Sports

Home comforts, missed chances and a familiar coup culture

Published

3 months ago

2026/03/2

Young Pavan Rathnayake did not look like a newcomer during the World Cup and finished the campaign as the second highest run scorer.

If you are late for work and fancy beating every red light on Galle Road to clock in on time, you are chasing a mirage. Try the same stunt on Baseline Road and you will learn soon enough that Colombo traffic plays by its own rules. Sri Lanka’s World Cup campaign was much the same. When you are ranked eighth in the world and expect to waltz into the semi-finals, that is wishful thinking. And as the old saying goes, if wishes were horses, beggars would ride.

Reaching the Super Eight was no mean feat. Heavyweights like Australia were bundled out in the first round, while Afghanistan, tipped as dark horse, never quite got out of the paddock. On paper, Sri Lanka did what was expected of them. So why the hue and cry?

Because this was a home World Cup. England and New Zealand were served up on a silver platter in familiar conditions and Sri Lanka dropped the ball at the business end. Those were games there for the taking, matches where one nerveless knock could have turned the tide. Instead, they blinked. The final Super Eight clash against Pakistan, however, offered a glimpse of what this side can do when the pitch suits their armoury. On helpful tracks, they have begun to punch above their weight, trading blows with sides ranked well above them.

Yet the turbulence off the field continues to undo the good work on it. Perhaps it is time to think outside the box and appoint captains specifically for World Cups, leaders given a fixed tenure for the tournament cycle, empowered to plan without looking over their shoulders. Sri Lankan cricket has witnessed enough bloodless coups over the past 15 years to fill a political thriller.

In the past, it was established players, permanent fixtures in the XI, who engineered these power shifts when a younger man was handed the reins. Now the worrying trend is different. Even those unsure of their own places in the side are sharpening knives behind closed doors. That is a slippery slope and a dangerous precedent for a team trying to build a culture of accountability.

Not everything about this campaign was doom and gloom. Far from it. The fielding, for one, was razor sharp. Half-chances stuck, direct hits flew in like guided missiles and the athleticism in the ring saved crucial runs. For years this was Sri Lanka’s Achilles’ heel. Now it is fast becoming a strength, the result of sustained emphasis and hard graft behind the scenes.

Then there was young Pavan Rathnayake. Drafted into the squad barely a week before the tournament, the 23-year-old was expected to soak in the atmosphere and learn the ropes. Instead, he walked in at the deep end and swam like a seasoned pro. Rathnayake not only held the middle order together but finished as Sri Lanka’s second highest run-getter behind Pathum Nissanka, striking at over 150. He counter-punched spinners, found gaps with soft hands and cleared the ropes with fearless intent. It was a breakout campaign that left many wondering why he had been warming the benches for so long.

True, his domestic T20 numbers were hardly headline-grabbing. But selectors are paid to look beyond spreadsheets and see temperament, technique and ticker. Thank God Sri Lanka once had a man like Duleep Mendis backing a young Sanath Jayasuriya when the numbers did not stack up. Duleep saw the bigger picture and refused to lose faith.

by Rex Clementine

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Sports

Sri Lanka claim ODI series 1-0 after another washout in Kingston

Published

6 hours ago

2026/06/10

Sahan Weerasooriya

Kusal Mendis poses with the series trophy

For the second game running in Kingston, persistent rain forced an ODI between West Indies and Sri Lanka had to be abandoned without a ball being bowled. This one – the third and final ODI in this series at Sabina Park – meant Sri Lanka secured the trophy with a 1-0 margin, courtesy the 41-run victory they enjoyed in the series opener.

The umpires had several inspections, but after discussing with curators they decided that getting play started by the cut off of 8.02pm for a 20-over-shootout was almost impossible.

While the mood around both camps might be damp, both literally and metaphorically following two straight washouts, the outcome is still a landmark one for the visiting Lions. It is their first ODI-series victory in the Caribbean in 23 years – the last coming in 2003. A positive start for their newly appointed head coach Gary Kirsten and their new ODI captain Kusal Mendis, although they would’ve liked to have seen more in-game action from the players.

“Very happy to win the series, we did really well in that one game – in all three departments,” Mendis said. “There are not a lot of matches ahead of next year’s World Cup, happy with my first series victory as captain. Got support of the staff too.” He also praised the bowling unit.

For West Indies, the weather and the subsequent series result is undoubtedly a frustrating blow. Denied a chance to avenge their opening game defeat, it’s not only a first series loss at home in three years but, more critically, it’s a result that hinders their pursuit of vital ICC ranking points required for automatic, direct qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup.

West Indies, for now, remain in tenth place in the ODI rankings, just outside of the top eight qualifying spots. They have ODI series campaigns against New Zealand (World No. 2) and India (No. 1) coming up next.

“You can’t control mother nature,” Shai Hope said. “Credit just be given to the Sri Lankan team for the way they played in the first game. [T20I series next] We need to look ahead, understand conditions. Adaptability will be key in Jamaica. We’ve got some experience, hope to bounce back there.”

Both sides will rapidly shift focus to the shortest format as a three-match T20I series is scheduled to kick off on Thursday, June 11, with subsequent matches on June 13 and June 14.

However, the teams will not be changing hotels just yet; all three T20Is are slated to take place at the exact same venue in Kingston. With rain expected to be a presence across Jamaica over the coming week, groundstaff will have their work cut out for them to ensure the upcoming matches escape a similar watery fate. Those matches will all start at 7.30pm local time.

[Cricinfo]

Sports

Hirun, Menula steer Isipatana to five-wicket win over St. Benedict’s

Published

6 hours ago

2026/06/10

Sahan Weerasooriya

Isipatana College Colombo produced a disciplined all-round performance to register a comfortable five-wicket victory over St. Benedict’s College Kotahena in their Under-17 Division I cricket encounter at BRC ground on Tuesday.

‎Chasing a modest target of 165, Isipatana suffered an early setback when Hasindu Kethmina fell with only three runs on the board. However, Savain Wijewardana and Hirun Wattegedara steadied the innings with a valuable second-wicket stand.

‎Savain made 30 off 48 balls before being dismissed, while Hirun anchored the chase with a composed 66 off 104 deliveries that included three fours and two sixes. His knock laid the foundation for the successful run chase.

‎Menula Dambakumbur

අ played an aggressive innings of 47 from just 45 balls, striking three boundaries and a six. His partnership with Hirun carried Isipatana close to victory before both batters departed late in the innings.

‎Kumar Abishek remained unbeaten on 3 as Isipatana reached 165 for 5 in 36.4 overs, sealing victory with many overs to spare.

‎For St. Benedict’s, Thisum Perera was the most successful bowler with figures of 2 for 31 from 10 overs, while Paranthaman Rohinth, Sethun Perera and Theumika Perera claimed a wicket each.

‎Earlier, St. Benedict’s were bowled out for 164 in 47.1 overs despite a fighting half-century from Paranthaman Rohinth. Rohinth top-scored with 54 runs off 75 deliveries, striking five fours and a six, while Sethun Perera contributed 19 and Daham Premasiri added 19 lower down the order.

‎St. Benedict’s struggled to build substantial partnerships as wickets fell at regular intervals. Rohinth’s dismissal at 101 for 4 in the 29th over triggered a middle-order collapse, leaving the innings heavily dependent on contributions from the lower order.

‎Isipatana’s bowlers shared the workload effectively. Nithila Athukorala and Kumar Abishek claimed two wickets apiece, conceding just 21 and 19 runs respectively. Abiru Walpola also picked up two wickets, while Hirun Wattegedara, Hiruna Vidushan and Anuhas Pandithage chipped in with one wicket each.

Scores:

‎St. Benedict’s 164 all out in 47.1 overs

(Paranthaman Rohinth 54, Sethun Perera 19, Daham Premasiri 19; Nithila Athukorala 2/21, Kumar Abishek 2/19, Abiru Walpola 2/33).

‎Isipatana 165 for 5 in 36.4 overs (Hirun Wattegedara 66, Menula Dambakumbura 47, Savain Wijewardana 30; Thisum Perera 2/31).

‎In the other matches played on Tuesday, Kingswood beat St. Thomas’ Matale y seven wickets while St. Sebastian’s Katuneriya beat Maris Stella, Thimbirigaskatuwa by two wickets.

[RF]

Sports

44th Executive Committee to steer MCA in 2026/27

Published

6 hours ago

2026/06/10

Sahan Weerasooriya

The 44th Executive Committee of the Mercantile Cricket Association

Seated from left:

Lakmal de Silva [Exco Member] .Rohan Somawansa [Vice President], Thushan Amarasuriya [Senior Vice President] Sirosha Gunatilake [President ], Achintha Hewanayake [General Secretary], Tarinda Kaluperuma [Vice President] , Hasitha Dassanayake [Treasurer ]

Standing from left:

Samantha de Mel [Exco Member], Sajith Atapattu [Assistant Treasurer ], Ajith Siyambalapitiya [Assistant Secretary], Pramodth Fernando [Exco Member], Anil Hapugoda [Exco Member], Ashan Peris [Exco Member], Feroze Ahamed [Exco Member]

Founded in 1911 as the ‘Mercantile Cricket Competition’, the Mercantile Cricket Association (MCA) has evolved under the stewardship of distinguished cricketing personalities — from its first President, to Sirosha Gunatilake its 44th President and the 30th Sri Lankan to hold the post.

Over the years, the MCA has made significant investments in cricketing infrastructure to further the development of the sport across the country and continues to play a vital role in nurturing cricketing talent within the mercantile sector and beyond.

Today, the MCA is recognized as one of the foremost cricket-promoting associations in Sri Lanka and has served as a model for many of the tournament structures adopted by Sri Lanka Cricket.

The Association annually conducts seven major tournaments and more than 500 matches, including the Super Premier League to Rising Leagues, the Mercantile Six-a-Side Tournament, the Over-40 Sixes, T10 and T20 competitions, the MCA Inter Academy Invitational Tournament, and the MCA Ladies Sixes (Softball) Tournament, which was introduced to promote women’s cricket and encourage greater participation of ladies in hard-ball cricket.

The 44th Executive Committee that will steer Sri Lanka’s premier corporate cricket association through 2026 / 2027:

President

– Sirosha Gunatilake Managing Director, (Trendex Lanka (Pvt) Ltd)

Senior Vice President –

Thushan Amarasuriya Managing Director/ Executive Director, (Singer Sri Lanka PLC)

Vice Presidents-

Tarindra Kaluperuma Executive Director , (Stafford Motors Co. Ltd)

Rohan Somawansa Head of Marketing and Corporate Communication / Director (DSI Samson Group (Pvt). Ltd)

General Secretary

Achintha Hewanayake Director/CEO/President , (CL Synergy Limited)

Treasurer

Hasitha Dassanayake Chief Sales & Digital Business Officer, (Citizen Development Business Finance PLC)