Sports
Losing the focus for rugby in South Korea
By a Special Sports Correspondent
Sri Lanka’s sports have been disgraced of recent due to unpardonable events that took place in Australia and South Korea. First we got to hear about cricketer Dhanuhska Gunatilake’s issue where it’s alleged that he sexually assaulted a woman in Australia. In the incident that took place in South Korea a few days later the captain of the Sri Lanka women’s national rugby team went missing after the final day of matches.
Gunathilake’s incident is now being contested in a court of law and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is standing firm beside the player and offering him all the legal support to clear himself from the challenges he faces.
But where the female rugby player is concerned a national player going missing while on national duty amounts to a breach of trust or responsibility. Why? Because taking the players overseas for a tournament is a big investment from the side of SLR; hence the need for all the players to return home after the national assignment concludes.
This writer remembers a former Sri Lankan swimming champion being told very firmly by the Australian Embassy officials when he went to get his passport authorized that having returned to Sri Lanka during previous tours ‘down under’ was nothing to brag about. “You must return to Sri Lanka after your assignment in Australia and don’t consider it an achievement to return to base just because people do decamp” the official had underscored.
The player who went missing must understand that SLR invests on players when they pay for their training, book air tickets and incur other expenses when assembling a team to contest an overseas tournament. Most national players in the past have come from less affluent backgrounds and earned a better life through sport. Didn’t this female rugby player see this path?
Her incident could be the first of its kind where a Sri Lankan rugby player, regardless of being male or female and belonging to any age group or team going missing abroad after the completion of a tournament.
SLR is yet to release a comprehensive statement regarding this female player. The news associated with her is more about this player going missing and certainly not decamping. We also read in the media that the team management had lodged a complaint with the South Korean Police about the player going missing.
It’s interesting to find out the thoughts that preoccupied her mind during the tour because she had played in the matches and later showed up at a press conference after her team lost in the ‘Plate’ Championship final. Hence we are made to understand that she was in a good frame of mind to carry herself in public as a national ‘sportstar’ even after the tournament. That also meant she also wanted to be part of the team and be associated with the rest of the team members after the games. That also points out to the player having a sense of belonging. Where did she go wrong then?
There is one hitch though. Sri Lanka this time around contested under the National Olympic Committee flag and not the country’s flag. This was because Asia Rugby has suspended SLR. It’s interesting to locate the female player and inquire whether she had feelings of representing the country?
This is not the first time that Sri Lankan sports personalities have gone missing while touring abroad. We remember the great cyclist Boniface Perera decamping on his way back from an overseas assignment. Some of the other sports which are associated with decamping incidents- featuring Sri Lankan players- in the past are wrestling, boxing, beach volleyball and judo. Then there was that infamous incident when an entire handball team from Sri Lanka went missing after contesting a tournament in Germany. The Sri Lankan players did decamp when the economic situation back home was much healthier compared to what it is at present.
Sportsmen and women not only here but elsewhere in the world love fantasy. There are so many of them who have worked hard at junior level and earned their passage to immigrate on their performances alone. There are many examples of sports stars moving away from their fantasies and embracing reality later on. All over the world great performances at sport at junior level facilitates the legal immigration process. One such great champion was body builder Arnold Schwarzenegger who emigrated from Austria and settled down in America; going to be seven time winner of the most prestigious physique contest the Mr. Olympia. He also became the Governor of California.
When the rugby teams from Sri Lanka went to Incheon, South Korea there was a huge goal set for the men’s team; which was to finish among the top four. The Sri Lanka men’s team finished fourth after losing in the Cup semi-finals and then contesting the 3rd place playoff against Philippines. In that last match the Sri Lankans lost badly with a score of 7 points against 24 by the opponents. We really don’t know what goal the management had set for the women players compared to the male players. Most of these male players are club players back home and have contracts with clubs which offer them a monthly remuneration during the domestic league, knockout and ‘sevens’ tournaments. The men’s league rugby tournament is about to kick off and it’s safe to think that the male players were eager to get back home. But what can we say about the female rugby players? What is the future they have in a Sri Lankan rugby set-up where they get such little exposure as featuring in an annual domestic sevens tournament and an appearance or two at the annual Asian Sevens Series? A few of these players might have lucrative contracts with forces teams, but does that talk much compared to the exposure that Sri Lankan men’s players get here and abroad? This female players is also from a country where its economy has crashed. Did the circumstances put the impetus on Sri Lanka women’s captain to go missing in South Korea and later seek employment; South Korea being a country where many of her country’s men and women have come before her to seek greener pastures and have something to show for their trouble and effort.
Only time will produce answers to these questions. This jolting incident has taken place when Sri Lanka is preparing for the final leg of the same Asian Sevens Rugby Series-this time in Dubai-and the upcoming domestic league rugby tournament.
AUSTRALIA
For the first time since 2017, Australia do not have global silverware to defend, with last year’s ODI World Cup semi-final exit following the relinquishing of the T20 title in 2024 after a hat-trick of trophies. They have a new captain, too, in Sophie Molineux who has taken over from the retired Alyssa Healy butAl has had a tricky start to her job due to a back injury.
Having been beaten at home by India in February, it’s a vital few weeks for the side to reaffirm their standing at the top of the tree. However, they find themselves in the group of death with one of them, India and South Africa unable to make the semi-finals.
While Healy has retired, the core of the squad remains very familiar although the call-up of left-arm quick Lucy Hamilton hints at the new generation. There is no shortage of spin options, so much so that Alana King may struggle to find a place in the XI despite recently being the Player of the Series in West Indies.
Squad: Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Georgia Voll, Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Annabel Sutherland, Grace Harris, Nicola Carey, Sophie Molinuex (capt), Georgia Wareham, Alana King, Kim Garth, Megan Schutt, Lucy Hamilton
Player to watch
Even before Healy’s retirement, injuries had prevented her playing T20Is since the last World Cup so Georgia Voll has had a decent run to establish herself at the top of the order. She has taken it with both hands. In 12 matches Voll is averaging 39.50 with a strike-rate of 156.43 – while the sample size remains small, that’s the highest figure of anyone with at least 400 runs in T20Is.
She made her mark against New Zealand last year, then enjoyed an impressive start to 2026 with 88 against India in Canberra before a breakout century in West Indies, her batting characterised by power down the ground. It feels as though she is already at the stage where she can star in a global event.
Predicted finish: Finalists
BANGLADESH
Player to watch
Pace bowler Marufa Akter could relish the conditions in England, particularly given her ability to swing the ball at decent speeds. An on-song Marufa is a delightful sight for those who love to see the ball seam and shape towards the batters. She has taken eleven wickets in as many matches this year, while maintaining a good economy rate.
But she has little support in terms of pace from the other end. Bangladesh have left-arm seamer Fariha Islam and Ritu Moni’s slow-medium pace. As a result, Marufa has to do most of the attacking in the powerplay, and then return to bowl pinpoint yorkers and slower balls at the death.
Predicted finish: Group stage
INDIA
India enter the T20 World Cup with the tag of ODI champions. However, their form heading into this tournament has been a little iffy. In the last six months, they won at home against Sri Lanka and away against Australia but lost both the away series against South Africa (4-1) and England (2-1).
The three match series against England showed their inclination to have the returning Yastika Bhatia batting at No. 3, which meant Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur occupied Nos. 4 and 5. Bhatia was the leading run-getter in the series with 119 runs but her strike rate (126.79) was the lowest among the top-five scorers.
Injuries to Amanjot Kaur and Kashvee Gautam mean India’s combination leans towards a five-bowler strategy with Shafali Verma’s part-time offspin as the addition. India’s familiarity with English conditions – they also toured England in 2025 with wins in each of the white-ball series – means they head into the T20 World Cup with some confidence.
Squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana (vice-capt), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Kranti Gaud, Shree Charani, Shreyanka Patil, Bharti Fulmali, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Nandani Sharma, Radha Yadav
Player to watch
Smriti Mandhana is the lynchpin of this India team, and their fortunes will hinge on her. This is evidenced by the fact that she was India’s leading run-getter in last year’s ODI World Cup which they won. She also led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their second WPL title earlier in the year, while topping the batting charts.
She is not just among the most experienced players in the Indian team but has the advantage of knowing conditions in the UK, thanks to her regular presence in the Kia Super League and the Hundred.
Predicted finish: Semi-finalists
NETHERLANDS
Netherlands will be at their first-ever women’s T20 World Cup (Cricinfo)
Everybody loves a newcomer, and this edition of the T20 World Cup welcomes Netherlands. They secured their spot at the qualifying tournament, where they finished in fourth place and beat the last tournament debutants, Scotland, along the way.
Though cricket is a minority sport in the country, it continues to punch above its weight and history provides plenty of reasons to regard the Dutch as plucky. In 2009, their men’s team made their first T20 World Cup appearance and beat England at Lord’s. In 2023, they were the only Associate nation to play at the men’s ODI World Cup. The women don’t have England in their group but take on heavyweights Australia, India – both for the first time – and South Africa, along with Bangladesh and Pakistan.
In personnel terms, Netherlands have four players with more than 1,000 runs in the format – Sterre Kalis, Babette de Leede, Robine Rijke and Silver Siegers – and they’re all in this squad. Iris Zwilling, their leading seamer, is two wickets away from 100. This will also be a swansong for coach Neil MacRae, who will hand over the reins to former Leicestershire, Namibia and Titans’ women’s coach Pierre de Bruyn on August 1.
Squad: Babette de Leede (capt), Caroline de Lange, Frederique Overdijk, Hannah Landheer, Heather Siegers, Iris Zwilling, Isabel van der Woning, Lara Leemhuis, Myrthe van den Raad, Phebe Molkenboer, Robine Rijke, Rosalie Lawrence (wk), Sanya Khurana, Silver Siegers, Sterre Kalis
Player to watch
Not only is Sterre Kallis their leading run-scorer in T20Is, but she has significant experience playing in England, across the domestic system and in the Hundred. Most recently, Kalis scored three fifties in the ECB Women’s One-Day Cup where she is the sixth leading run scorer.
Kalis has also played at the WBBL and will be able to provide her team-mates with inside information into a side they have never come across before. Along with Babette de Leede, who has experience playing in South Africa, Kalis will headline the batters as the Dutch look to show what they can do against some of the world’s best bowlers.
Predicted Finish One group stage upset and that’s where it will end.
PAKISTAN
As the women’s game develops at pace in many places around the world, there’s a sense Pakistan are struggling to keep up and this tournament could be a litmus test. Not only have their own board’s plans to develop a franchise T20 tournament akin to the men’s PSL stuttered then stopped entirely but, for reasons including geopolitics, their players have almost no exposure to major leagues. The consequences speak for themselves: Pakistan have won only one T20I series in the last two-and-a-half years and that was against women’s FTP newcomers Zimbabwe in May, and won one match in each of the last four editions of the T20 World Cup.
Though they are stacked with talent and have a well-resourced support staff, consistent results and major success are lacking. At an expanded tournament, their first aim will be to show they are a cut above the qualifiers and then to see if they can take some big names along the way. They’ll be hopeful of having their premier seamer, Diana Baig, for the entire tournament after she was injured during the 2024 event and will need their big hitters: Gull Feroza, Eyman Fatima and Natalia Pervaiz to come good to have a successful event.
Squad: Fatima Sana (capt), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Eyman Fatima, Gull Feroza, Iram Javed, Muneeba Ali (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Pervaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadia Iqbal, Saira Jabeen, Tasmia Rubab, Tuba Hassan
Key Player
Pakistan’s dynamic captain, Fatima Sana captured hearts when she had to leave the previous T20 World Cup after the sudden death of her father but then returned to lead thesa side in their final game. Though she earned much goodwill, she was unable to take Pakistan out of the group stage and was criticised for batting too low. Sana remains at No.6 but has had a remarkable 2026 so far, which has included scoring the fastest fifty in women’s T20Is, off 15 balls, and striking at over 200. Combine that with her new-ball bowling skills and the responsibility she carries as skipper, and it’s clear she is key to their chances.
Predicted Finish: Group Stage
SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa have done everything but win a World Cup recently – they have reached the last three finals across white-ball formats – so every cricketing conversation in the country is about when they will take the next step. Pressure? What pressure?
While they may face plenty of it from a home base hungry for its first senior white-ball World Cup, South Africa routinely find themselves spoken about behind the big three. That means they may feel less of the spotlight in England, where the home nation has hearts aflutter and other eyes are directed towards the big two in their group. Six-time champions Australia and current ODI World Cup title-holders India stand in South Africa’s path to the semis and the smart money could be on that pair but… South Africa beat India 4-1 in a pre-tournament series at home and knocked Australia out of the last tournament so they’ll back themselves to rise above the reputations they face.
They selected their strongest possible squad, which includes two former captains (Dane van Niekerk and Sune Luus), six seamers, five spinners, two wicketkeepers and a well-set top seven. On paper, they have all the ingredients. In practice, they need to cook.
Squad: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Shabnim Ismail, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Suné Luus, Karabo Meso (wk), Nonkululeko Mlaba, Kayla Reyneke, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloé Tryon, Dané van Niekerk
Player to watch
It’s hard to look past Laura Wolvaardt, who was the leading run-scorer at the last three ICC events, including two T20 World Cups, as being crucial to South Africa’s chances but they’ve also put their faith in reverse-retiree Shabnim Ismail. At 37, Ismail has not been an active international for over three years but is the leading seamer in league cricket and lost none of the aggression that made her so intimidating to face.
Predicted Finish: Ch… we’d never touch the money.
(Cricinfo)
Masters double international Rajiva Wijetunge, who participated in his 100th athletics meet, made it a memorable one by winning gold for Shot Put and silver for Discus Throw in the 65 – 69 age category at the Singapore Masters Athletics Meet conducted at the Home of Athletics Stadium, Kallang Singapore over the weekend. With the gold and the sliver madals won by Rajiva, his international medals tally stands at 34 on his 67th birthday today (June 08).
The ITF J30 Week 2 Junior Tennis Tournament concluded at the SSC Courts on Sunday with Sri Lanka’s rising stars Dinara de Silva and Aahil Kaleel emerging as the girls’ and boys’ singles champions respectively.
The St. Bridget’s Convent, Colombo player produced a commanding performance in the girls’ singles final, defeating fellow Sri Lankan Yuhansa Peiris 4-1, 4-1 to secure the title. The victory marked another significant achievement for one of the country’s leading junior players.
According to family sources, the tournament is expected to be Dinara’s final ITF Junior event on Sri Lankan soil, making the title triumph a memorable farewell appearance before she turns her attention to competitions abroad.
In the boys’ singles final, S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia player Aahil Kaleel battled back strongly to defeat India’s Chauhan Shiok 4-5, 4-0, 10-6 in an entertaining contest. After narrowly losing the opening set, Aahil dominated the second set before holding his nerve in the match tie-break to clinch the championship.
The victory was historic for Aahil, who became the first Sri Lankan player in 14 years to win the boys’ singles title at an ITF Junior tournament held in Sri Lanka. The last local player to achieve the feat was Shamal Dissanayake, who captured the title in 2012.
Adding further significance to the double success, both Dinara and Aahil train under the guidance of the Dineshkanthan Tennis School, highlighting the academy’s growing contribution to the development of Sri Lankan junior tennis.
The tournament concluded on a positive note for Sri Lanka, with local players claiming both singles titles and demonstrating the promising future of the country’s next generation of tennis talent.
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