Sports

Sri Lanka, India and South Africa kick off World Cup preparations with ODI tri-series

Published

9 months ago

2025/04/26

Priyan

Arundhati Reddy is expected to lead India's pace attack in the absence of Renuka Singh, Titas Sadhu and Pooja Vastrakar [BCCI]

The Women’s ODI World Cup is five months away and, after the drama of the qualifier in which Pakistan and Bangladesh confirmed their places at the tournament, preparation begins in Sri Lanka with a tri seried. Sri Lanka host India and South Africa for a seven-match tournament, which will include the pressure of reaching a final. All three sides have uncapped players in their squads so there are bound to be some new faces alongside old rivalries.

Here’s what you can look forward to over the next two weeks:

India’s quest for silverware begins

As hosts of this year’s World Cup, and after their failure to make the semi-finals of the last T20 tournament, all eyes will be on India to see if they can grab their first major trophy and continue to set the pace for the development of the game. Their players come into the series on the back of recent game time in the WPL and a six-match winning streak in ODIs, albeit against non-World Cup participants Ireland and West Indies. Regular captain Harmanpreet Kaur missed the Ireland matches but is back to lead the side in a sign that the leadership will remain unchanged heading into the World Cup.

Their most exciting prospect is 22-year old Kashvee Gautam, who was the most expensive uncapped player of the WPL and has Harmanpreet’s name on her wickets’ list. She was the joint-leading bowler among Indian players at the WPL with 11 to her tally (along with Shikha Pandey, who has not played an international in two years) and had best economy rate among Indian bowlers (and second best overall) and her international call-up is as deserved as it is expectant.

There was no such reward for the leading Indian run-scorer at the WPL. Shafali Verma scored two runs more than Harmanpreet and was fourth-highest overall but cannot find a spot in a squad that includes Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh. While India’s batting looks strong and familiar, their bowling reserves could be tested as all of Renuka Singh, Titas Sadhu and Pooja Vastrakar are injured which will leave it to Arundhati Reddy to lead the pace attack. Left-arm spinners N Shree Charani and Shuchi Upadhyay are the two others who could have their first international outing. Upadhyay was the third-highest wicket-taker in the domestic women’s one-day trophy last year.

Sri Lanka’s sweeping changes

Sri Lanka are back at the ODI World Cup after missing out on the 2022 edition and secured automatic qualification when they finished fifth in the Women’s Championship, ahead of New Zealand, but there’s work to be done to have a good tournament showing. Sri Lanka have lost their last two series – to Ireland and New Zealand – and will want to find form ahead of the World Cup, especially as they are not scheduled to play any other matches between now and the start of the tournament.

They’ve rung in the changes for this series, with six from the last squad, and included four uncapped players as well. Thirty-nine-year-old left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera is back in a squad that will be headlined by a strong spin contingent, including Malki Madara, who may get her first game. There are three other spinners in Sugandika Kumari, Inoshi Priyadharshani and Kavisha Dilhari, which has left space for only two seamers. Achini Kulasuriya is one of them and 18-year-old allrounder Rasmika Sewwandi, who was part of the Under-19 squad, is the other.

Sri Lanka’s batting is well-settled and the challenge will be for them to continue finding contributions from sources other than Chamari Athapaththu, who will doubtless be key to their World Cup campaign, but has stressed the need for the load to be shared. Slowly, that’s started to happen. Harshita Samarawickrama and Vishmi Gunaratne both scored hundreds in the last year and became the only Sri Lankan batters other than Athapaththu to do so. Sri Lanka will want to see more names on that list soon.

South Africa without Kapp

Before South Africa can start thinking about whether this World Cup could be the one where they take one more step than usual to get to the trophy, they have to find their feet under a new(ish) coach Mandla Mashimbyi, who has enjoyed title-winning success with the Titans provincial team but had no prior experience in women’s cricket, was appointed late last year and oversaw part of the home series against England (which went badly as South Africa won only one match out of seven across formats), but this will be his first proper test.

He will take it without senior allrounder Marizanne Kapp, who is being rested as she manages her workload, or batter Anneke Bosch, who is injured, but has the core of the squad that reached the T20 World Cup final at his disposal. That includes legspinner Seshnie Naidu, who did not get a game in the UAE but may play a big role alongside Nonkululekho Mlaba in future visits to the subcontinent.

Wicketkeeper-batter Karabo Meso, who was key to South Africa’s run to the Under-19 World Cup final, is the talk of the town on the domestic circuit and could bring depth to a batting line-up that will have an in-form Sune Luus (third on the domestic run-scorers charts) and the experience of Laura Wolvaardt, Nadine de Klerk and Chloe Tryon to lean on. South Africa have also gone light on seamers with Masabata Klaas and allrounders Annerie Dercksen and de Klerk to share duties as they aim to give their spinners a solid run. South Africa will also travel to West Indies and Pakistan before the World Cup.

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Sports

Hasaranga backs Sri Lanka for World Cup semi-final push

Published

10 hours ago

2026/01/13

Sahan Weerasooriya

Sri Lanka’s leg-spin spearhead Wanindu Hasaranga has warned rivals not to write off the hosts ahead of the World Cup, after his four-wicket burst in the final T20I against Pakistan helped Sri Lanka square the three-match series on Sunday.

Hasaranga’s spell turned the game on its head and restored belief in a side that has blown hot and cold. Speaking after being named Player of the Match and Player of the Series, the leg-spinner said Sri Lanka, buoyed by home conditions, remain very much in the hunt for a semi-final berth.

Under head coach Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka have made steady strides over the past 18 months. There have been a few distractions recently like changes in selectors and captaincy among them, but the dressing room, Hasaranga insisted, is quietly confident.

“We know the conditions and we’ve grown up playing in these conditions,” Hasaranga said. “If we use them well, we can have a major impact. Players need to identify their roles. Once that happens, we can put on a good show.”

Sunday’s decider was reduced to 12 overs a side after rain delayed the start by more than two hours, but Hasaranga felt the shortened contest still offered valuable lessons.

“Today we looked good,” he said. “We’ve been lacking a bit of consistency in recent years. In a World Cup, you have to minimise mistakes and keep moving forward.”

Bowling with a wet ball tested the spinners’ skills and patience, but Hasaranga viewed it as useful match practice rather than an inconvenience.

“It was challenging with a wet ball,” he explained. “But it’s good these things happen before a World Cup. It prepares you for all kinds of situations. I even spoke to our batters about what deliveries they’d prefer to face, and that input helped when we went out to defend.”

Sri Lanka now enjoy a week’s breather before hosting England with Hasaranga keen to see his side peak at the right time.

“When this series started, we had six games leading into the World Cup,” he said. “Rain in Dambulla meant things didn’t always go to plan. As a team, we wanted winning momentum. There are only a couple of games left now and we need to be firing on all cylinders when the World Cup begins.”

Sri Lanka had stumbled in the opener, losing by six wickets after being bowled out inside 20 overs, while the second match was washed out without a toss. A 14-run win in the final game, however, ensured honours ended even.

Rex Clementine
in Dambulla

Sports

Sunil Gunawardana among contenders for top post of Sri Lanka Athletics

Published

10 hours ago

2026/01/13

Sahan Weerasooriya

It will be a four-way battle for the top post of Sri Lanka Athletics as fresh nominations for the election of office bearers closed at the Sports Ministry on Monday. Former president Sunil Gunawardana, Bimal Wijesinhge, Sugath Kumara and Prasanna Indika are the nominees for the post of president and they are subjected to objections.

‎This is the second time the Ministry of Sports called for nominations after different stakeholders successfully challanged the earlier niminations alleging that there were errors in the process.

‎Informed sources said that this time too the Ministry of Sports has left enough room for allegations as it announced the names of the nominees without waiting for the nominations sent by post.

‎”There was a fundamental error as they did not wait for nominations sent by post. They informed the stake holders by post. Some member federations had received the letters only on last Thursday. They were in a mighty hurry to announce the names of the nominees soon after the nominations closed,” a source close to athletics told The Island.

‎Following are the nominees for various posts of Sri Lanka Athletics.

‎‎President: Sunil Gunawardana, Bimal Wijesinhge, Prasanna Indika, Sugath Kumara

‎‎Vice President: Prasanna Indika, Lal Chandrakumara, Lt. Col. G.N. Jayathilaka, Irangani Rupasinghe, Jagath Silva, G.J. Siyamudali, Prasanna Aluvihare

‎‎Secretary: Dr. Dhammika Senanayake, Sameera Perera, Madawa Herath

‎Asst. Secretary: Sameera Perera, Aloy Wickramasinghe (RF)

Sports

Lakmal, Pravina win trophies at Eagles Monsoon Cup Golf Tournament

Published

10 hours ago

2026/01/13

Sahan Weerasooriya

Wing Commander Lakmal Gunewardene (Retd) won the Eagles’ Monsoon Cup Trophy. (L) / Pravina Dunuwille emerged as the Ladies' Trophy winner. (R)

Wing Commander Lakmal Gunewardene (Retd) secured the Eagles’ Monsoon Cup Trophy, achieving the highest score in the gents’ category and Pravina Dunuwille emerged as the Ladies’ Trophy winner at the fourth edition of the Eagles Monsoon Cup Golf Tournament which came to a close at the picturesque China Bay, near the harbour city of Trincomalee.

‎The Sri Lanka Air Force, in collaboration with Eagles’ Golf Links and Courses, successfully conducted the fourth edition of the Eagles’ Monsoon Cup Golf Tournament on Sunday.

‎The tournament, conducted under the Stableford Scoring System, commenced in the morning with the participation of 80 enthusiastic golfers, including 13 women golfers. The tournament was officially inaugurated when one of the former Commanders of the Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Jayalath Weerakkody, took the first tee-off.

‎Wing Commander Nalin Bentharaarachchi (Retd) claimed the Runner-up position in the Gents’ category, and Niloo Jayathilake was awarded the Ladies’ Runner-up position. In addition, Buddika Amarasinghe and Air Chief Marshal Jayalath Weerakkody received accolades for the Longest Drive and Nearest to the Pin, respectively, in the Gents’ category, while Sandra Cadien secured the Longest Drive in the Ladies’ category. The Wooden Spoon was awarded to Nimal Jayasinghe.

‎The Eagles’ Monsoon Defence Challenge Trophy, presented to members of the Tri-Services in the Men’s category, was won by Wing Commander Asantha Gunaratne from the SLAF. Lieutenant Commander Mevan Perera from the SL Navy was the Runner-up of the Defence Challenge Trophy. Commodore Mangala Mummullage received the award for the Longest Drive in the Defence Challenge category.

‎The Best Total Net Score in the Six Hidden Holes competition segment was achieved by Wing Commander Lakmal Gunewardene (Retd) and Group Captain Prabath Wijekoon received the Commander’s Island Green Award for the 2025 year’s Eagles’ Monsoon Cup iteration.

‎The awards of the Eagles’ Monsoon Cup were presented at a gala Awards Ceremony held at Eagles’ Golf Links during the evening of the same day. The Director General Air Operations, Air Vice Marshal Dhammika Dias, graced the Awards Ceremony as the Chief Guest. Further, Air Chief Marshal Jayalath Weerakkodi, Chairman of SLAF Golf, Air Commodore Erandika Gunewardene, Secretary of Air Force Golf Links and Courses, Group Captain Asanka Rathnayake, Secretary of Air Force Golf, Wing Commander Thushan Fernando, Sales Manager of Aviyana Ceylon Resorts, Suranga Fernando (representing the Chairman of Aviyana Ceylon Resorts) and other golf enthusiasts attended the ceremony.

‎Adding to the prestige of the occasion, Aviyana Ceylon Resorts sponsored the tournament, enhancing its grandeur and providing a memorable experience for all participants.‎