canning, Christina Coulter Reilly, Alana Dalzell, Laura Delany, Georgina Dempsey, Amy Hunter, Arlene Kelly, Louise Little, Aimee Maguire, Lara McBride, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Rebecca Stokell
[Cricinfo]
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has issued a statement approving the members nominated for the new Selection Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
The appointments have been made by the Sports Minister in accordance with the powers vested under Section 39 (1) of the Sports Law No. 25 of 1973 and the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2437/24 dated May 21, 2025.
The members of the new selection committee are:
Kapila Wijegunawardena – Chairman
Amal Silva – Member
Brendon Kuruppu – Member
Waruna Waragoda – Member
Vanessa De Silva – Member
PM meets academic experts from the British Council
Gaby Lewis to lead Ireland at T20 World Cup
PM meets Sri Lankan community living in London
Kapila Wijegunawardena to head SLC’s new selection committee
Afghanistan refugee women’s team set for England tour under ECB initiative
DR Congo cancels World Cup training camp over Ebola outbreak
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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