Sports
Viren and Ranithma clinch double titles at Badminton Nationals
Viren Nettasinghe and Ranithma Liyanage lived up to their billing to win double titles as they won the open singles and doubles finals at the 72nd National Badminton Championship, concluded at the MCA Indoor Courts in Colombo on Sunday.
Nettasinghe claimed the open men’s singles title, while Ranithma pocketed the open women’s singles crown. When they paired up they emerged victorious in the mixed doubles as well.
The eight-day competition held at the Mercantile Badminton Association (MBA) Indoor Courts, the Otter Aquatic Club Courts and at the SLB Indoor Courts was organised and conducted by Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB).
Olympian Nettasinghe beat Shenuk Samararatne in straight sets in the men’s singles final (21-10, 21-19).
Sri Lanka’s top seed women’s shuttler, Ranithma Liyanage, after her heroics at the recent international series in Bahrain, continued her form to beat Rashmi Mudalige in straight sets (21-10, 21-16) in the singles final.
Ranithma has had a decent run against Rashmi in the recent competitions, both home and abroad, and she proved her might by claiming the open women’s singles title for the second consecutive year.
Buwaneka Goonathilake, who claimed a triple crown at last year’s Nationals, settled for the open men’s doubles title, partnering Jason Homer. Buwaneka and Jason beat Shenuk Samararatne and Savinaka Weerasekara in straight sets (21-14, 21-16).
Varangana Jayawardena and Rashmi Mudalige turned tables on favourites Ranithma Liyanage and Praveena Wijesundara to clinch the open women’s doubles title, after a gripping final that ended 2-1.
Varangana and Rashmi thwarted Ranithma from claiming a deserving triple crown, by sending an early warning in the first set that ended 21-17 in favour of the eventual winners. However, Ranithma and Praveena bounced back to level, winning the second set by 21-19, promising a thrilling finale. The third set went down to the wire before Varangana and Rashmi clinched a 24-22 win.
In the mixed doubles Viren Nettasinghe and Ranithma Liyanage beat specialists Thulith Palliyaguru and Panchali Adhikari 2-1 (21-15, 21-17 and 21-19).
The championships featured wide range of events from Under-11 to Under-19 in the Junior category and Over-30 to Over-70 in the Senior category, as well as the combined age category of 100+, 110+ and 120+.
A grand prize money of Rs.2 million for all events based on the number of entries were awarded, in addition to trophies, medals and certificates to the winners, runners-up and semi-finalists of each event. Junior winners received appropriate gifts instead of prize money, according to the decision taken by the tournament organisers.
Director General of Sports, Rear Admiral (Rtd) Prof. Shemal Fernando presented the trophies to the winners as chief guest alongside President Rohan de Silva and members of SLB. The country’s elite domestic badminton event, conducted in accordance to BWF regulations, was sponsored by Li Ning, McFoil, 3M, GAC and Mobil.
Results of finals
Open Men’s Singles:
Viren Nettasinghe beat Shenuk Samararatne 2-0 (21/10, 21/19)
Open Women’s Singles:
Ranithma Liyanage beat Rashmi Mudalige 2-0 (21/10, 21/16)
Open Men’s Doubles:
Buwaneka Goonathilake/Jason Homer beat Shenuk Samararatne/Savinaka Weerasekara 2-0 (21/14, 21/16)
Open Women’s Doubles:
Varanjana Jayawardena/Rashmi Mudalige beat Ranithma Liyanage/Praveena Wijesundara 2-1 (21/17, 19/21, 24/22)
Open Mixed Doubles:
Viren Nettasinghe/Ranithma Liyanage beat Thulith Palliyaguru/Panchali Adhikari 2-1 (15/21, 21/17, 21/19)
India’s untested lower order played a key role in turning a modest total into a competitive one. Amanjot Kaur added stability, scoring 21 off 18 balls and putting on a 61-run partnership with Harmanpreet for the fifth wicket, helping the innings regain momentum after regular wickets fell.
After her dismissal, Arundhati Reddy – promoted ahead of Sneh Rana – launched a late assault, hitting four fours and a six off 11 balls for an unbeaten 27, guiding India to 175 for 7. The team scored 32 runs in the final two overs.
With Chamari Athapaththu gone in the second over, Perera and Dulhani faced a daunting task. Dulhani, coming in at No. 3 again ahead of Harshitha Samarawickrama, played a confident innings, coming down the track and sweeping as needed, hitting five boundaries inside the powerplay. Perera rotated the strike well, keeping the scoreboard ticking. Aided by the dew, their 79-run second-wicket stand was broken in the 12th over when Amanjot dismissed Dulhani for 50, with her first ball.
Perera carried on, moving from 32 off 23 balls to register her maiden 38-ball fifty in her 89th T20I. Having debuted in 2014 and shuffled around the order, she opened this series for the first time in three years. When the equation came down to 55 off 24 balls, Perera struck a four and a six off Shree Charani before being yorked. Her 42-ball 65 included eight fours and a six.
When Sri Lanka needed 44 off 20 balls, India fought back hard. The visitors lost their key batters at the death, collapsing from 132 for 4 to 140 for 7, eventually falling short and remaining winless in India.
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
[Cricinfo]
Under 19 Cricket
Manitha Rajapaksha collected a match bag of 11 wickets as Mahinda romped to an innings and 25 runs victory over Lumbini in the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ cricket encounter at Galle.
Forced to follow on after being bowled out for 173 runs, the visitors managed to last only 33 overs as bowlers used the home advantage to good effect.
In a similar performance, Sri Sumangala reduced Isipatana to just 69 runs in the second innings to record an innings and 96 runs win in the Tier ‘B’ match at Panadura. While Mevindu Kumarasiri excelled once again to claim a match bag of 11 wickets, overnight batsmen Sandeep Wijerathna and Neksha Iddamalgoda went on to score centuries for Sri Sumangala to boost the score to 301 for eight wickets declared.
Meanwhile at DSS ground the home team scored a first innings win over Nalanda.
Match Results
Mahinda in innings win at Galle
Scores
Mahinda 284 all out in 72.2 overs
(Dulsith Darshana 63, Randula Mabarana 28, Manitha Rajapaksha 23, Kaveesha Githmal 43, Kavindu Nimsara 66; Yashod Kavindu 5/100, Dinal Sewmina 2/32)
Lumbini 76 for 4 overnight 173 all out in 53.4 overs
(Kisandu Dulneth 33, Yashod Kavindu 26, Jayanitha Mendis 41, Pasindu Mahisha 38; Manitha Rajapaksha 6/64, Sadev Nethmina 2/27) and 86 all out in 32.4 overs (Nikil Abilash 33; Manitha Rajapaksha 5/25, Gesandu Bisas 2/12, Arosha Udayanga 2/15)
Sri Sumangala in innings win at Panadura
Scores
Isipatana 136 all out in 47.2 overs (Yuveen Keshan 21, Dasith Senal 31; Mevindu Kumarasiri 6/54) and 69 all out in 25.2 overs (Janith Selaka 25; Mevindu Kumarasiri 5/32, Methum Fernando 4/23)
Sri Sumangala 158 for 2 overnight 301 for 8 decl. in 79.4 overs (Sandeep Wijerathna 100, Neksha Iddamalgoda 110, Mevindu Kumarasiri 34; Dasith Senal 2/86, Dimuthu Tharuka 2/34)
First innings win for DSS at DSS ground
Scores
DSS 365 all out in 79 overs (Savain Kalansooriya 54, Bihan Gamage 102, Janindu Ranasinghe 50, Shevan Welgama 73; Osanda Pamuditha 2/69, Dunitha Anusara 4/66, Sahas Godage 3/76) and 144 for 3 in 35.2 overs (Miyuru Bandara 41, Savain Kalansooriya 57, Shanaal Binuksha 34)
Nalanda 28 for 1 overnight 197 all out in 66.1 overs (Nemindu Akmeemana 40, Ranmith Dinuwara 42; Shanaal Binuksha 6/61, Randisha Bandaranayake 2/40)
by Reemus Fernando
India’s opening batter Shafali Verma and swing bowler Renuka Singh have moved up to sixth spots in the ICC’s T20I batting and bowling rankings respectively.
Shafali is the leading scorer in the ongoing bilateral series against Sri Lanka by a distance, her 236 runs nearly twice as many as second-highest scorer Smriti Mandhana’s 120. Renuka is also the leading wicket-taker, her four wickets level with team-mates Deepti Sharma, Vaishnavi Sharma and Shree Charani.
Shafali went up four places with back-to-back scores of 69*, 79* and 79 in the second, third and fourth T20Is. Renuka, meanwhile, climbed eight places to reach the joint-sixth position along with South Africa’s Nonkululeko Mlaba, particularly through her 4 for 21 in the third game of the series. Deepti leads the bowlers’ rankings after taking that position last week. Both Shafali and Renuka have also bagged one Player-of-the-Match award each in the series that India lead 4-0, with the last match scheduled for Tuesday in Thiruvananthapuram.
If India win today (30), this will be their third 5-0 series win in T20Is. They won by that scoreline in the West Indies in 2019 and in Bangladesh last year. Sri Lanka have, however, never before lost a T20I series 5-0.
(Cricinfo)
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