An excellent all-round show from Sri Lanka in the field, backed up by Vishmi Gunaratne’s steady half-century, helped Sri Lanka start their Women’s Asia Cup 2024 in style as they beat Bangladesh by seven wickets in Dambulla.
After Bangladesh elected to bat, everything that could have gone wrong for them did as they lost four wickets inside the powerplay. It needed captain Nigar Sultana playing an anchor role and some lower-order hitting from Shorna Akter who smashed 25 off 14 balls, to take Bangladesh to 111 for 8.
In the chase, Sri Lanka lost their captain Chamari Athapaththu early, but as they have shown time and again this year, they are no longer a one-woman team. Gunaratne, who is having a stellar 2024, continued her excellent form and smashed her third T20I half-century, all three coming this year. She got good support from Harshitha Samarawickrama as Sri Lanka got over the line with 17 balls to spare. That meant Bangladesh’s winless run in T20Is in 2024 extended to nine.
It started on a bright note for Bangladesh with Dilara Akter lofting Udeshika Prabodhani for a straight four first ball. But, it all went downhill from there. Two balls later Prabodhani went fuller, getting the ball to tail back and leaving Dilara’s stumps in a mess. The very next ball she had Rubya Haider chipping a drive meekly to the right of cover-point where Nilakshika Silva took an excellent catch running back and diving sideways.
Ishma Tanjim’s debut lasted all of three balls when she gave a simple catch to backward point off Inoshi Priyadharshani . In just nine balls, Bangladesh had slipped to 8 for 3 which soon became 17 for 4 in the sixth over courtesy of a stunning return catch from Priyadharshani. Ritu Moni jumped down the track and smashed a length ball hard to Priyadharshani’s right. But she stretched her right hand to grab the ball and kept hold of it even when her elbow hit the turf. Moni was left flabbergasted as Bangladesh’s powerplay ended on 18 for 4.
The responsibility to take Bangladesh forward was on Nigar’s shoulders. She started slow, her first 18 balls yielded only six runs. Bangladesh reached 46 for 4 after ten overs and the pressure brought about Shorifa Khatun’s downfall. Athapaththu, sensing her willingness to break the shackles, kept a length ball slow on off stump. Shorifa took the bait eyeing an across-the-line hack only to see her off stump disturbed.
Rabeya Khan got off the mark with a four but was soon sent back trapped plumb in front of the stumps by Sugandika Kumari for 10. At 67 for 6 after 15, Bangladesh’s chances of reaching 100 looked bleak.
Bangladesh finally got the momentum they so dearly required, via 17-year-old Shorna’s blade. She first thrashed Priyadharshani through midwicket before slog-sweeping Athapaththu for four more. Shorna then struck Kavisha Dilhari for three back-to-back fours taking Bangladesh close to 100. Her attempt at a fourth boundary, however, failed with Silva taking another good catch, this time at long-on.
Nigar kept things going at the other end. Bangladesh reached 100 in the 19th over before Nigar struck two fours off Prabodhani in the 20th. Bangladesh added 44 runs in the last five overs, but 111 against an in-form Sri Lanka unit was never going to be enough.
Sri Lanka’s over-reliance on Athapaththu has often cost them dearly in the past. But Gunaratne kept a calm head after her captain fell early. Athapaththu started with a six over deep midwicket but failed to clear long-on soon after against Nahida Akter. .
Gunaratne, however, kept Sri Lanka on track. She got going with a four over mid-off and then whacked Marufa wide of long-on. Gunaratne collected five fours in the three overs after the powerplay as Sri Lanka sped towards the target. The highlight of her innings was her running between the wickets. When the boundaries didn’t come, she tapped and ran.
She got good support from Samarawickrama. The duo added 54 off 48 balls for the second wicket and did not let Bangladesh into the game at any stage. Gunaratne brought up her fifty with a reverse sweep, a shot she played seven times during her innings.
By the time she fell for 51 off 48, cleaned up by Nahida, Sri Lanka needed just 26 from 37 balls. Samarawickrama then took up the mantle and she and Dilhari struck three fours in a Shorna over to bring the target down to single digits before Dilhari finished the chase with a four over mid-off.
For Bangladesh, Nahida picked up all three wickets to fall, ending with 3 for 12 from her four overs.
Brief scores: Sri Lanka Women 114 for 3 in 17.1 overs (Vishmi Gunaratne 51, Harshitha Samarawickrama 33; Nahida Akter 3-12) beat Bangladesh Women 111 for 8 in 20 overs (Nigar Sultana 48*, Shorna Akter 25; Inoshi Priyadharshani 2-17, Udeshika Prabodhani 2-20, Sugandie Kumari 1-19, Kavisha Dilhari 1-28, Chamari Athapaththu 1-16) by seven wickets
Thousands took to the streets across the US on Saturday to protest over recent actions by President Donald Trump.
Known as “50501”, for “50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement”, the demonstrations were intended to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolutionary War.
From outside the White House and Tesla dealerships and at the centres of many cities, protesters expressed a variety of grievances. Many called for the return of Kilmar Ábrego García, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador.
Political protests are becoming more common in the US – the “Hands Off” demonstrations in early April drew tens of thousands in cities across the country.
The most recent polling from Gallup suggests 45% of voters approve of Trump’s performance in the first quarter of his term, which is more than the 41% who approved during the same period in his first administration.
Still, it is lower than the average first-quarter rating of 60% for all presidents elected between 1952 and 2020.
Saturday’s protests addressed a number of Trump actions, including those by the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) – Trump’s initiative to cut US government jobs and other spending – and the administration’s unwillingness to bring about the return of Abrego Garcia, a citizen of El Salvador.
Gihad Elgendy told CNN he joined the protest at the White House to criticise the deportation of Ábrego García. He believes Trump “could easily pressure El Salvador to bring him back”.
The protests were generally reported as peaceful, although Representative Suhas Subramanyam, a Democrat, posted a video on X of a man holding a Trump sign and pushing through a crowd to angrily confront him.
Many demonstrators carried signs reading “No Kings,” a nod to the anniversary of the start of the country’s revolution against British rule.
During celebrations of the anniversary in Massachusetts that commemorated the battles of Lexington and Concord and the famous horse ride of Paul Revere, people held similar signs. There was also a 50501 demonstration in Boston on Saturday.
“This is a very perilous time in America for liberty,” Thomas Bassford, told the Associated Press, while in Boston with his partner, daughter and two grandsons. “I wanted the boys to learn about the origins of this country and that sometimes we have to fight for freedom.”
Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya in her EasterSunday message says that the ongoing efforts to investigate the Easter Sunday attacks and uncover all truths without obstruction or delay remain a top priority of the government.
The full text of the PM’s message:
“As Christians in Sri Lanka and around the world celebrate the resurrection of Christ, we are reminded of the enduring power of hope, renewal, and compassion. Easter is a time to reflect on our shared humanity and the values that unite us faith, love, and resilience in the face of adversity. I extend my heartfelt wishes to all Sri Lankans celebrating this sacred occasion. May this Easter bring peace, strength, and spiritual renewal to you and your families.
As we mark this day of joy and reflection, we also solemnly remember the horrific events of Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019. Today, six years later, the pain remains, and so does our responsibility. We stand in solidarity with the families of the victims, with the Christian community, and with all citizens who continue to seek truth and justice.
As a government, we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that justice is served. Ongoing efforts to investigate the attacks and uncover all truths without obstruction or delay remain a top priority.
Accountability, transparency, and genuine justice are essential to honouring the memory of the victims and restoring public trust. Let us move forward with strength and unity, upholding the dignity of every life and working toward a future where everyone deserves equality and justice.
It got tight for Gujarat Titans (GT) in the end , but Jos Buttler’s unbeaten 97 ensured their first successful chase of a 200-plus total in Ahmedabad. It was also the first time Delhi Capitals (DC) ended up being unsuccessful in defending a 200-plus total.
Buttler stitched partnerships of 60 withB Sai Sudarshan and 119 with Sherfane Rutherford after keeping wicket for 20 overs on a hot afternoon.
Mukesh Kumar’s wide yorker dismissed Rutherford and left GT needing ten off the final over. The tension was short-lived as Starc missed the wide yorker and Rahul Tewatia slog swept the first ball of the last over over midwicket for six. He then squeezed the next ball past the keeper for four to complete the chase with four balls to spare.
Buttler was hit on the groin early in his innings by a length ball from Starc, but he overcame that blow and cleared the boundaries.
When Axar brought Starc back in the 15th over, hoping for reverse swing from around the wicket, there wasn’t any. The lengths were good, and the line was outside off, but Buttler scythed the ball with ease, finding gaps in front of and behind point.
A change of angle made no difference. Starc went full and was driven through mid-off. A bouncer drew a top-edged pull, but it did not carry to Vipraj Nigam running in from deep backward square leg. That 20-run over brought the required rate down to nine from 11.
GT are top heavy. Their plan is for one of the top three to bat deep into the innings, and it was Buttler’s turn today on a batting-friendly pitch.
He came in early in GT’s chase of 204 after Shubman Gill had gifted his wicket looking to pinch a quick single to Karun Nair at midwicket. Buttler then set up exhibition of fours through the off side alongside Sai Sudharsan.
Axar and Vipraj came on to bowl in the powerplay but did not find turn and were taken for three sixes and a four. Sai Sudharsan got boundaries off front and back foot against Mukesh Kumar as GT scored 67 in the powerplay.
Kuldeep Yadav had Sai Sudharsan pulling to deep midwicket with his third ball. Rutherford then started slowly as the required rate rose. The mounting pressure was released when Rutherford sliced a drive against Kuldeep that sailed over long-off. Mohit Sharma was introduced in the 13th over to replicate the role he performed for GT in previous years. He started with two slower bouncers but they sat up and Rutherford pulled them for sixes.
Buttler drilled a full ball from Mohit through mid-off to bring up his 32-ball fifty.
Gill won the toss in the afternoon and put DC in to bat. With Faf du Plessis not having recovered and DC leaving out Jake Fraser-McGurk, DC paired up Abhishek Porel with Karun Nair at the top.
Porel’s boundaries in the first over – drive on the up over mid-off and help-along flick behind square – showed that the bounce on the pitch was even. Porel, though, couldn’t capitalise on the start as he fell to a full toss from Arshad Khan.
KL Rahul’s shift in approach then kept DC ticking. Rahul cut Siraj for four and pumped him down the ground for six. His innings, though, was cut short on 28 off 14 balls by an outswinging yorker from Prasidh Krishna. Nair fell for 31 off 18 balls when he glided Prasidh to deep third.
A pristine cover drive from Tristan Stubbs off Prasidh brought up DC’s hundred in the ninth over. But he and Axar were relatively sedate after that during their 53-run stand off 36 balls. They were happy to take Rashid Khan and Ishant Sharma for ones and twos.
Rashid bowled quicker and at the stumps in his first two overs. When he slowed the pace down in his third, Stubbs took him for six down the ground but then miscued a swipe across the line. Rashid ran back but couldn’t hold onto the catch near mid-on. GT reached 150 in 15 overs.
Ishant was struggling in the heat and went off the pitch after two overs. Siraj returned and removed Stubbs, who reverse-swept a yorker and the ball lobbed to short third.
GT’s death bowlers attempted a lot of yorkers with short balls peppered in between. It nearly worked at the start of the 17th over, but Rashid dropped Axar.
The DC captain could not hit a boundary in his last nine balls and was out caught behind for 39 off 32 balls. He charged at Prasidh and tried to slap a length ball over cover and got an edge. Prasidh then got rid of Nigam next ball, thanks to a brilliant diving catch from Buttler.
Ashutosh Sharma gave DC the finishing kick they were looking for. He scored a six and a four off Arshad early in his innings and hit two sixes off Prasidh later. R Sai Kishore – whose only over was the final one of the innings – went for just nine, but it was enough for GT to cross 200.
Brief scores: Gujarat Titans 204 for 3 in 19.2 overs (Sai Sudarshan 36, Jos Buttler 97*, Sherfaine Rutherford 43, Rahul Tewita 11*; Mukesh Kumar 1-40, Kuldeep Yadav 1-30) beat Delhi Capitals 203 for 8 in 20 overs (Abhishek Porel 18, Karun Nair 31, KL Rahul 28, Axar Patel 39, Ashutosh Sharma 37: Mohammed Siraj 1-47, Arshad Kahan 1-46, Prasidh Krishna 4-41, Ishant Sharma 1-19, Sai Kishore 1-09)by seven wickets
