Sports

Sri Lanka Athletics gives priority to Asian Games

Published

4 years ago

2021/09/24

by Reemus Fernando

Sri Lanka Athletics will give priority to Asian Games over the Commonwealth Games as the two major sports events take place within five weeks from each other in 2022. The track and field governing body indicated their priorities at a meeting with the National Olympic Committee yesterday.

“Our best chances are at the Asian Games. We are trying to get the best out of the talent we have. To achieve that we have set our priorities right. Though we are going to select a team for both events at the same stage we might not send some athletes for the Commonwealth Games,” a senior official of Sri Lanka Athletics told The Island after a meeting with the NOC yesterday.

“For example our best chances for the men’s 4×400 metres relay team is at the Asian Games. We might not field that team for the Commonwealth Games,” Saman Kumara, the statistician of Sri Lanka Athletics said.

“In 2002 we had both the Commonwealth Games (July 25- August 4) and the Asian Games within a span of two months. We had three men who could run 400 metres in 45 seconds. We had the best chance of winning the 4×400 metres gold in Busan but the Commonwealth Games had its toll on the runners when the time came for the Asian Games,” said Saman Kumara who has experience as both a selector and manager of teams for these games.

While the 2022 Commonwealth Games will be held from July 28 to August 8 in Birmingham, the Chinese city of Hangzhou will host Asian Games from September 10 to 25.

“We are almost certain of fielding a men’s 4×100 metres relay team for the Commonwealth Games provided they meet selection criteria. The men’s 4×400 metres relay team will be reserved for the Asian Games.”

Though medal prospects are dim in track events at the Commonwealth Games, Sri Lanka’s men’s 4×100 metres relay team consisting of Himasha Eshan, Shehan Ambepitiya, Vinoj Suranjaya and Mohamed Ashrafu had a memorable outing at the last edition in Gold Coast where they established the current national record clocking 39.08 seconds.

That record will be in danger now with Italy based sprinter Yupun Abeykoon improving the national record this year and showing the ability to further improve the record.

Sri Lanka Athletics will update the current elite and national pools after concluding the remaining events of the National Championship at the end of next month. That pool will be maintained till March 2022 when the teams for both the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games are selected. The centenary National Championships in 2022 April (8,9,10) will be the final selection trial for both the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games.

Sri Lanka Athletics will also target forming a mixed relay team for the Asian Games as there are two strong contenders to fill the women’s spots in Nadeesha Ramanayake and Dilshi Kumarasainghe. While Kalinga Kumarage and Aruna Dharshana are the front runners for the men’s sports in the mixed relay, the next few months will be crucial for the rest of the sprinters aspiring to win a place in the team for the men’s 4×400 metres relay.

Given their current form, the 100 metres, 400 metres, 4x100metres, 4×400 metres, high jump, long jump, and javelin throw, in the men’s category, 800 metres, steeplechase, long jump, and marathon in the women’s category and the mixed relay are the disciplines in which athletes have shown potential in reaching qualifying standards.

Sri Lanka has won the majority of Asian Games medals in track and field events though the country has not witnessed medal success after the men’s 4×400 metres quartet of Rohan Pradeep Kumara, Rohitha Pushpakumara, Prasanna Amarasekara and Ashoka Jayasundara won the bronze in 2006 in Doha. Since 2006 the country has won only two medals, both in cricket.

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Sports

SLC rope in Rathour as batting coach ahead of World Cup

Published

2 hours ago

2026/01/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

Former India opener Vikram Rathour has been roped in as Sri Lanka’s Batting Coach ahead of the T20 World Cup, which the island nation will co-host twith India.

Sri Lanka Cricket have strengthened their backroom staff ahead of the World Cup by roping in former India opener Vikram Rathour as Batting Coach, SLC sources told The Island.

The 56-year-old brings a weighty CV to the dressing room, having been part of the Indian coaching set-up that lifted the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean in 2024. Rathour is currently serving as assistant coach of IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals, but will join the Sri Lankan camp next week.

Rathour is expected to stay on through the six-match white-ball series against England at R. Premadasa Stadium and Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, before overseeing the team’s final tune-up for the World Cup. With a proven track record and a reputation for technical clarity, SLC will be hoping he can help the batters find their range before the big dance.

SLC have steadily been bolstering their support staff. Power-hitting coach Julian Wood was hired last year and continues to work with both the men’s and women’s teams from the High Performance Centre.

Former India Fielding Coach R. Sridhar has also had a stint with Sri Lanka overseeing fielding standards and is currently in Dambulla working with the squad involved in the three-match T20I series against Pakistan.

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Adding further firepower to the coaching arsenal, Sri Lanka great Lasith Malinga has been drafted in as fast-bowling coach up to the World Cup.

Sri Lanka have been placed in Group B of the 20-nation tournament alongside Australia, Oman, Zimbabwe and Ireland. The former champions open their campaign on February 8 against Ireland and are expected to progress to the second round, with Australia the only side ranked above them in the group.

An 18-member squad has already been named for the ongoing Pakistan series, with the final 15-man World Cup squad expected to be announced shortly.

The Sri Lankan leg of the tournament will be staged at R. Premadasa Stadium, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground and Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, while India will host the bulk of the competition, including the semi-finals and final. However, should Pakistan advance to the knock-out stages, both their semi-final and final will be played in Colombo under the hybrid model.

There has also been speculation that Bangladesh’s World Cup fixtures could be shifted to Colombo amid ongoing political tensions with India.

Sports

Mewan shines as Bens pull off three wicket win

Published

2 hours ago

2026/01/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

Under 19 Cricket

St. Benedict’s pulled off an exciting three wickets victory over St. Aloysius’ as Mewan Dissanayake held the batting line up together with an unbeaten half century in the Under 19 Division I tier ‘B’ match at Karandeniya on Wednesday.

‎Bens beat St. Aloysius’ by three wickets at Karandeniya

‎Scores

‎St. Aloysius’ 167 all out in 54.5 overs

(Chanul Sanketh 23, Vinod Danushka 23, Sevitha Dumal 37, Dulsath Nimviru 29; Yohan Edirisinghe 2/18, Vihanga Rathnayake 3/24, Lithika Jayasundara 3/09) and 116 all out in 52.1 overs (Chanul Sanketh 44; Ayesh Gajanayake 3/27, Lithika Jayasundara 2/16, Mewan Dissanayake 3/30)

‎St. Benedict’s 144 for 5 overnight 167 all out in 45 overs

(Tehan Bitar 30, Vihanga Rathnayake 28, Sithum Hasaranga 36, Lithika Jayasundara 31; Chenul Nethmina 4/42, Hiviru Nimtharana 4/22) and 117 for 7 in 31.3 overs (Mewan Dissanayake 52n.o.; Hiviru Nimtharana 2/09, Oshadha Devinda 3/39)

‎First innings win for Thurstan at Thurstan ground

‎‎Scores

‎Thurstan 257 all out in 74.4 overs (Akhen de Alwis 25, Yohan Senanayake 34, Rison Jansen 20, Sethru Fernando 57, Rachintha de Silva 29, Udarsha Nimsara 23, Dewmika Hewapathirana 21; Minaga Ariyadasa 5/88, Thenusha Nimsara 2/92, Nethuja Bashitha 2/25) and 121 for 4 decl.in 30.3 overs (Yohan Senanayake 44, Rachintha de Silva 63n.o.)

‎Richmond 69 for 2 overnight 166 all out in 53.5 overs

(Chalindu Karunaratne 52, Ameesha Rasanjana 25; Yovun Silpa 3/46, Thanuga Palihawadana 4/44) and 68 for 3 in 25 overs (Ameesha Rasanjana 24n.o.; Thanuga Palihawadana 3/39)

Sports

Dialog secures ICC Media Rights

Published

3 hours ago

2026/01/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

Left to right: Yamith Anuradha, Senior Product Manager – Media and Home Business, Dialog Axiata PLC; Pubudu Aluthgedara, Vice President / Head of Media and Home Business, Dialog Axiata PLC; Lim Li San, Group Chief Operating Officer, Dialog Axiata PLC; R.M. Manivannan, Chairman, Supreme Global Holdings; Thambithurai Lokeshwaran, Group Chief Executive Officer, Supreme Global Holdings; Satish Iyer, Chief Business Officer, TV Supreme

Dialog Television announced that it has secured the exclusive media rights in Sri Lanka for all International Cricket Council (ICC) events from 2026 to 2028, alongside a free-to-air broadcast collaboration with TV Supreme.

This landmark agreement positions Dialog Television as the official Pay-TV broadcaster of ICC events in Sri Lanka, covering all major tournaments across Men’s, Women’s and Under-19 formats. The rights include the ICC Cricket World Cups and T20 World Cups for both Men and Women, the ICC World Test Championship Final, and other ICC-sanctioned international events during the 2026–2028 period.

Dialog Television also holds the exclusive OTT and mobile streaming rights for ICC events in Sri Lanka, enabling fans to follow the action across smartphones, tablets, and connected devices. Supported by Dialog’s high-speed mobile network and expanding 5G capabilities, this ensures a smooth, high-quality viewing experience, allowing fans to enjoy ICC matches seamlessly via the Dialog ViU+ app, wherever they choose to watch.

Complementing its Pay-TV coverage, Dialog Television has partnered with TV Supreme as the official free-to-air (FTA) broadcast partner in Sri Lanka, ensuring nationwide access to ICC events. TV Supreme is a fast-growing free-to-air television network with an established presence in cricket broadcasting.