Sports
Sri Lanka eye India white-ball series in August amid vacant window
Sri Lanka are holding out hope of hosting India for a white-ball series in early August, with cricketing powerbrokers expected to thrash out the final details on the sidelines of the ICC meetings in Singapore this week.
The window opened up unexpectedly after Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) postponed the Lanka Premier League (LPL), originally pencilled in for August, while India and Bangladesh mutually agreed to shelve a six-match limited-overs series that was due to take place around the same time.
That has left India with a rare opening in their jam-packed calendar and SLC officials have been quick off the blocks, floating the idea of a short series to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
“We’ve received positive feedback,” a senior SLC official told Telecom Asia Sport. “Further discussions will take place in Singapore when we gather for the ICC meeting and we should have a final word in two or three days’ time.”
Sources say the proposed tour could be staged in Colombo and Kandy, with the final structure of the series still up in the air. Initial proposals included three ODIs and three T20Is, but with the T20 World Cup looming in February–March, emphasis is likely to shift toward the shortest format.
The World Cup, to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, has placed a premium on match practice and SLC sees the proposed series as both a litmus test for team combinations and a golden goose in terms of revenue. Television rights from the series could bolster SLC coffers by several million dollars.
The two sides last locked horns in a bilateral series last year with India clinching the T20 leg and Sri Lanka bouncing back to take the ODI series.
This time around, the stakes are even higher for the hosts. Following an embarrassing 2-1 T20 series defeat at the hands of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka’s first such setback against Bangladesh, captain Charith Asalanka has called for more high-intensity cricket in the lead-up to the global showpiece.
“With several spots still up for grabs playing competitive cricket is helpful,” Asalanka said after the series loss. “We can’t afford to enter the World Cup undercooked.”
Sri Lanka won the series opener at Pallekele but were blown away in Dambulla and Colombo, exposing a brittle middle-order and raising fresh questions about the team’s balance.
If the Indian tour gets over the line, it will offer Sri Lanka the perfect trial by fire before the big dance, while also bringing in much-needed dollars to keep the game ticking on the island.
Six-a-side school cricket is set to make a high-profile return to Moratuwa when the Old Boys’ Association of Prince of Wales’ College stages the Prince of Wales’ College 150th Anniversary Inter-School Sixes Cricket Tournament on August 29 and 30 at the De Soysa Stadium.
The two-day tournament is one of the major sporting attractions of the College’s historic 150th anniversary celebrations and
will bring together 16 leading school cricket teams for a knockout competition.
The tournament is aimed at reviving the excitement of six-a-side cricket, a format renowned for its fast pace and spectator-friendly nature, which has not featured regularly in major inter-school competitions in recent years.
The Old Boys’ Association believes the 150th anniversary provides the ideal opportunity to bring the format back to the forefront while celebrating Moratuwa’s deep-rooted passion for cricket.
Cricket has long held a special place in the hearts of Moratuwa’s residents, while Prince of Wales’ College boasts a proud cricketing tradition that has produced several outstanding players who have gone on to represent Sri Lanka at the highest level.
The organizers expect more than 5,000 cricket enthusiasts from Moratuwa and surrounding areas to witness the tournament over the two days, turning the event into a major festival of school cricket.
The opening ceremony on August 29 is scheduled to be attended by Kusal Mendis, one of the leading cricketers produced by Prince of Wales’ College and a member of the Sri Lankan national team.
The tournament will feature 16 schools, including Royal College Colombo, St. Joseph’s College Darley Road, Thurstan College Colombo, S. Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia, Dharmasoka College Ambalangoda, Prince of Wales’ College Moratuwa, Moratu Maha Vidyalaya, D.S. Senanayake College Colombo, Sri Sumangala College Panadura, Richmond College Galle, Mahanama College Colombo, St. Sebastian’s College Moratuwa, St. Peter’s College Bambalapitiya, Wesley College Colombo, Ananda College Colombo and Mahanama College Panadura.
With the competition being played on a knockout basis, the compact format is expected to produce plenty of attacking cricket and give emerging players an opportunity to showcase their skills in front of a large crowd.
Apart from the competitive aspect, the tournament is also intended to promote sportsmanship, friendship and fellowship among the participating schools.
The tournament will conclude on August 30 with a ceremonial awards presentation, with the participation of Eran Wickramaratne, distinguished invitees, representatives of participating schools, past pupils and members of the cricketing community.
The Old Boys’ Association has also expressed its appreciation to the corporate sector and event sponsors whose support has helped make the tournament possible.
Their contribution, according to the organizers, reflects the continuing partnership between Prince of Wales’ College, its alumni and the corporate community in supporting educational, sporting and development initiatives.
The six-a-side tournament is therefore expected to provide not only two days of entertaining school cricket, but also a fitting sporting celebration of 150 years of Prince of Wales’ College.
India 503/9 decl (Devdutt Padikkal 117, Dhruv Jurel 115; Asitha Fernando 4-106, Prabath Jayasuriya 2-132) drew with Sri Lanka 290 (Sonal Dinusha 103, Pasindu Sooriyabandara 80; Prasidh Krishna 3-52, Manav Suthar 3-85) and 429/9 f/o (Sonal Dinusha 133*, Pasindu Sooriyabandara 92; Ravindra Jadeja 3-94, Manav Suthar 3-121)
American golfer Matt Gogel has been suspended for six months for betting on golf tournaments, the PGA Tour has said.
The 55-year-old competes on the PGA Tour Champions circuit which is reserved for professional golfers aged 50 and older.
Gogel did not bet on events in which he was participating but admitted to unknowingly violating PGA Tour policy by placing “small recreational wagers” in 2024 and 2025.
“I would never knowingly violate the integrity of the game of golf,” Gogel said in a statement.
“I made an honest mistake and I look forward to playing in 2027 on the PGA Tour Champions.”
He had two top-10 finishes across 18 PGA Tour Champions events in 2026 and was most recently in action during the Rogers Charity Classic in Calgary, Alberta where he finished tied 30th last week.
Gogel, who has earned more than $760,000 (£559,000) in prize money from Champions events, won the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in 2002 – his only victory in 179 starts on the PGA Tour.
His suspension came into effect on 23 August and lasts until 22 February.
[BBC Sports]
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