Sports
Momentum with Dambulla but Jaffna remain favourites – Lanka Premier League 2021 – Qualifier 2
by Roscoe Thattil
Jaffna Kings have been the most consistent team throughout the LPL 2021but they found themselves wanting in the first qualifier when they were comprehensively beaten by the Galle Gladiators in Hamabantota. However, they will get a second chance to reach the final due to their consistency throughout the league phase as they meet Dambulla Giants in the second qualifier in Hambantota today(21).
The Giants played their perfect game in the eliminator against the Colombo Stars on Sunday as their bowlers were impressive once again in restricting the Stars to 145, before the young and upcoming Janith Liyanage steered the run chase with a classy unbeaten half century.
Phil Salt holds the key in the Giants top order while Liyanage will be expected to control the innings once again. The Giants have the power of skipper Dasun Shanaka, Afghanistan batter Najibullah Zadran, Chamika Karunaratne and Ramesh Mendis in the lower middle order and will want their top order to set a platform to launch later in the innings.
The wily old Imran Tahir has led from the front in the bowling department for the Giants and is likely to play a major role in the when he is called upon to bowl his quota of four overs. The ambidextrous Tharindu Ratnayake has also had a very good tournament picking up key scalps and given the captain the option of bowling both right-arm off spin or left-arm orthodox.
The Jaffna Kings conceded too many runs in qualifier 1 as Galle raced to 188 in their 20 overs with the former’s bowlers being taken to the cleaners. Kings skipper Thisara Perera promised a comeback and a much improved performance in qualifier 2 and there is none other than himself to lead his teams’ fight back.
The Kings struggled to adjust to the conditions in Hambantota after their success in Colombo during the league phase and are expected to make a couple of changes for this all important encounter.
Jaffna have been comfortable batting first and posting big totals but interestingly opted to field first in the first qualifier and might change their tactics when it comes to the toss this time around.
The winner of the qualifier 2 tonight will meet the Galle Gladiators in the grand finale on Thursday.
Probable XIs
Dambulla Giants:
Niroshan Dickwella(wk), Phil Salt, Janith Liyanage, Najibullah Zadran, Dasun Shanaka(c), Chamika Karunaratne, Ramesh Mendis, Tharindu Ratnayake, Josh Little, Imran Tahir, Nuwan Pradeep
Jaffna Kings:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz(wk), Avishka Fernando, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Shoaib Malik, Thisara Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chathuranga de Silva, Jayden Seales, Suranga Lakmal, Maheesha Theekshana
Delhi Capitals’ (DC) signing of Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizure Rahman for the remainder of IPL 2025 has hit a snag, with the BCB stating that it hasn’t been approached for a no-objection certificate (NOC).
Usually, the IPL only announces signings after a player has received an NOC from his home board. According to its CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury, however, the BCB had yet to receive a request for one.
“Mustafizur is supposed to go with the team to the UAE according to the schedule,” Chowdhury told ESPNcricinfo on Wednesday. “We have not received any communication from IPL officials. I have also not received any such official communication from Mustafizur either.”
Mustafizur is part of the Bangladesh T20I squad that is due to play back-to-back away T20I series against UAE and Pakistan, both of which clash with the IPL. On Wednesday, hours after the IPL announced his signing as a replacement for Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mustafizur flew out to Dubai with the rest of Bangladesh’s squad.
Bangladesh are due to play two T20Is in the UAE on May 17 and 19, followed by five in Pakistan on May 25, 27 and 30, and June 1 and 3. Those two series are in conflict with the IPL; DC are set to play their last three league matches on May 18, 21 and 24, followed by the playoffs should they get there.
ESPNcricinfo has sought a response from DC on this development.
[Cricinfo]
Sprinter Aruna Dharshana who is undergoing treatments for an injury he sustained during the World Relays, is racing against time to recover for the Asian Athletics Championships which will be held in South Korea later this month.
The 400 metres specialist is one of the two sprinters slated to compete in the one lap race. He is also a key member of the men’s 4×400 metres and 4×400 metres mixed relays alongside Kalinga Kumarage.
“Currently Dharshana is undergoing treatments. We are hopeful that he will recover in time for the Asian Championships,” Dharshana’s coach Asanka Rajakaruna told ‘The Island’.
“Sri Lanka Athletics will conduct a fitness test before the Asian Championships. Hopefully he will be ready by that time,” said Rajakaruna.
Sri Lanka Athletics earlier said that a fitness test will be held to assess the strength of the 20 strong team selected for the biennial event.
Sri Lanka fielded only a mixed relay team for the recently held World Relays in Guangzhou, China where an injury to Dharshana cost them a chance to achieve a top performance and a probable ticket to the World Championships in Tokyo later this year.
Sri Lanka won a historic gold medal in the men’s 4×400 metres at the last edition of the Asian Athletics Championship in Bangkok Thailand where the team inclusive of Dharshana beat India to the second place with a new championship record time of 03:01.56 seconds.
Kalinga Kumarage who did the anchor leg and Dharshana are the only members from that gold winning team selected for the upcoming event.
Dharshana is the only Sri Lankan athlete to have clocked sub 45 seconds in the 400 metres after legendary Sugath Thilakaratne.
Dharshana and Kumarage hold the second and third places respectively in the list of fastest times achieved in the 400 metres by Sri Lankan athletes. Dharshana has a personal best of 44.99 seconds achieved during the last Olympic games.
by Reemus Fernando
110th Colombo Championships
Dinara de Silva bagged her second title of the Colombo Championships as she partnered Inuki Jayaweera to record straight sets victory in the women’s doubles final played at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association clay courts on Wednesday.
Dinara and Inuki beat Venuli Jayasinghe and Sandithi Usgodaarachchi 6-2, 6-3 in the doubles final.
Incidentally, it was the second title of the tournament for both Dinara and Inuki.
While Dinara won the women’s singles and doubles titles, Inuki was the winner of the mixed doubles and the women’s doubles.
Women’s doubles results
Semi-finals
Dinara de Silva and Inuki Jayaweera beat Dulkini Ranasinghe and Tania Doloswala 6-3, 6-2
Venuli Jayasinghe and Sandithi Usgodaarachchi beat Bovindee Imihamy and Siyara Devappriya 6-3, 6-0.
Quarter-finals
Venuli Jayasinghe and S. Usgodaarachchi beat Tuvini de Alwis and Hasali Gajaba 6-4, 5-7, 10-3.
Dinara de Silva and Inuki Jayaweera beat Nimasha Shehara and Arushi Thomas 6-1, 6-3.
Dulkini Ranasinghe and Tania Doloswala beat Diyansa de Silva and Lihini Jayakody 4-6, 6-3, 10-6.
Bovindee Imihamy and Siyara Devappriya received a walkover from Gehansa Methnadi and Akeesha Silva.
Second lot of luxury and decommissioned vehicles owned by the Presidential Secretariat sold
President approves establishment of Anti-Corruption Investigation Units in Provincial Councils and LG Institutions
Seven new envoys to Sri Lanka present credentials to the President
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