Latest News
Madushka, Mathews, Dhananjaya find form but England Lions close in
N8shan Madushka, Angelo Mathews and captain Dhananjaya de Silva found form with half-centuries but Sri Lanka are facing a defeat to an inexperienced England Lions team at New Road.
Trailing by 185 runs on first innings, Sri Lanka were bowled out in 87.1 overs on the third day of their tour match in Worcester. After Dimuth Karunaratne top-scored with just 26 on the opening day, Madushka, Mathews and Dhananjaya registered Sri Lanka’s first three half-centuries of the tour as they racked up a total of 306.
But that left the Lions a target of just 122 to win, and they made a dent into the requirement on the third evening. Ben McKinney, the Durham opener, made 20 off nine balls – hitting three fours and a six – and the Lions need only 75 more runs for victory heading into the fourth day, with eight wickets in hand.
Offspinner Farhan Ahmed, the 16-year-old younger brother of England legspinner Rehan, was the most successful bowler for the Lions, taking 3 for 87 from his 29 overs and dismissing Madushka, Mathews and Sadeera Samarawickrama, who made 25. Seamers Josh Hull, Zaman Akhter and Lyndon James took two wickets apiece.
Dhananjaya took two wickets in two balls in the third over of the Lions’ run chase, knocking back McKinney’s leg stump and having Ollie Price caught at slip on the reverse-sweep. But the Warwickshire pair Rob Yates and Hamza Shaikh saw the Lions through to the close, and will have the opportunity to take them home on Saturday morning.
The tour match is Sri Lanka’s only match practice before the first of three Tests against England starts in Manchester on Wednesday. This is their first Test tour to England since they lost a three-match series 2-0 in 2016.
Brief scores:
England Lions 324 and 47 for 2 need 75 more runs to beat Sri Lanka 139 and 306 (Nishan Madushka 77, Dhananjaya 66, Angelo Mathews 51)
(Cricinfo)
Ali Khan the USA fast bowler of Pakistan origin, has claimed in a caption to a story on Instagram that he has been “denied” an Indian visa. USA are scheduled to play India in Mumbai on February 7, the opening day of the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Khan, who is currently in Colombo for a USA training camp, posted on Tuesday without giving any further details. ESPNcricinfo has approached the USA team manager for comment.
USA are yet to announce their squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup but it is expected the final 15 will be chosen from the 18 that are at the camp in Sri Lanka. It is understood that the squad will be picked by the USA coaching group, while the team administration and logistics are being overseen by the ICC, which took charge following the suspension of USA Cricket late last year.
Khan, 35, is one of three USA players of Pakistan origin currently at the camp in Colombo; Ehsan Adil – who has played three Tests for Pakistan – and Mohammad Mohsin are the other two. The ICC has made no official comment on the situation but is understood to be trying to facilitate the matter and is confident it will be resolved.
A number of associate teams in the tournament – Oman, UAE and Italy – will be looking on with interest, given their squads are likely to include a number of players of Pakistan origin, or with Pakistani nationality.
ESPNcricinfo understands that England’s two squad members of Pakistan heritage, Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed, are both still awaiting their visas. While the matter is expected to be resolved in time for the tournament, their situation is complicated by the need to apply in-person. Rehan is currently in Australia at the BBL, while Rashid is in Dubai.
Last September, the ICC had informed all participating teams that securing visas to India and Sri Lanka, the co-hosts of the T20 World Cup, would be the responsibility of the respective boards but it would facilitate paperwork if needed. In the case of USA, with the suspension of USAC, that responsibility would lie with the ICC.
Worsening diplomatic and political ties between India and Pakistan have made visas an complicated issue in recent years, even for players who are nationals of other countries. England’s Shoaib Bashir and Saqib Mahmood had faced delays in obtaining visas but were granted them eventually, as was the case with Australia’s Usman Khawaja. The visas for the Pakistan team were also delayed ahead of their travel to India for the 2023 ODI World Cup.
USA, who got a direct entry for the 2026 T20 World Cup after making the Super Eights stage in the 2024 tournament, are scheduled to play three of their four group A matches in India. Their first match is against defending champions India on the opening day (February 7) of the T20 World Cup in Mumbai, followed by Pakistan in Colombo (February 10) and then two matches in Chennai – against Netherlands (February 13) and Namibia (February 15).
[Cricinfo]
At least 28 people have been killed after a construction crane fell on top of a moving train carriage at around 09:00 local time (02:00 GMT)
According to official records, the train, which was carrying at least 195 people, had set off from Bangkok and was headed to Ubon Ratchathani province. After it had departed from Nong Nam Khun station in Nakhon Ratchasima province was about to reach the next station, it was struck by a falling construction crane.
The crane had been working on a high-speed rail project linking Thailand and China.
The impact caused one train carriage to derail and another to catch fire.
The disaster left at least 80 people injured, the youngest just one year old One survivor, a train staff member, recalled how he and the other passengers were thrown into the air after the crane fell on the vehicle
The governor of the State Railway of Thailand has been ordered to “thoroughly and comprehensively” investigate the cause of the accident
[BBC]
United States President Donald Trump says he has cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials and has told protesters to “take over your institutions” amid Tehran’s crackdown.
In a social media post on Tuesday, Trump said that “help is on the way” without offering further details. Trump has openly contemplated ordering military attacks on Iran over the last several days.
“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,” Trump said on his website, Truth Social. “I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!! [MAGA]”
Trump has threatened Iran with military strikes in the past as a means of pressuring Tehran into greater alignment with US demands, and has said during the last week that a harsh response by Iranian authorities to the country’s protesters could result in US attacks.
The US president announced on Monday that any country doing business with Iran would be subject to a 25 percent tariff. On Tuesday, the State Department issued an alert saying US citizens should “leave Iran now” amid the rising tensions.
[Aljazeera]
Showery condition over the island is expected to reduce from tomorrow (15th)
USA’s Ali Khan claims having been ‘denied’ India visa ahead of T20 World Cup
At least 28 dead as crane collapses onto train in Thailand
Fair weather will prevail except for a few showers in the Uva, Eastern, Western and Central provinces and in Galle, Matara and Rathnapura districts
Trump cancels US-Iran meetings, urges protesters to take over institutions
Govt. bows to pressure, shelves Grade 6 reforms
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
Business4 days agoDialog and UnionPay International Join Forces to Elevate Sri Lanka’s Digital Payment Landscape
-
News4 days agoSajith: Ashoka Chakra replaces Dharmachakra in Buddhism textbook
-
Features4 days agoThe Paradox of Trump Power: Contested Authoritarian at Home, Uncontested Bully Abroad
-
Features4 days agoSubject:Whatever happened to (my) three million dollars?
-
News4 days agoLevel I landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Badulla, Kandy, Matale and Nuwara-Eliya extended
-
Business20 hours agoNew policy framework for stock market deposits seen as a boon for companies
-
Opinion6 days agoThe minstrel monk and Rafiki, the old mandrill in The Lion King – II
-
News4 days ago65 withdrawn cases re-filed by Govt, PM tells Parliament