Latest News
South Africa demolish Afghanistan to make maiden men’s World Cup final
South Africa’s quicks ravaged Afghanistan’s top order, taking five wickets inside the first five overs, to send the opposition spiraling towards their eventual 56 all out in the first semi-final of the men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
Then, although they lost Quinton de Kock early, Aiden Markram and Reeza Hendricks calmly navigated the small chase on an exceedingly tricky Tarouba pitch.
For a team infamous for playing jittery cricket in the knockouts, this win was dominant and clinical. South Africa left next to nothing to chance. They bowled beautifully, fielded well, and weathered some difficult early overs, while pouncing on the loose balls.
For their reward, they have their first ever berth to a men’s World Cup final, and continued their unbeaten run, which now is up to eight matches. The margin of victory, by nine wickets and with 67 balls remaining, underscores the control they exerted on this match, from start to finish.
This Tarouba surface not only offered lateral movement, there was also a lot of bounce early on. With the heights that Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada bring to the table, South Africa had a great attack to exploit conditions.
Jansen struck at the end of the first over to remove Afghanistan’s batter of the tournament – Rahmanullah Gurbaz who edged a ball angled across him to Hendricks at slip. Next over, he bowled Gulbadin Naib through the gate with a delivery that darted back at him.
Rabada’s first over really sent Afghanistan into a nosedive. He jagged two balls back, and hit timber on both occasions. The ball that clipped the top of Ibrahim Zadran’s middle stump was the killer – Ibrahim at that point Afghanistan’s best hope of getting to a good score. Fourth ball, he took out Nabi’s off stump with an even more stunning delivery. That over was a double-wicket maiden.
With the top five gone, and their middle order having failed to produce much right through the tournament, Afghanistan were seriously struggling. Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi closed down the innings from there – Nortje had Azmatullah Omarzai (the only Afghan batter to get to double figures) caught at deep point, then later knocked out Rashid Khan’s off stump.
Shamsi bowled a leg-stump line to the right-handers and kept getting them lbw, as the balls rushed on to them. They reviewed all three decisions, but the on-field umpires had given them out, and umpires’ calls on impact were good enough.
Brief scores:
South Africa 60 for 1 in 8.5 overs (Reeza Hendricks 29*, Aiden Markram 23*; Fazalhaq Farooqi 1-11) beat Afghanistan 56 in 11.5 overs (Azmatullah Omarzai 10; Tabraiz Shamsi 3-06, Marco Jansen 3-16, Kagiso Rabada 2-14, Anrich Nortje 2-07) by nine wickets
[Cricinfo]
Zohran Mamdani has been sworn in as mayor of New York City, becoming the first Muslim and the youngest person in generations to take the oath of office in the United States’ biggest city.
Mamdani, a Democrat, was sworn in at a historic, decommissioned subway station in Manhattan just after midnight on Thursday, placing his hand on a Quran as he took his oath.
(Aljazeera)
Countries around the world are welcoming the New Year as midnight strikes from time zone to time zone.
The island of Kiritimati – an atoll in the remote Pacific nation of Kiribati – became the first place to enter 2026. One tourist there told us he marked it “on a beach with no satellites, no signs of human life, complete darkness and countless crabs”.
Spectators in the UK have enjoyed thousands of fireworks light up London skies, while in Edinburgh, crowds gathered in true Hogmanay fashion despite weather warnings.
Then Australia lit up the sky over the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge.
In Sydney, celebrations were tempered by sadness as the nation reflected on the Bondi Beach attack on 14 December in which 15 people were killed.
At 23:00 local time, Sydney Harbour fell silent for a minute, with crowds holding lights to remember the victims of Bondi. A Jewish menorah was projected on to the pylons of the Harbour Bridge.
Elsewhere, there were more fireworks at Marina Bay Waterfront in Singapore.
Fireworks matched the brilliance of skyscraper lights in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines. [BBC]
Thousands lined the Chao Phraya river in Bangkok as Thailand welcomed the New Year.
In Dubai, people watched fireworks from the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, following a performance with light displays, music and water jets.
[BBC]
In Hong Kong, spectators enjoyed live performances with fetching headwear.
The Juyongguan Great Wall was lit up in Beijing.
[BBC]
Laser lights dominated the night sky over the Lotte World Tower, South Korea’s tallest building in Seoul.
At the Bosingak pavilion in Seoul, artists performed during the New Year countdown.
A street performer showed off her fiery skills as part of the Procession of Light in Dublin before heading to the Matinee Countdown Concert in Dublin Castle.
In other parts of the world, nations marked the coming New Year with their own traditions.
On a nudist beach in Le Cap d’Agde, southern France, clothed and unclothed revellers took part in a traditional sea dip to mark the New Year’s celebrations.
Swimmers at Islands Brygge Harbour Bath in Copenhagen, Denmark, also braved the cold waters for a traditional splash, known as Nytaarsbad.
In Ommen, the Netherlands, local residents watched the annual carbide shooting – a New Year’s Eve tradition of turning milk cans into cannons.
In Osaka, Japan, young women dressed in traditional kimono took part in a Shinto ritual procession to mark the end of the year at Sumiyoshi Taisha, one of Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines.
Colourful runners braved the December air in Krakow, Poland, for the traditional Krakow New Year’s Run in the Old Town.
Adults and children performed a traditional dance to release the sun of 2025, and to welcome the sun of 2026, in in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia.
AFP via Getty Images
Highlighting the spirit of global and regional cooperation, the Sri Lanka Navy acknowledged the invaluable support by foreign warships, which had arrived to take part in the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2025, extending much-needed Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations, during the recent weather disaster in Sri Lanka.
The IFR 2025 was held off the Galle Face seas, marking the milestone 75th anniversary celebrations of the Sri Lanka Navy.
Representing the Government of Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya graced the event and received the traditional naval salute from onboard SLNS Gajabahu, as the participating foreign warships paid their honours.
Eight (08) foreign naval warships arrived in Sri Lanka by 27 November to take part in the IFR under the theme “Sailing Strong – Together”. The participating warships included the Bangladesh Navy’s BNS PROTTOY, the Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier INS VIKRANT and INS UDAYGIRI, Iran Navy’s IRIS NAGHDI, the Maldivian Coast Guard’s CGS HURAVEE, the Royal Malaysian Navy’s KD TERENGGANU, Pakistan Navy’s PNS SAIF and Russian Navy’s GREMYASCHCHY.
Due to the disaster-situation triggered by severe weather conditions across the island, foreign warships that arrived for the event were promptly redirected to support humanitarian efforts. Particularly, helicopters deployed from the Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier INS VIKRANT and Pakistan Navy’s PNS SAIF played a praiseworthy role in search and rescue missions for affected communities.
Accordingly, the warships representing each nation joined the IFR, honouring proud maritime traditions and in acknowledgement of Sri Lanka and its Navy. Their participation also reinforced collective cooperation and partnership needed to address non-traditional maritime threats in the region, as well as natural disasters driven by climate change.
The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to a group of diplomatic officials, present on this occasion, for their support in the disaster relief operations. The officials, who were present on the occasion, represented the High Commissions and Embassies of Bangladesh, India, Iran, Maldives, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Russia in Sri Lanka.
Zohran Mamdani sworn in as New York City mayor
In pictures: New Year welcomed around the world
Foreign warships commended for their assistance during weather disaster in Sri Lanka
Machu Picchu train crash leaves one dead and dozens injured
I invite you to step into 2026 with renewed energy, hope, and determination – PM
Fairly heavy showers about 75 mm are likely at some places in the Central and Uva provinces and in Batticaloa and Ampara districts
‘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
-
News7 days agoStreet vendors banned from Kandy City
-
Sports4 days agoGurusinha’s Boxing Day hundred celebrated in Melbourne
-
News2 days agoLeading the Nation’s Connectivity Recovery Amid Unprecedented Challenges
-
News7 days agoLankan aircrew fly daring UN Medevac in hostile conditions in Africa
-
Sports5 days agoTime to close the Dickwella chapter
-
Features3 days agoIt’s all over for Maxi Rozairo
-
Features7 days agoRethinking post-disaster urban planning: Lessons from Peradeniya
-
Opinion7 days agoAre we reading the sky wrong?