Sports

Sri Lanka’s Durban dream turns into nightmare

Published

1 year ago

2024/12/1

Experienced opener Dimuth Karunaratne, one of the few Sri Lankans to score a hundred in South Africa, was the first wicket to fall in Durban and from thereon, Sri Lanka just folded away inside 14 overs.

Rex Clementine in Durban

Sri Lanka arrived in South Africa brimming with hope, like a ship setting sail on calm waters. With three overseas Test wins under their belt this year and a pre-series camp to acclimatize to the bouncy tracks in South Africa, they seemed ready for the challenge. But in one calamitous hour, all that preparation went up in smoke, derailing their World Test Championship campaign. They can still come back, but this was an opportunity missed.

Durban had been a fortress of sorts for Sri Lanka. They hadn’t lost a Test here, pulling off a draw in 2000 and claiming memorable victories in 2011 and 2019. Yet, that proud record now looks set to crumble after an hour of batting that can only be described as reckless abandon.

Sri Lanka’s approach seemed to lean on the adage, “Fortune favors the brave.” On challenging wickets, mere survival was deemed inadequate. The theory was to counterattack and be positive. But there’s a fine line between bravery and foolhardiness, and Sri Lanka crossed it. Surely, the first hour could have been negotiated with more caution.

With South Africa a bowler down after Wiaan Mulder’s injury, the hosts were on the ropes, desperately searching for a breakthrough. Instead of tightening the noose, Sri Lanka’s batters handed the game over on a silver platter, playing into the opposition’s hands.

The result was not just painful; it was historic for all the wrong reasons. This wasn’t merely Sri Lanka’s lowest total in Test cricket—it ranked as the joint ninth-lowest in the game’s 150-year history. For a side that had done so much right by winning the toss, exploiting overcast conditions, and restricting South Africa to under 200, the squandered opportunity was a dagger to the heart.

The collapse began with Pathum Nissanka and Dimuth Karunaratne falling to deliveries they could do little about. But the real disappointment lay with Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, and Dhananjaya de Silva, who fell to rash, ill-judged shots. They failed to read the room—or rather, the pitch. With South Africa already weakened, opportunities like this don’t come around often, and Sri Lanka let it slip through their fingers.

Batting collapses have been a recurring nightmare for Sri Lanka, but this one stung particularly hard. Earlier this year, Kamindu Mendis had been the glue holding the innings together, forming valuable partnerships with the lower middle order and tail. But even he couldn’t steady the ship when he walked in during the sixth over—practically stepping into a minefield.

The decision to promote Dinesh Chandimal to number three was a gamble, a double-edged sword. While the move paid dividends at home, where Chandimal notched a century in his first outing in the new role, South Africa’s fiery new-ball attack is a different kettle of fish. If he rises to the occasion and scores big during the series, he’ll be hailed a hero. But right now, the team desperately needs his experience to shine through.

Sri Lanka will undoubtedly be kicking themselves. It’s not every day you have South Africa under pressure at home, only to throw them a lifeline. The phrase “gifting the game away” couldn’t be more apt.

Yet, amid the ruins of this batting debacle, Sri Lanka’s seamers deserve a standing ovation. Fast bowling has been the team’s Achilles’ heel for years, but recent times have seen a sea change. Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, and Vishwa Fernando were sensational, consistently beating the bat and keeping the South African batters on edge. Each brings something different to the table, and their combined success has left even Kasun Rajitha—arguably one of Sri Lanka’s best in recent times—waiting in the wings.

All is not lost. Test cricket, as history has shown, is a game of glorious uncertainties. Momentum can shift in a blink, and the underdog can rise from the ashes. What Sri Lanka need now is for one of their senior players to grab the bull by the horns and turn the tide.

It’s a steep climb from here, but this game isn’t over until the fat lady sings. Sri Lanka must dust themselves off, learn from their mistakes, and channel the fighting spirit that has seen them succeed in this very venue before. Test cricket demands resilience, and there’s still time for the pendulum to swing their way.

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India chase sixth Under-19 World Cup title, England their first since 1998

Published

1 hour ago

2026/02/6

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India captain Ayush Mhatre and England captain Thomas Rew with the trophy [ICC]

The Under-19 World Cups come thick and fast: once every two years. Soon enough, most of the players appearing in today’s final will graduate, their cricket limited by franchises and passports rather than age limits. But for now, India and England’s roads at this World Cup finally converge.

Both teams are unbeaten in the tournament so far. England stormed into the final after their captain, Thomas Rew, starred with a 110 that took them to a 27 run victory against defending champions Australia.

India were faced with a tall task of chasing down a record setting 311, against Afghanistan. However, India’s batters – led by a swashbuckling century by opener Aaron George raced to the target with 53 balls and seven wickets to spare, to lay down the marker on a Harare pitch that should continue to have plenty in it for the batters.

India and England have met once in the recent past: they faced off in a warm-up match right before the tournament proper. In the rain interrupted encounter, James Rew starred with a 66-ball 71* to take England home. This time around, there will be plenty more stakes involved for either side. They might as well be facing each other for the first time.

Aaron George was having an underwhelming Under-19 World Cup at the top of the order for India. His scores at the tournament had been 7, 23, and 16 when he came out to bat against Afghanistan. Under the spotlight, though, he put in his most impressive showing of the tournament. He led the chase with poise, being the last wicket to fall with just 11 runs left to knock off. By then, he had peppered the Afghan bowlers around the ground for 15 fours and two sixes during a classy 104-ball 115. He might revel under the spotlight some more in the final.

Thomas Rew has led England from the front in more ways than one. He is the fourth highest run-getter in the tournament, with 299 runs at an average of 74.75 and an equally impressive strike rate of 101.01. His footwork has been a class above his fellow England batters against spin especially, and if the Harare surface decides to spin and bounce, he will be keen to take off from where he left during his century against Australia in the first semi-final.

The Harare Sports Club has served up fast-paced pitches in the tournament so far. The semi-final between India and Afghanistan was a belter in particular, with the ball coming onto the bat and seeing an aggregate of 621 runs scored between both sides at a run rate of 6.81. If the final happens on a similar surface, conditions will favour the batters again.

The weather today [Friday] has a chance of light rain: the match will begin at 9.30am local time; shower and thunder might roll in after 5pm. The temperature will hover around the mid-20s (Celsius) throughout.

[Cricinfo]

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ICC-PCB in back-channel talks to resolve India boycott at T20 World Cup

Published

3 hours ago

2026/02/6

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The ICC and PCB are engaged in back-channel communications as the global governing body tries to find a way for its showpiece group match at the 2026 T20 World Cup between Pakistan and India to go ahead.

On instructions from their government, Pakistan will not take the field against India in Colombo on February 15, though they will play their other matches. The Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the decision was to show solidarity with Bangladesh, who were excluded from the T20 World Cup because they did not want to play in India, one of the co-hosts along with Sri Lanka.

Though the PCB has not publicly commented on the boycott of the group match against India, the ICC responded to the decision – originally conveyed by the Government of Pakistan on its ‘X’ account – saying it expected the PCB to “explore a mutually acceptable resolution, which protects the interests of all stakeholders.”

That resolution has been the subject of calls and meetings between Imran Khwaja, the ICC deputy chair, and Mubashir Usmani of the Emirates Cricket Board, who is also on the ICC Board. They have been in communication with PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Salman Naseer, who is the PSL head but also a senior advisor to Naqvi.

The efforts had begun a week before the boycott was announced, when Naqvi had first raised doubts over Pakistan’s participation in the T20 World Cup and said it would depend on the government. Naqvi travelled to the UAE that week as part of a state visit but is believed to have sought advice from officials there and met Khwaja on that trip. With Khwaja back in Singapore, where he is based, and Naqvi in Pakistan, discussions have since continued.

Initially the PCB was informed of potential sanctions Pakistan could face should they withdraw from the tournament entirely, though its response was that the issue is not about financial consequences. After the decision to exclude Bangladesh was taken, Naqvi criticised it, accusing the ICC of “double standards” and of doing an “injustice” to Bangladesh.

Since the announcement of the boycott, however, contact from the ICC has focused on addressing PCB’s grievances so that the game goes ahead. Khwaja has stepped in as a mediator in other recent disputes involving the PCB, BCCI and the ICC.

[Cricinfo]

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Smriti Mandhana and Georgia Voll lead Royal Challengers Bengaluru to second WPL title

Published

4 hours ago

2026/02/6

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Radha Yadav finished the job Smriti Mandhana began [BCCI]

Georgia Voll and Smriti Mandhana masterminded the highest ever chase in WPL history to guide Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to their second title, denying Delhi Capitals (DC) for the fourth time in a final.

The match went down to the wire, with RCB losing three wickets in just 14 balls towards the end. With eight needed off four balls, Radha Yadav hit two consecutive boundaries off N Shree Charani to complete a thrilling chase.

Mandhana and Voll came together at 9 for 1 in RCB’s chase of 204, and put on 165 off just 92 balls. It was the highest-ever partnership for any wicket in the WPL. This win marked the second time RCB have triumphed over DC in a WPL final, the first coming in 2024.

After being put in, DC began steadily before Lizelle Lee took charge, launching back-to-back sixes off Sayali Satghare in the fourth over. In a chaotic over that included six runs off wides, Satghare ended up conceding 20 runs and also spilled a chance of Shafali Verma.

Shafali, however, could not capitalise on her chance. Though she hit two fours off Arundhati Reddy in the sixth over, she edged to the keeper in the same over, departing for 20 off 13 balls.

Laura Wolvaardt then joined Lee, and the duo took charge of the innings, hitting 19 runs off offspinner Shreyanka Patil in the seventh over which included three fours and a six.

Then Nadine de Klerk came on and created an impact straightaway. After Lee had an lbw decision reversed, de Klerk struck back in the same over, drawing her into a big swing and a miscue that went straight up and was taken by Grace Harris charging in from long-on.

Jemimah Rodrigues having found form in recent games, was in full flow on the day. She looked in sublime touch, punishing remotely wide, not letting the momentum slip away after Lee’s dismissal.

When Radha Yadav strayed full, she caressed her past extra cover for her first boundary of the day. She kept peppering that region, driving de Klerk twice and Patil once for fours in the 10th and 11th overs respectively. Then she hit Patil for two more fours in the same over, bending her back knee to slog over short midwicket and rocking back to cut behind point.

She soon brought up her half-century off 32 balls but departed shortly after, holing out to deep backward square leg off a full-toss.

Wolvaardt began steadily before finding her rhythm and clearing the ropes twice. But it was Chinelle Henry who inflicted late damage, hitting de Klerk for three fours and a six to score 24 runs off the 19th over. The final over bowled by Satghare went for 15, propelling DC to 203 for 4. It was the second-highest first-innings total in any Women’s T20 tournament final.

RCB faced a record WPL chase. But they were the only team in the tournament’s history to have successfully chased a 200-plus total before, and had dominated this season from start to finish, picking up five consecutive wins up front to top the table.

Grace Harris started the chase with a bang, hitting two fours off Marizanne Kapp in the first over. But Henry, carrying on from where she had left with the bat, struck with her very first ball to flatten Harris’ middle stump for 9. Voll joined Mandhana at the crease and started to innovate straightaway, shuffling across early to scoop over short fine leg for her first boundary.

The pair ensured RCB kept up with the asking rate, finding the gaps often and targeting all of DC’s bowlers. Mandhana looked in imperious form, punishing anything in her arc. When Nandani Sharma bowled a slower one right into the slot, Mandhana got down on one knee to send it over deep square leg for the first six of her innings.

Voll brought up her half-century off 36 balls, with RCB at that point having cleared more than half their target. Mandhana too continued her masterclass, driving Sneh Rana over extra cover for four to bring up her half-century off 23 balls, her fastest in the WPL.

The runs continued to flow: Rana and Shree Charani went for 15 each off the 12th and 14th overs, and Mandhana and Voll seemed to be turning a record chase into a stroll.

DC finally made a breakthrough, Minnu Mani getting Voll to hole out for a 54-ball 79. This left RCB needing 30 off 21 balls, with two key batters in place.

But Nandani struck in the 18th over to remove Richa Ghosh cheaply, and Henry delivered a critical blow in the next over, bowling Mandhana for 87. DC could sense a remarkable comeback, but with 13 needed off 8, Mani failed to hold on to a steepling chance in the covers off new batter Radha.

With RCB needing 10 from the final over, Radha sealed the win with back-to-back boundaries, breaking DC’s hearts.

Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women 204 for 4 in 19.4 overs (Smriti Mandhana 87, Georgia Voll 79, Radha Yadav 12*; Chinelle Henry 2-34, Nandani Sharma 1-41, Minnu Mani 1-19) beat Delhi Capitals Women 203 for 4 in 20 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 57, Laura Wolvaardt 44, Lizelle Lee 37, Chinelle Henry 35*, Shafali Vearma 20; Sayali Satghare 1-46, Arundhati Reddy 1-40, Nadine de Klerk 1-48) by six wickets

[Cricinfo]