Sports
Laksiri, Issadeen win open men’s and women’s titles

Air Force Open PSA Satellite Squash Championship-2022
Reigning national champions Ravindu Laksiri and Fathoum Issadeen won the men’s and women’s titles of the Air Force Open PSA (Professional Squash Association) Satellite Squash Championship-2022 which concluded at the Squash Complex of Sri Lanka Air Force Base Ratmalana on Saturday.
Nine-time national champion Laksiri, who recently won his first PSA international tour, continued the good form to defeat Pakistan’s Farhan Zaman in the men’s final.
The tournament favorite, Farhan Zaman, a former world No. 47 and gold medalist at the South Asian Games 2016, was on his way to victory after taking the first two sets at scores of 11/7 and 11/9. However, Laksiri made a great effort to win the third set at 12-10 before continuing to win the next two sets at 13-11 and 11-6 to secure the Air Chief Marshal P H Mendis challenge trophy.
In the Women’s Open final, Yeheni Kuruppu from Visakha Vidyalaya battled against the three-time national champion Issadeen who could secure the Air Chief Marshal Harry Gunathilaka memorial trophy.
The finals of the Women’s Open and Men’s Open categories and the awards ceremony were live telecasted on Rupavahini Channel Eye. The occasion was graced by Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana as Chief Guest along with Chairman Air Force Squash, Group Captain Pujana Gunathilake, Secretary Air Force Sports Council and Vice President Sri Lanka Squash Federation as well as Organizing Committee Head of Sri Lanka Squash Tournaments, Group Captain Eranda Geegane, Secretary of Sri Lanka Squash Federation Eranga Alwis, Members of the Air Force Board of Management and other distinguished guests from Sri Lanka Air Force and Sri Lanka Squash.
Summary of results
Girls’ Under 13
1st Place –
Ifra Shasmin Booso (St. Paul’s Girls School Milagiriya)
2nd Place –
Punsara Nirushi Wickramasinghe (Anula Vidyalaya Nugegoda)
3rd Place –
Thedara Liyanage (Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya)
Boys’ Under 13
1st Place –
Manuth Sandira Dassanayake (Geteway International School)
2nd Place –
Linuka Silva (D.S Senanayake College)
3rd Place –
Thevan K Gunawardena (St Joseph College Maradana)
Girls’ Under 15
1st Place –
Punsara Nirushi Wickramasinghe (Anula Vidyalaya Nugegoda)
2nd Place –
Nethmi Wickramasinghe (Ladies College Colombo)
3rd Place –
Ifra Shasmin Booso (St. Paul’s Girls School Milagiriya)
Boys’ Under 15
1st Place –
Matheesha Wijesekara (Royal College Colombo)
2nd Place –
Bihandu Nanayakkara (Geteway International School)
3rd Place –
Tharul Pinwatta (Royal College Colombo)
Girls’ Under 17
1st Place –
Adhithi Gunasekera (Ladies College Colombo)
2nd Place –
Irudinithi Wood (Lindsay Balika Vidyalaya)
3rd Place –
Miyuni Misara Weerasinghe (Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya)
Boys’ Under 17
1st Place –
Matheesha Wijesekara (Royal College Colombo)
2nd Place –
Mohamed Rilwan (St Joseph’s College Maradana)
3rd Place –
Tharul Pinwatta (Royal College Colombo)
Girls’ Under 19
1st Place –
Chanithma Sinaly (Sirimawo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya)
2nd Place –
Irudinithi Wood (Lindsay Balika Vidyalaya)
3rd Place –
Anargi Perera (Visakha Vidyalaya)
Boys’ Under 19
1st Place –
Nevndu Lakman (D.S Senanayake College)
2nd Place –
Thinura Randina (Nalanda College Colombo)
3rd Place – Seniya Jayatilleke (Royal College Colombo)
Men’s Over 35
1st Place –
Leading Aircraftman DE Silva HAS (Sri Lanka Air Force)
2nd Place –
Staff Sergeant KG Prabath (Sri Lanka Army)
3rd Place –
Corporal Dissanayake DMR (Sri Lanka Army)
Men’s Over 40
1st Place –
Group Captain Eranda Geeganage (Sri Lanka Air Force)
2nd Place –
Fleet Chief Petty Officer ACC Kumara (Sri Lanka Navy)
3rd Place –
Commander WJS Fenando (Sri Lanka Navy)
Men’s Over 45
1st Place –
Abdul Cader
2nd Place –
Group Captain Duleep Hewavitharana (Sri Lanka Air Force)
3rd Place –
Colonel Kaminda Silva (Sri Lanka Army)
Veteran Over 50
1st Place –
Abdul Cader
2nd Place –
Mevan Rajeeve
3rd Place –
Air Commodore Upali Wijeweera (Retd – Sri Lanka Air Force)
Women’s Novices
1st Place –
Senuji Jayarathne (Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya)
2nd Place –
Dahami Peiris (Kotelawala Defence University)
3rd Place –
Sadini Rathnayake (Kotelawala Defence University)
Men’s Novices
1st Place –
Private Dilan AJAI (Sri Lanka Army)
2nd Place –
Private Rathnayaka RMSVP (Sri Lanka Army)
3rd Place –
Private T Supun Jayanath (Sri Lanka Army)
Men’s Plate
1st Place –
Lance Corporal Ekanayaka RMSLK (Sri Lanka Army)
2nd Place –
Leading Aircraftman Edirisinghe EAHM (Sri Lanka Air Force)
Womens’ Open
1st Place –
Fathoum Issadeen
2nd Place –
Yeheni Kuruppu
3rd Place –
Chanithma Sinaly (Sirimawo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya)
Men’s Open
1st Place –
Ravindu Laksiri
2nd Place –
Farhan Zaman (Pakistan Air Force)
3rd Place –
Shamil Wakeel
Latest News
Corbin Bosch served legal notice by PCB after late shift to IPL

Corbin Bosch has been served legal notice by the PCB, alleging breach of contractual obligations, after the South Africa allrounder signed for Mumbai Indians for IPL 2025, thus pulling out of PSL 2025.
This season is the first in which the PSL will be played concurrently with the IPL: The IPL will run from March 22 to May 25, and the PSL from April 11 to May 18. Bosch had been picked by Peshawar Zalmi, in the diamond category, at the PSL draft that was held in January. But on March 8, it was announced by Mumbai Indians that he would be replacing the injured Lizaad Williams in their squad.
The PSL franchises have been keen to take some sort of action on Bosch, as they are worried it could set a precedent for players signing up with the PSL but then switching to the IPL. The idea of an outright ban on such players has also been floated in informal discussions.
A PCB statement said: “The legal notice was served through his agent, and the player has been asked to justify his actions of withdrawing from his professional and contractual commitments. The PCB management has also outlined the repercussions of his departure from the league and expects his response within the stipulated time frame. The PCB will not make any further comments on the matter.”
The statement did not specify what the time frame was for Bosch to respond.
The PCB had shifted the PSL window with a view to improve the quality and availability of overseas players whom the league would be able to sign. When the PSL was in the February-March window, it also had to compete with the SA20, ILT20 and the BPL for players. ESPN Cricinfo had reported last year when the window was changed that holding the PSL draft after the IPL auction had also been discussed, to have greater clarity about the availability of overseas players for the league. Leading into this season, the IPL auction was held in November 2024 and the PSL draft in January 2025.
The PSL draft duly attracted a large number of high-profile players, including David Warner, Daryl Mitchell, Jason Holder, Rassie van der Dussen and Kane Williamson.
[Cricinfo]
Sports
Kandy smash Havelocks 50-24 before clinching league rugby title

By A Special Sports Correspondent
Kandy Sports Club crowned themselves as ‘Cup Championship’ winners in the inter-club league rugby tournament when they overcame their final hurdle by beating Havelocks Sports Club by 50 points to 24 at Nittawela last evening.
Kandy SC was anyway assured of the title this season before this final game of the season even began, given that they were unbeaten thus far in the league tournament. Kandy SC collected their points through seven tries, six conversions and a penalty while Havelocks Sports Club responded with a three converted tries and a penalty.
Kandy SC set the pace for the game from the kick off itself and recorded first half tries through Dinal Ekanayake, Srinath Sooriyabandara, Kenula Hettiarachchi and Dahan Wickremaarachchi and all four conversions were slotted in by Tharinda Ratwatte. Havelocks SC got most of their points in the first half through Sandesh Jayawickreme who scored a try and booted through a conversion. The penalty for the Park Club was kicked right by Samuel Maduwantha.
Kandy SC faced some resistance from Havies after the turn around, but the side from Nittawela found the try line by breaking through a barrage of tackles from the men wearing the pink and chocolate jerseys.
Dahan Wickremaarachchi started the ball rolling for Kandy with a try after the turn around which took the side’s score to 38 with the conversion. Havies played in patches thereafter and scored through Jayathu Rajaratne and Janidu Fernando. Jayawickreme was spot on with the conversions.
Kandy’s Ethen Schneider Loos smashed his way through for the side’s sixth try which was converted by Ratwatte. Kandy had the game in the bag despite Havies playing attacking rugby whenever they had possession. But the score line deference that Kandy maintained throughout the game made it hard for Havies to make a real comeback into the game.
The Nittwala side erupted in jubilation when Ekanayake punted ahead and sent crowd favourite Nigel Ratwatte for the seventh and final try. There was speculation throughout the game that this would be Nigel’s final game for the Kandy SC side. Surprisingly Tharinda missed the conversion.
At the awards presentation ceremony after the game, Kandy Sports Club’s Tharinda Ratwatte was named as the highest points scorer for the 2024/25 league rugby season. He has accumulated 139 points this season.
Havelocks Sports produced the highest try scorer for the season. That award went to Jayathu Rajaratne of Havies. He has had 16 touchdowns this season. Havelocks Sports Club had to be satisfied with the runners-up trophy at the awards presentation. Players from both sides including the coaching staff were presented with medals by the organisers of the tournament.
Meanwhile CR&FC did well in their last outing in the Cup Championship segment of the league tournament when they beat Air Force by 31 points to 16 at Longden Place.
In the two Plate Segment matches, Sri Lanka Navy beat Sri Lions by 41 points to 38 at Race Course.In the other match of the Plate segment, Police SC beat Army SC by 24 points to 17. The match was played at Police Park.
Sports
Sivarajan, Rasara win national cross country titles

Mutthusami Sivarajan and Rasara Wijesuriya won the men’s and women’s Cross Country Championships of the National Sports Festival conducted in Nuwara Eliya.
Sivarajan representing Central Province returned a time of 34 minutes and 21 seconds to finish ahead of Samantha Pushpakumara and Damith Hemantha Kumara.
In the women’s category, Wijesuriya from Eastern Province clocked 38 minutes and 41 seconds finish ahead of Madhushani Herath and Chamini Herath.
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