Sports
India downgrading Sri Lanka for two Tests; a wake-up call
by Rex Clementine
The Board of Control for Cricket in India announced their home fixtures for next year and Sri Lanka have been slotted in for a Test series. However, unlike three Tests that has been customary between the countries, this time around, India has reduced the series for just two Test matches.
Accordingly, Sri Lanka will play in Bangalore and Mohali early next year, the first time they will play in a southern state since 2005.
Interestingly, it seems that the big three – India, Australia and England – are now content in hosting Sri Lanka for two Tests only although all three nations have hosted the team for three Tests overs the years.
England and Australia, the founder members of the ICC, restricting Sri Lanka for two Tests is understandable but India’s stance will be a bitter pill to swallow for traditionally they have been Sri Lanka’s strongest ally.
It can be easily pinned down to Big Three wanting to engage in more games between them. This year alone, England and India have played eight Test matches (four in India and four in England) and a ninth Test in Manchester was cancelled due to fears of outbreak of COVID.
However, the fact that Sri Lanka have own problems to sort out cannot be ignored as the standard of our cricket has downgraded rapidly
The last time Sri Lanka beat one of the Big Three was back in 2016, against Australia. Since then, they have lost five Tests to England, four Tests to India and two to the Aussies. Into the bargain, both India and England have handed Sri Lanka 3-0 whitewashes in our own backyard.
There are few ways for Sri Lanka to win back the recognition and their dues. One of that is by improving their rankings. Currently, Sri Lanka are ranked eighth in Test match cricket while none of their players; batsmen, bowlers or all-rounders are ranked among the top ten. Basically, that sums up the story and status of our cricket.
India has been a huge pillar of strength over the years, bailing out Sri Lanka Cricket umpteen times. Whenever there has been a financial crunch at Maitland Place, it is not Dubai, Lord’s or Jolimont Street that our cricket bosses dial up but Bombay.
India have never said no and their tours have brought in millions in foreign exchange that help SLC to invest on the game.
In recent times however, instead of sending their full strength sides, India have sent their back up players; like when they won the Nidahas Trophy in 2018, a tournament in which Sri Lanka didn’t even reach the finals. Then, again early this year when Rahul Dravid magnanimously continued the series scratching the barrel when the Indian bubble was compromised and several players were down with COVID. Incidentally, India was fielding two teams at the same time. While Virat Kohli was leading their Test side in UK, Shikhar Dhawan was in Colombo skippering the white ball team.
India’s second string teams beating full strength Sri Lankan sides is no good sign and we have only ourselves to blame.
by Reemus Fernando
Sri Lanka Athletics has invited India, the Philippines and the Maldives for next month’s Relay Championships conducted by Sri Lanka Schools Athletics Association in a bid to provide the men’s 4×400 metres relay quartet with a chance to reach qualifying standards for the World Relays.
Currently Sri Lanka men’s 4×400 metres relay team is within the required ranking position to compete at the prestigious World Relays taking place in Guangzhou, China. The 3:04.48 seconds finish to win the gold medal of the men’s 4×400 metres at the Asian Relays in May last year has placed Sri Lanka in the 31st position in the ‘Road to Guangzhou’ rankings.
But with many competitions coming up within the next couple of months Sri Lanka Athletics wants to leave no stone unturned in their quest to keep the ranking position within the qualifying range.
The teams in the first 32 positions according to the times produced within the qualifying period (January 1, 2024 to April 13, 2025) become eligible for the World Relays taking place on May 10 and 11 in Guangzhou.
Sri Lanka’s chances of improving the current standings (31st) at this week’s World Indoor Championship in China are minimal as Olympian Aruna Dharshana, who is the fastest of the current crop of athletes will not be available for the event.
Dharshana is currently training and competing in Australia. He is looking forward to reach qualifying standards or reach the required ranking position for World Championships in the 400 metres.
The World Athletics has set a tough standard of 44.85 seconds for the men’s 400 metres. While only 17 are selected through direct qualifying standards, 31 athletes are selected through rankings for the 400 metres. Dharshana is yet yo enter rankings to be eligible for the World Championships.
Sri Lanka Athletics will field Dharshana, Kalinga Kumarage, S.B.R. Madushan and Sadew Rajakaruna for the relay event in April.
Defence Services Beach Volleyball Championship 2025 was held from March 12 to 14 at the SLAF beach volleyball courts, Katunayake. During the finals SLAF Men’s team defeated SL Army (2-0) while the SL Navy Women’s team defeated SLAF Women’s team (2-0). Incidentally is the seventh Defence Services Beach Volleyball title won by the SLAF Men’s Team.
Base Commander SLAF Base Katunayake AVM Dhammika Dias graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Chairman of SLAF Volleyball, Group Captain Milinda Mendis, Senior Officers from SL Army and Navy were also present for the finals.
The Central Province Badminton Association (CPBA) is now accepting entries for one of Sri Lanka’s most anticipated badminton competitions, the Summer Season All-Island Open Championships 2025, which will be staged at the Municipal Council Indoor Stadium in Nuwara Eliya from April 21 to 27.
The highly followed seven-day annual badminton tournament, held during the Nuwara Eliya April Holiday Season, is known to attract Sri Lanka’s top ranked shuttlers. The National Ranking Level 1 competition, sanctioned by Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB), is one of the key sporting attractions of Nuwara Eliya during April every year, known to generate increasing public interest.
The championship will feature a wide range of events from Under-11 to Under-19 in the Junior category and Over-30 to Over-70 in the Senior category, with an addition of three Combined Age segment of 100+. The main attraction of the competition will be the Open events comprising Men’s and Women’s Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles, with an addition of a Plate Championship for the losers in Men’s and Women’s Singles.
The opening ceremony will take place on April 21st at 9:00am, followed by the preliminary rounds, leading up to the climax on April 26 with the quarter-finals and semi-finals. The excitement will continue on April 27 with the highly anticipated semi-finals and final matches, followed by the Closing Ceremony to mark the culmination of this championship.
The main draw seeding will be determined based on SLB Ranking as of April 13, followed by the draw on April 16 at 11:00am at No.2, Cambridge Terrace, Colombo 7. Entries will close on April 10 at noon. Entries can be submitted online or by contacting Sadeesha Adithya on 0761759017 and further details of the tournament are available in the prospectus published in the SLB website.
A total prize money of Rs.750,000 for all events based on the number of entries will be on offer, in addition to trophies, medals and certificates guaranteed for winners, runners-up and semi-finalists of each event of the tournament. Junior winners will receive appropriate gifts instead of prize money, according to a decision taken by the tournament organisers. The tournament is sponsored by Mobil, Li Ning, McFoil, 3M and GAC.
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