Sports

Sports Ministry help was not sought as there was no plan to take poles to Uzbekistan- Palitha

Published

3 years ago

2023/05/6

Chandana Ekanayake (2nd right), the manager of the Youth Athletics team that toured Uzbekistan for the Asian Youth Championships presents the manager’s report to Palitha Fernando, President, Sri Lanka Athletics. Also in the picture are Palitha Jayathilaka (left), Acting Secretary of Sri Lanka Athletics and Shantha Silva, Treasurer of Sri Lanka Athletics.

by Reemus Fernando

Maj. Gen. (rtd.) Palitha Fernando, the President of Sri Lanka Athletics refuted media reports that criticized the track and field governing body’s failure to air freight the poles for Maris Stella College pole vaulter Thushen Silva to compete at the just concluded Asian Youth Athletics Championships in Uzbekistan.

Thushen Silva competing with a borrowed pole from a Kazakhstani counterpart won the silver medal at the Asian Youth Championships. Following his triumph, there were media reports that suggested that Sri Lanka Athletics had failed to make necessary arrangements for the athlete to use his own poles at the biennial event.

Following the negative media reports the Sports Ministry too in a statement said that Sri Lanka Athletics had not sought its help to air freight the much-needed equipment.

“There was no need for us to request Sports Ministry help to send poles to Uzbekistan as we were not planning to send the equipment. We knew a couple of days ahead of the departure that the athlete would not take his poles with him,” said Fernando at a media briefing held on Thursday.

Fernando said that the manager of the touring team, Chandana Ekanayake had made pre-departure arrangements for the athlete to use quality poles used by the Kazakhstani athletes in Uzbekistan.The seven-member Sri Lanka team returned home with two silver and two bronze medals. Ekanayake said that most of the seven athletes reached their personal best during the meet.

Fernando said the negative publicity had taken the gloss out of an otherwise successful campaign at the Under 18 event. Sri Lanka finished at the 13 position in the points table dominated by China and India. Both countries collected 24 medals each. China won 15 gold, seven silver and two bronze medals. India won six gold, 11 silver and seven bronze medals. Apart from India, Sri Lanka were the only other South Asian country to have won medals at this meet.

Meanwhile, the track and field governing body also expressed hopes of ending more than one and half decades old medal drought at the Asian Games this year as the likes of sprinter Yupun Abeykoon have reached top international level.

Track and field is Sri Lanka’s most successful sport at the regional games. It has won the country 27 medals (Gold 10, Silver 6, Bronze 11). Sri Lanka won its last medals at the Asian Games in 2006. While Susanthika Jayasinghe (100m- Silver, 200m- Bronze) won individual medals, country’s men’s 4x400metres relay team of Rohan Pradeep Kumara, Rohitha Pushpakumara, Prasanna Amarasekara and Ashoka Jayasundara clinched the bronze medal.

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Gaby Lewis to lead Ireland at T20 World Cup

Published

1 hour ago

2026/05/21

Priyan

Gaby Lewis is Ireland's best batter and key to their chances at the T20 World Cup [Cricinfo]

Gaby Lewis has been rested for Ireland’s upcoming T20I tri-series against Pakistan and West Indies at home in Clontarf as she recovers from a recent leg injury but has been named captain – for the first time at a global event – for the T20 World Cup in June-July in England.

Orla Prendergast, the vice-captain for the World Cup, will lead the side in the tri-series in Lewis’ absence. No vice-captain has been named for the tri-series.

In terms of ins and outs, Jane Maguire, the right-arm medium pacer, has been ruled out of contention with an injury, but her sister Aimee Maguire, the left-arm orthodox spinner, has returned from her own injury and has been included in both squads. Apart from the missing Lewis, there are no changes from the squad for the tri-series, which is a 14-member line-up, for the World Cup.

At the T20 World Cup, Ireland have been grouped with tournament hosts England, defending champions New Zealand, Scotland, Sri Lanka and past winners West Indies.

Ireland are ranked ninth in the format, ahead of only Scotland (11th) among the teams in their group, and will start their World Cup campaign on the second day of competition, against Scotland in Manchester.

Ireland were most recently in action at the T20 World Cup qualifiers played in Nepal in January-February this year, and finished second to Bangladesh.

Lewis’ fitness will be key for Ireland at the World Cup, with her being their top-ranked batter, currently at joint-14th on the ICC T20I rankings. She was also the top run getter at the qualifiers with 276 runs in seven innings, scoring her runs at a strike rate of 119.48.

Prendergast is the next best at No. 26, followed by Amy Hunter at No. 29. Prendergast is also the seventh-ranked allrounder in women’s T20Is.

Ireland squad for women’s T20 World Cup

Gaby Lewis (capt), Orla Prendergast (vice-capt), Ava Canning, Christina Coulter Reilly, Alana Dalzell, Laura Delany, Georgina Dempsey, Amy Hunter, Arlene Kelly, Louise Little, Aimee Maguire, Lara McBride, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Rebecca Stokell

Ireland squad for tri-series against Pakistan and West Indies

Orla Prendergast (capt), Ava Canning, Christina Coulter Reilly, Alana Dalzell, Laura Delany, Georgina Dempsey, Amy Hunter, Arlene Kelly, Louise Little, Aimee Maguire, Lara McBride, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Rebecca Stokell

[Cricinfo]

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Kapila Wijegunawardena to head SLC’s new selection committee

Published

2 hours ago

2026/05/21

Priyan

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has issued a statement approving the members nominated for the new Selection Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).

The appointments have been made by the Sports Minister in accordance with the powers vested under Section 39 (1) of the Sports Law No. 25 of 1973 and the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2437/24 dated May 21, 2025.

The members of the new selection committee are:

Kapila Wijegunawardena – Chairman

Amal Silva – Member

Brendon Kuruppu – Member

Waruna Waragoda – Member

Vanessa De Silva – Member

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Afghanistan refugee women’s team set for England tour under ECB initiative

Published

2 hours ago

2026/05/21

Priyan

The visiting Afghanistan women's team will also attend the final of the Women's T20 World Cup

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will host an Afghanistan Refugee Women’s Team for a tour beginning on June 22. The programme will include T20 matches and high-performance training opportunities and will be delivered in partnership with the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the MCC Foundation. The visiting players will also attend the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 at Lord’s, scheduled to be held on July 5.

The tour is significant because the visiting squad comprises former Afghanistan women cricketers who had to leave the country following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, after which women were effectively excluded from sport and public life. Many of the players eventually resettled in Australia, where they have continued to pursue cricket. An Afghanistan women’s team played against a ‘Cricket Without Borders XI’ at the Junction Oval in January 2025 ahead of the Women’s Ashes Test at the MCG, a game that was streamed by Cricket Australia.

The ECB said the tour aimed not only to provide competitive opportunities but also to reaffirm cricket’s commitment to inclusivity. “Since being displaced from Afghanistan in 2021, these players have shown extraordinary resilience in continuing their cricket journeys, in incredibly challenging circumstances,” Clare Connor, ECB Deputy CEO and Managing Director of England Women, said.

“We have worked with It’s Game On to build an itinerary and a set of experiences that we hope will be enjoyable and memorable. We are also delighted that the squad will attend the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.

“Cricket has a responsibility to stand for inclusion and opportunity, and we are proud to be hosting this tour and supporting the players in deepening their connection to the game.”

The relocation and continued support of the players has been facilitated in part by It’s Game On, a global sports consultancy co-founded by former Australia cricketer Mel Jones and Emma Staples, along with Dr Catherine Orway. Jones, in particular, played a pivotal role in helping the players relocate to Australia. Her organisation has worked with international sporting bodies on initiatives centred around equity and opportunities for displaced female athletes.

“This tour is a major step forward, but also highlights how much work remains,” Jones said.

“These players have shown extraordinary courage and commitment to the game, despite everything that has been taken from them. They deserve more opportunities like this; they deserve to be recognised as part of the global cricket community. Moments like this matter, but we need to see plans for sustained and meaningful action beyond this year.”

[Cricbuzz]