Sports
President’s Gold Cup Volleyball 2019
A superb third set rally by Ranthuru Sports SC just fell short to beat Siyane Tharu Sports Club of Gampaha in the finals of the President’s Gold Cup Volleyball powered by Dialog Axiata, Sri Lanka’s premier connectivity provider.
The final which was played-off at the National Youth Services Centre, Maharagama, the eventual winners, Siyane Tharu Sports Club, Gampaha beat Rantharu Sports SC, Debagama 03 sets to 02.
Siyatha Tharu won the, first set, 25-23, the second set by 25-16 and the decisive fifth and final set by 15-12, while losing the third set 21-25 and the fourth set 19-25.
While in the keenly contested women’s final, Golden Bird SC of Radawana beat Rathnapala SC of Mahausweva 03 sets to 01.
On a slightly cooler evening in Dubai, with semi-final qualification hopes in the balance, India brought their A-game to the fore to thrash Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup 2024. They put on their best batting show – perhaps the best among all teams in the tournament so far – and then were clinical with the ball and on the field to send the Asia Cup champions packing from the tournament.
Batting first, India rode on half-centuries from Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur to post 172 for 3, the highest total in this T20 World Cup. They then skittled Sri Lanka out for 90 to register an 82-run win, India’s biggest in T20 World Cups, with Arundhati Reddy and Asha Sobhana picking up three wickets apiece. As a result of their massive win, their net run rate (NRR) jumped to 0.576, better than Pakistan’s and only behind Australia’s. This is notable as their NRR had taken a beating following the 58-run defeat to New Zealand in their opening match.
Before Wednesday, India’s opening stands against Pakistan and New Zealand were 18 and 11 respectively. In a tournament where batting first seemed to give teams an advantage, India batted second in both their matches. India got to bat first after Harmanpreet won her first toss and the openers set about their task steadily.
Sri Lanka pressed their spinners into service and both Shafali Verma and Mandhana found it tough to break free. Shafali took the aerial route for India’s first four in the third over and did so again in the fourth and the fifth. She was on 24 off 20 in the fifth over; at that point Mandhana was on 6 off 10. But in a pattern different from the previous game, she was not being impatient or trying too hard.
Mandhana finally got going with a smack over the left-arm spinner Sugandika Kumari’s head as India ended the powerplay on 41 for 0. She also slogged another left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera for a six over wide long-on in the next year to signal the gear change. India managed to hit at least one four in each over between the third and the ninth. Chamari Athapaththu kept India guessing by giving her bowlers one-over spells till the 13th over, by then Mandhana overtook Shafali to get to a fourth T20 World Cup half-century.
It took a run-out to end India’s opening partnership at 98, their third-highest in T20 World Cups, when Athapaththu and Ama Kanchana – brought in for Hasini Perera – combined to catch Mandhana short on 50. On the very next ball, Athapaththu had Shafali miscuing a heave to cover. That over meant Athapaththu ended the one-spell strategy and bowled a second over in the spell – the 13th and the 15th overs.
Having batted at No. 4 against Pakistan, Harmanpreet came in at No. 3 and was soon joined by Jemimah Rodrigues before she even faced a ball. Few batters in the Indian line-up are at ease against spin than Rodrigues. She used the sweep to first put Ranaweera away and then moved in her crease to pull Athapaththu to the deep square leg boundary.
At the other end, Harmanpreet hit Kumari for a four and a six to ensure the openers’ platform did not go to waste. Rodrigues soon fell for 16 off 10 – she was given a life at 13 when Kavisha Dilhari dropped a dolly at deep midwicket – but played a vital role in injecting momentum after two quick wickets.
By then, Harmanpreet, with a cushion of a long batting line-up to follow, cut loose. She first paddled Kanchana past short fine leg before hitting two fours to spoil Athapaththu’s figures. Ranaweera could not hang on to a powerful hit at cover when Harmanpreet was on 22. She hit Kanchana and Prabodhani for two fours each in the last two overs to bring up only her third half-century in T20Is since the 2023 T20 World Cup. That blitz – 52 not out off just 27 balls – helped India take 46 off the last four overs, the most by any team in this T20 World Cup.
She had retired hurt against Pakistan due to a neck injury, and had come for the toss with a pain-relief patch on the right side of her neck but was termed fit for this game. However, she did not take the field in the chase, with Mandhana captaining the team
by Rex Clementine
Sri Lanka have thrown open the doors for Bhanuka Rajapaksa, recalling him to the squad after more than 20 months in the wilderness. The hard-hitting southpaw was benched post the Indian tour in early 2023, and despite being on the radar for the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies, he missed out, relegated to the role of traveling reserve.
Rajapaksa’s ability to clear the ropes in crunch time swayed the national selectors to pull him back into the fray. With former skipper Dasun Shanaka shown the door, a vacancy has opened up, calling for the firepower only a seasoned hitter can bring.
At 32, Rajapaksa remains hot property in franchise leagues across the globe, most recently turning out for St. Lucia in the Caribbean Premier League. The memory of his blistering, unbeaten 71 that paved the way for Sri Lanka’s 2022 Asia Cup triumph over Pakistan in Dubai still lingers – proof that he knows how to steal the show when the stakes are high.
Though Rajapaksa’s batting skills have never been in doubt since his school days at Royal College, his fitness – or rather lack of it – has been the proverbial thorn in his side. Passing the two-kilometer run, once a non-negotiable for national selection, has been a steep mountain for him. Nowadays, players face hefty fines for failing fitness tests, a rule Rajapaksa will need to toe.
Fielding has been another Achilles’ heel for Rajapaksa. With Head Coach Sanath Jayasuriya prioritizing fielding brilliance, the big question remains: can Rajapaksa rise to the challenge and cement his spot?
The national team has been licking its wounds after an early exit from this year’s T20 World Cup and a rough series against India. However, with gaps being patched and players finding their groove, hopes are high for a rebound against the West Indies.
Sri Lanka sit at a lowly eighth in T20 rankings – a bitter pill to swallow as their lowest standing across formats – while the West Indies boast the third spot. This upcoming series presents a golden opportunity for Sri Lanka to climb the ranks.
West Indies, however, are playing without their full arsenal, with heavyweights like Andre Russell, Nicholas Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, and Akeal Hosein opting out for personal reasons.
The Sri Lankan squad reached Dambulla on Tuesday, hit the nets yesterday, and are set for a warm-up game today. The first T20 International kicks off on Sunday. After the T-20s, both teams will head to Pallekele for the three-match ODI series.
It’s shaping up to be a showdown where Sri Lanka’s resilience meets the Caribbean flair – and Rajapaksa’s return adds just the right spice.
Tharushi Odara of Ananda Sastralaya Matugama emerged victorious in the girls’ 5km exhibition road race conducted alongside the Schools Games half marathon at Dambulla on Saturday.
Tharushi Navodya of Vangiyakumbura National School Welimada and U.D.M. Manel of Walagedara M.V. finished second and third respectively.
For Walagedara M.V., I. J. Jayasinghe and D.M.G. Nimsarani secured the fifth and sixth places. They were the only school to win more than one place among the top ten list.
The event organised by the Ministry of Education was powered by Nestlé Nestomalt witnessed the participation of top school athletes from across the island.
Heavy showers above 100mm are likely at some places in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts
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