Sports
The Royal-Thomian will be open to the public after a dearth of two years
144th Battle of the Blues Powered by Dialog
With the de-restriction of COVID-19 safety protocols on public events, Sri Lanka’s longest-running cricket series played between Royal College, Colombo, and S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia will be battled out in its full glory for the 144th uninterrupted time for the prestigious Rt. Hon. D S Senanayake Memorial Shied from March 16th to 18th 2023 at the Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo 07.
The 144th edition of the Royal-Thomian will be the 18th year that the match is sponsored by Sri Lanka’s premier connectivity provider, Dialog Axiata PLC.
Due to the unprecedented times in the last two years owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the matches were played behind closed doors for the safety of players. However, with the easing of COVID-19 restrictions the Joint Match Organising Committee of the Royal – Thomian, under the guidance of the heads of the two respective schools has decided to play the 144th edition of Sri Lanka’s blue ribbon big match, the Battle of the Blues encounter in full attendance to ensure the Royal-Thomian fraternity is able to enjoy the event as done in the past.
The 144th ‘Battle of the Blues’ cricket encounter will go LIVE on Dialog Television channel number 22, and will also be available via LIVE stream on ThePapare.com and the Dialog ‘Viu’ app. The limited-over ‘Mustang’s Trophy’ match will be played on Friday 24th at the same venue.
As a kind gesture of uplifting schools’ cricket, Dialog Axiata PLC in 2015 made a pledge to contribute 1,000 rupees for every run scored and 10,000 rupees for every wicket that fell. Last year’s encounter contributed Rs. 834,000 to the ‘Play for a Cause’ pledge. The proceedings were distributed in consultation with the Principal of Royal College and the Warden of S. Thomas’ College to support and empower deserving schools in the country.
In this year’s encounter, the boys from Mt. Lavinia will be led by stumper Romesh Mendis, while the lads from Reid Avenue will play under the captaincy of all-rounder Dasis Manchanayake.
‘The Royal – Thomian’ has a rich and colourful history spanning across 143 years and is also the second longest uninterrupted cricket series played in the world, second only to the annual encounter played between St. Peters College – Adelaide and Prince Alfred College – Adelaide, Australia, that began just a year earlier. The Australia vs England Ashes Series commenced two years later in 1882.
In 1880, the first match in which only the boys took part was played at Galle Face, the present location of the Taj Samudra Hotel. This was the start of the century-old series. Both teams are said to have rowed in boats across the Beira Lake to play the match.
The playing fields of the ‘Roy – Tho’ has the distinction of producing cricketers who later became eminent heads of state, with S. Thomas’ producing the father of the nation, the late Rt. Hon. D. S. Senanayake MP (1901 – 1902), whom the Shield is named after, and his son, the late Hon. Dudley Senanayake MP (1927-1929) as Prime Minister of Ceylon, while Royal produced the late Rt. Hon. (General) Sir John Kotelawala MP (1914-1915) as Prime Minister and the first Executive President of Sri Lanka, the late J. R. Jayawardene (1925).
The tally between the two schools at present stands at 35-all, with the highly-debated match in 1885, where Royal College was all out for nine runs and refusing to play on the second day which was considered a win by S. Thomas’ and considered a draw by Royal as shown in the respective souvenir books of the two schools. The shield at present sits as the crown jewel, amongst the silverware in the Warden’s trophy cabinet at S. Thomas’ College – Mt. Lavinia, after putting up a superb performance in 2019 under the captaincy of Sithara Hapuhinna, which will be challenged by a determined Royal XI this year, who have put on some heavy scores against their opponents in the 2023 season. The boys from Reid Avenue last won the coveted shield under the stewardship of Geeshanth Paditharatne in 2016.
Played in the highest tradition of excellence, the two schools have a formed a bond of mutual respect, camaraderie, sportsmanship, and friendly adversaries on and off the field, which has stood for almost one-and-a-half centuries. As remarked by a yesteryear Principal of Royal College: “There is no Royal without S. Thomas’ and no S. Thomas’ without Royal.”
Dialog Axiata is the proud sponsor of the Sri Lanka National Cricket, Volleyball, Netball and Esports teams. The Company also has a close association with the President’s Gold Cup Volleyball, National Junior and Senior Netball tourneys, Schools Rugby, Premier Football and Paralympic sports by powering the Army Para Games, National Para Games and the Sri Lankan contingent to the World Paralympic Games.
Sri Lanka will begin their three match T20I series against Pakistan in Rawalpindi on Friday with an opportunity for several youngsters to stake their claims, although the absence of Pathum Nissanka leaves a sizeable hole at the top of the order.
Nissanka, Sri Lanka’s highest-ranked batter in the ICC T20I rankings, has been one of the side’s most consistent performers in recent years and his absence deprives the tourists of a proven match-winner against a Pakistan attack that will still carry plenty of firepower despite resting several senior players.
The three T20Is will be played in Rawalpindi on October 9, 11 and 13 before attention switches to the seven match ODI tri-series involving hosts Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England.
While Sri Lanka will miss Nissanka, his absence opens the door for highly rated Sineth Jayawardene, who has been earmarked as one for the future. The former Sri Lanka Under-19 captain now has an opportunity to show that he can make the considerable jump from domestic and age group cricket to the international stage. Sineth skippered Royal College, Colombo with distinction.
There will also be considerable interest in leg-spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, another player Sri Lanka have invested in with an eye on the future. With Wanindu Hasaranga out of the equation, Viyaskanth has an opportunity to make a strong case for a regular berth rather than remain on the fringes.
Sri Lanka will be encouraged by the fact that Pakistan too have opted to look beyond some of their established names for the T20I leg of the tour.
Sahibzada Farhan will captain Pakistan after leading them at the recently concluded Asian Games in Japan, taking over from Salman Ali Agha, who has been left out of the T20I squad. Salman remains part of Pakistan’s ODI plans.
Pakistan have also rested Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi for the T20Is, although both return for the ODI tri-series, where Shaheen will continue as captain.
The hosts have named uncapped all-rounders Razaullah and Mohammad Imran Randhawa in their 15-member T20I squad, while Maaz Sadaqat and Hasan Nawaz have been rewarded for impressive performances at the Asian Games.
Hasan finished the tournament as Pakistan’s leading run scorer with 123 runs, including a blistering 96 off 51 balls against India in the final, although Pakistan had to settle for silver.
Fast bowler Naseem Shah returns to Pakistan’s T20I squad having last played the format against Sri Lanka in February, while Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub and Abrar Ahmed provide experience.
For Sri Lanka, while Nissanka’s runs will be sorely missed his absence means someone else has the chance to put his hand up. Sri Lanka will hope one or two of their young guns grab that opportunity with both hands.
The ODI tri-series will follow the T20Is, with the first three matches being played in Rawalpindi before the tournament moves to Lahore for the remaining league games and the final.
Pakistan have retained a more experienced core for the 50-over competition, with Babar, Salman, Haris Rauf and Faheem Ashraf among those included.
Former Pakistan Under-19 captain Saad Baig has earned his maiden ODI call-up after scoring more than 1,000 runs in the 2025-26 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, while left-arm wrist-spinner Sufiyan Moqim is another notable inclusion.
Pakistan have also strengthened their backroom staff, bringing back former Australian fast bowler Shaun Tait as bowling consultant. Tait previously served as Pakistan’s bowling coach in 2022-23 and replaces Ashley Noffke, who left after the Asian Games to take over as Netherlands head coach.
ATF Under-16 Colombo Week 1 Tennis
Sri Lanka’s junior players delivered a series of impressive performances on Wednesday, with the girls claiming all four semi-final places at the ATF Under-16 Colombo 2026 Week 1 tournament, held at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association courts.
Damsath Peiris
Methuli Naotunne led the charge with a notable quarter-final win over India’s Yashmitha Santhosh, recovering from a set loss to prevail 4-6, 7-5, 6-1. Kiara Jayamanne also came from behind to beat India’s Ahnavi Shaw 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.
Risindi
Hewawasam
In an all-Sri Lankan quarter-final, Risindi Hewawasam overcame Desandi Peiris 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, while Disini Samaraweera defeated Sayli Basnayake 3-6, 6-2, 6-0.
The Sri Lankan boys also impressed. Damsath Peiris beat Buvindu Jayawardhana 8-2, 7-6, and Yonal Dankumbura battled to a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory over Jayan Sebastian.
The visiting players, however, proved tough to beat. The Philippines’ Anthony Castigador defeated Sri Lanka’s Dehan Wickramasinghe 6-2, 6-4, and India’s Gurshaan Chahal fought back to overcome Udeera Gunasinghe 2-6, 7-5, 7-5.
(RF)
Mosvold Sixes 2026 concluded on Sunday at the Colombo Malay Cricket Club with Travel Trends Leisure crowned champions after a closely fought final against last year’s winners, Connaissance De Ceylan Sri Lanka, who finished as runners-up. Transco Travels were second runners-up.
Twenty three destination management companies took part in the six-a-side softball cricket tournament, organised by Mosvold Sri Lanka.
The Mosvold Martinus Challenge Trophy 2026 was presented to the champions by Nilanka Martinus, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Mosvold Boutique Hotels. Chief Guest Farveez Maharoof, the former Sri Lanka all-rounder, presented the runners-up award to Connaissance De Ceylan Sri Lanka.
This year’s twenty three competing DMCs were Tangerine Tours, Sri Lanka Tailormade, Olanka Travels, Antiquity Sri Lanka, Travel Trends Leisure, House of Travels & Tourism, NKAR Travels & Tours, Jetwing Travels, Walkers Tours, Connaissance De Ceylan Sri Lanka, Delux Holidays, Ceylon Roots, Spiceland Holidays, Infinity Vacations, Tropiculture, Serene Travels, Authenticities, Red Apple Travel & Holidays Lanka, DTH Travel Lanka, Hayleys Travels, We stay Ceylon, Transco Travels and Ceylon Tours.
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