Sports
Sri Lanka’s white ball renaissance under Jayasuriya
Once giants of the white-ball game, Sri Lanka were dealt a harsh reality check when they failed to qualify for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy — a bitter pill to swallow for a nation that once redefined the one-day format with audacity and flair. Their ninth-place finish at the 2023 World Cup saw them miss the cut, triggering alarm bells across the island’s cricketing corridors.
But from the rubble of that disappointment has emerged a rejuvenated side, rising phoenix-like under the stewardship of Sanath Jayasuriya. Since then, the Sri Lankans have roared back with a vengeance, toppling heavyweights India and Australia in bilateral ODI series, and clawing their way up the rankings to sit at No. 4 — behind only Australia, India, and New Zealand. Traditional powerhouses like Pakistan, England and South Africa are now trailing in their wake.
Now squaring up against Bangladesh, ranked 10th, Sri Lanka enter the three-match ODI series as overwhelming favourites. But the stakes are high. A clean sweep is a must to hold on to their fourth-place standing; even a single slip-up could see them slide down the pecking order.
What’s driven this turnaround? A hard reset — back to basics. The emphasis has shifted to fitness, fielding, and running between the wickets — the fine margins that separate good teams from great ones. Fielding drills now run like clockwork, and even the usually sluggish Avishka Fernando has turned heads with laser-sharp direct hits.
At the top of the order, Pathum Nissanka has been in imperious form. The first Sri Lankan to notch up a double hundred in ODIs, Nissanka is batting like a man possessed. Having plundered centuries in the recent Test series, he now turns his focus to the 50-over format with an eye on entering the pantheon of greats. Not since the glory days of Kumar Sangakkara has a Sri Lankan batter pushed for top-ten status across all formats — but Pathum has the hunger and the pedigree.
In the engine room of the middle order, Charith Asalanka continues to be Sri Lanka’s crisis man. A master of the rescue act, his ability to soak pressure and script successful chases has drawn comparisons with the great Arjuna Ranatunga. Asalanka too has broken into the top ten ODI batting rankings, a nod to his growing stature in world cricket.
With the ball, it’s not the quicks but the mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana who’s calling the shots. He currently holds the title of the No. 1 ranked ODI bowler — a remarkable achievement for someone who quietly goes about his business spinning webs around the opposition.
From a side teetering on the brink, Sri Lanka have found a second wind. The team that once forgot how to win is rediscovering its mojo — one match at a time. With the 2027 World Cup in South Africa on the horizon, the building blocks are falling into place. And if this upward trajectory continues, the Lions could well be sharpening their claws for another crack at global glory.
by Rex Clementine
Young Pramod Madushan has become the talk in cricket circles after he scored 42 runs in an over for Mercantile Services Cricket Academy against Sigi Cricket Academy at Ambalangoda recently.
In an over that contained nine deliveries, including two no-balls and a wide, Madushan cut loose hitting three fours and five sixes. In all, the over bowled by Bihandu Sandiv went for 45 runs.
The young cricketer from D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo shares the same name as Sri Lanka fast bowler Pramod Madushan. However, the 19-year-old is a wicketkeeper batter.
His knock of 103 came in just 38 deliveries and contained eight fours and ten sixes.
Australia batter Usman Khawaja will retire from international cricket following the fifth Ashes Test against England in Sydney this week.
The 39-year-old will play his 88th and final Test on the ground where he made his debut against the same opponents in January 2011.
Khawaja was born in Pakistan and became the first Muslim to play for Australia when he took the place of Ricky Ponting at the end of England’s 3-1 series win 15 years ago.
The left-hander has made 6,206 Test runs at an average of 43.39, with 16 hundreds.
He has played in six Ashes series – winning two, losing two and drawing two.
He was also part of the Australia team that won the World Test Championship in 2023.
The final Test at the SCG starts on Sunday (23:30 GMT, Saturday).
Alongside Steve Smith, Khawaja is one of two remaining members of the Australia team beaten by England in their most recent series win in this country in 2010-11.
He needs 30 runs in his final Test to go above Mike Hussey and into 14th on Australia’s all-time run-scorers list, behind the great Donald Bradman in 13th.
Khawaja played the last of his 40 one-day internationals in 2019, having scored 1,554 runs at 42. He played in nine T20 internationals, scoring 241 runs at 26.77.
Now playing domestically for Queensland, Khawaja will end his career on the ground that was his home when he first played professional cricket for New South Wales in 2008.
Often in and out of the Australia team during his Test career, he found a home at the top of the order during the previous home Ashes in 2021-22.
However, his place has come under scrutiny during this series after he suffered back spasms in the first Test that prevented him from opening.
Travis Head took Khawaja’s place in the second innings and made a swashbuckling century to lead Australia to an eight-wicket win.
Khawaja subsequently missed the second Test with the back problem and was due to be left out of the third, only to receive a late call-up when Steve Smith fell ill.
He made 82 and 40 in Adelaide to retain his place for the fourth Test. Australia lead the series 3-1.
After the Ashes Australia will not play another Test until August, by which time Khawaja will be almost 40.
[BBC]
India were pushed more than they had been at any point in this series but still ran home victors in the final T20I at Trivandrum to complete a 5-0 series win over Sri Lanka – the first time they have swept a bilateral T20I series of this length at home. Besides a stronger performance from their opponents, the hosts faced sterner challenges – the rare failure of their top order, a dewy ball in defence but managed to overcome them all as they ran home winners by 15 runs.
The win was set up by the skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who hadn’t crossed 21 in the four previous innings of this series but come a tricky situation, she stepped up with a 43-ball 68. After being put in to bat, India found themselves in early trouble at 27 for 2, with debutant G Kamalini, coming in for the rested Smriti Mandhana, following the in-form Shafali Verma back to the hut. Inside the 10th over, India also lost Harleen Deol and Richa Ghosh and were struggling for any kind of momentum.
But Harmanpreet rose to the moment with a commanding knock that mixed caution with aggression. She hit nine fours and a six and was particularly effective playing the field against the left-arm spinners. Even with Harmanpreet providing the backbone of the innings, India needed a late push from Arundhati Reddy and Amanjot Kaur, who scored a pair of useful 20s to push the score forward. Arundhati, in particular, smashed 27 off 11 balls as India found 66 runs in the final five overs to get to 175.
Chasing 176, Sri Lanka produced their best batting performance of the series, built around an excellent 79-run partnership off just 56 balls between Hasini Perera and Imesha Dulani for the second wicket. Perera, playing her 81st T20I, finally brought up her maiden half-century in the format, while Dulani also reached the milestone as the visitors raced to stay within touching distance of the target.
The momentum shifted dramatically when Amanjot Kaur struck with her very first delivery to dismiss Dulani, breaking the dangerous stand. Perera continued to fight, threatening to pull off an unlikely heist. But after clubbing a four and a six off Sree Charani, she was cleaned up by the left-arm spinner with a full delivery that slipped under Perera’s bat to knock out the stumps. Between that, Deepti Sharma trapped Nilakshi Silva to pass Megan Schutt as the format’s leading wicket-taker.
Those late wickets meant, Sri Lanka were left needing 34 runs from the final two overs. They got close, but ultimately not close enough to cause India enough jitters on the night.
Brief scores:
India Women 175 for 7 in 20 overs
(Gunalan Kamalini 12, Harleen Deol 13, Harmanpreet Kaur 68, Amanjot Kaur 21, Arundhati Reddy 27*; Nimasha Meepage 1-25, Kavisha Dilhari 2-11, Rashmika Sewwandi 2-42, Chamari Athapaththu 2-21) beat Sri Lanka Women 160 for 7 in 20 overs (Hasini Perera 65, Imesha Dulani 50, Rashmika Sewwamdi 14*; Deepti Sharma 1-28, Arundhati Reddy 1-16, Sneh Rana 1-31, Vaishnavi Sharma 1-33, Shree Charani 1-31, Amanjot Kaur 1-17 ) by 15 runs
[Cricbuzz]
GMOA warns of trade union action unless govt. urgently resolves critical issues in health sector
Elephant census urged as death toll nears 400
CTU raises questions about education reforms
Navy lauds foreign warships that came to assist in disaster relief ops here
It’s PC polls, stupid
Sri Lanka’s economy: A slow healing journey in 2026
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
Sports4 days agoGurusinha’s Boxing Day hundred celebrated in Melbourne
-
News2 days agoLeading the Nation’s Connectivity Recovery Amid Unprecedented Challenges
-
Sports5 days agoTime to close the Dickwella chapter
-
Features3 days agoIt’s all over for Maxi Rozairo
-
News5 days agoEnvironmentalists warn Sri Lanka’s ecological safeguards are failing
-
News3 days agoDr. Bellana: “I was removed as NHSL Deputy Director for exposing Rs. 900 mn fraud”
-
Features5 days agoDigambaram draws a broad brush canvas of SL’s existing political situation
-
News2 days agoDons on warpath over alleged undue interference in university governance