Sports

Viren, Panchali clinch singles crowns

Published

4 years ago

2021/11/16

Sahan Weerasooriya

Men’s singles winner Viren Nettasinghe and runner up Viren Nettasinghe

WPBA Open Championships 2021

Viren Nettasinghe and Panchali Adhikari clinched the men’s and women’s singles crowns at the Western Province Badminton Association (WPBA) – organised Open Ranking Championships which marked the return of competitive badminton action at the MBA and Otters Courts over the weekend.

Nettasinghe beat Dumindu Abeywickrama 21-14, 22-20 in the men’s singles final while Adhikari overcame her counterpart Ranithma Liyanage in a thrilling final which was stretched to three sets (19-21, 21-14, 21-12).

Earlier, Nettasingle also won the men’s doubles title with his partner Rasindu Hendahewa when the talented duo overcame Resintha de Silva and Shamika de Silva in straight sets (21-12, 21-11).

Meanwhile, Adhikari and her doubles partner Manudi Mithara had to satisfy with the runner-up position after losing to Buthmi Galagamage and Nadeesha Gayanthi (16-21, 21-18, 21-17) in the final.

The mixed doubles title was won by Thulith Palliyaguru and Buthmi Galagamage who beat Lochana de Silva and Raini Abeysingha (21-16, 21-16) in the final.

Sachen Fernando (U-17) and Siyath Senaratne (U-19) emerged victorious in the boys’ singles finals while Varangana Jayawardana (U-17) and Suhasni Vidanage (U-19) clinched girls’ singles titles.

Sunil Jayasiri, Rohan Fernando, George Karunanayake, Mahinda Jayaweera, Subash Janaka, Gihan Ranasinghe and RuviniRathnasiri also won singles titles in their respective age groups.

The tournament was the first open ranking event to take place following a long break due to the COVID-19 pandemic which disrupted the country’s badminton competition schedule.

The tournament was conducted under the supervision of Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB) with all measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 being followed.

SLT Mobitel was the main sponsor of the event which saw over 300 shuttlers in action.

Results of Western Province Open Badminton Championships 2021

Men’s Doubles 65

Winners: E M Chandratilaka/A Karunagaran

Runners-up: L G Amaratunga/Gamini Jayawardana

Men’s Singles 65

Winner: Sunil Jayasiri

Runner-up: Gamini Jayawardana

Men’s Singles 55 / 60

Winner: Rohan Fernando

Runner-up: ArunaKrishantha

Men’s Singles 50

Winner: George Karunanayake

Runner-up: Mangala Gamage

Men’s Doubles 45

Winner: Clarence Homer/Duminda Jayakody

Runner-up: Mahinda Jayaweera/Ranga Randunu

Mne’s Singles 45

Winner: Mahinda Jayaweera

Runner-up: W A Ruwankumara

Mixed Doubles 40

Winners: Jeffer Rosobin / Chandrika De Silva

Runners-up: Upendra Jayawardena / Priyanka Abeyrathna

Women’s Doubles 40 / 50

Winners: Priyanka Abeyrathna/ Umanga Rathnayake

Runners-up: Thushari Brahamanage / Sadamali Senanayake

Men’s Doubles 40

Winners: Randika Peiris / I.D Samaranayaka

Runners-up: Upendra Jayawardena / Sahan Pradeep

Men’s Singles 40

Winner: Subash Janaka

Runner-up: Conrad de Silva

Men’s Singles 35

Winner: Gihan Ranasinghe

Runner-up: Saseiharan Veerasingham

Girls Doubles U19

Winners: Panchali Adhikari / Manudi Mithara

Runners-up: ThisuniLiyanarachchi/SenujiUmagiliyage

Boys Doubles U19

Winners: Jason Homer / Savinaka Weerasekara

Runners-up: Chaniru Manmitha / Manuth Pelawatta

Girls Singles U19

Winner: Suhasni Vidanage

Runner-up: Ashini Fernando

Boys Singles U19

Winner: Siyath Senaratne

Runner-up: Thenuka de Silva

Girls Doubles U17

Winners: Maneesha Jayawardhana / Samindi Onel

Runner-up: Isuri de Alwis / Natasha Gunasekara

Boys Doubles U17

Winners: Aashinsa Herath / Saajid Majeed

Runners-up: Shenuk Samararatne / Pulina Wellalage

Girls Singles U17

Winner: Varangana Jayawardana

Runner-up: Pravina Wijesundara

Boys Singles U17

Winner: Sachen Fernando

Runners-up: Pulina Wellalage

Mixed Doubles

Winners: Thulith Palliyaguru / Buthmi Galagamage

Runners-up: Lochana de Silva / Raini Abeysingha

Women’s Doubles

Winners: Buthmi Galagamage / Nadeesha Gayanthi

Runner-up: Panchali Adhikari / Manudi Mithara

Men’s Doubles 30

Winners: Hasitha Chanaka / Rajitha Dahanayake

Runners-up: Roshan Kumara / Tony Wahydi

Men’s Doubles

Winners: Rasindu Hendahewa / Viren Nettasinghe

Runners-up: Resintha de Silva / Shamika de Silva

Women’s Singles 30

Winner: Ruvini Rathnasiri

Runner-up: Malathi Kumari

Women’s Singles

Winner: Panchali Adhikari

Runner-up: Ranithma Liyanage

Men’s Singles 30

Winner: Hasitha Chanaka

Runner-up: Roshan Kumara

Men’s Singles

Winner: Viren Nettasinghe

Runner-up: Dumindu Abeywickrama

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Sports

Pramod hits 42 runs in an over

Published

2 hours ago

2026/01/2

Thilina Walpola

Pramod Madushan hit 42 runs in an over.

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.

Latest News

Usman Khawaja to retire after fifth Ashes Test

Published

2 hours ago

2026/01/2

Priyan

Usman Khawaja has played 22 Ashes Tests [BBC]

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]

Sports

Harmanpreet fires as India complete 5-0 sweep over Sri Lanka

Published

1 day ago

2026/01/1

Thilina Walpola

Harmanpreet hammered 68 off just 43 balls.

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]