Sports
Viren, Panchali clinch singles crowns
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
The Cabinet of Ministers granted their concurrence to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Youth Affairs to appoint S. Achchudan of Special Grade of Sri Lanka Administrative Service, who is currently serving as an Additional Commissioner of Elections at the Elections Commission who is
recommended by the panel of interviewers to the post of Director General of the Sports Development Department with effect form 01.01.2026.
After three low scores, three tosses lost and three heavy defeats, Sri Lanka gave hosts India more of a fight in the fourth T20I on Sunday when they finally got to chase a target instead of setting one. They got somewhat close thanks to contribution from batters apart from Chamari Athapaththu. With their confidence running a little higher, they would want to sign off fromthis five match tour with one win as the preparations for the T20 World Cup, which is less than six months away, heat up.
India have been clinical all through the series – with their share of luck, having won the first three tosses – in restricting Sri Lanka to totals under 130 and getting home with at least five overs and seven wickets in hand. That presents Sri Lanka the opportunity to test India’s middle and lower order on Tuesday, but with the gargantuan task of going past the duo of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, who put up India’s biggest partnership for any wicket to set up the hosts’ highest T20I total. India have had to use only five batters in this series so far.
Whether they set a total or chase one, Sri Lanka would draw inspiration from Hasini Perera’s start on Sunday, in which she took down Renuka Singh and Arundhati Reddy in the opening overs before Nilakshika Silva finally got some runs in the lower order.
Sri Lanka would also want to cash in on any lives their batters are offered as India have been sloppy this series – putting down five catches in the opener and two in the fourth game – which could help the visitors narrow the gap between the two sides.
There are always expectations from Athapaththu when Sri Lanka bat, and it was refreshing to see Hasini Perera take the lead in the opening partnership with her captain on Sunday. It was Perera’s penchant for boundaries that charged Sri Lanka to 52 for 0 in the first four overs. Hasini has played nearly 90 T20Is and the last game of the series will be the perfect chance for her to score her maiden T20I half-century that will only increase the faith in her abilities in the lead up to the T20 World Cup.
She has been dismissed just twice this series and Shafali Verma is reaching scary heights in the T20 format with 236 runs already at a strike rate of 185.82 this series. The next best strike rate this series (minimum 50 runs) is Jemimah Rodrigues’ 140.54. Shafali has taken down every possible bowling combination Sri Lanka have thrown at her at the start and with three half-centuries in a row, a continuation of her boundary barrage could be another spectacular show from the India opener.
Rodrigues missed the fourth T20I while recovering from a mild fever and India brought in Harleen Deol for her first game of the series but she didn’t get a chance to bat. Already leading 4-0, India may also want to hand a debut to 17-year-old wicketkeeper-batter G Kamalini, the only player in the squad who hasn’t played this series.
India (possible): Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues/Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Richa Ghosh/G Kamalini (wk), Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Renuka Singh/Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud, Vaishnavi Sharma, Shree Charani
Sri Lanka have been making changes through the series too, and even though they have used up all their players from the squad of 15, don’t rule out any more changes on Tuesday.
Sri Lanka (possible): Chamari Athapaththu (capt), Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Imesha Dulani, Nilakshika Silva, Kaushini Nuthyangana (wk), Kavisha Dilhari, Kawya Kavindi/Malki Madara, Inoka Ranaweera, Malsha Shehani, Nimasha Meepage
[Cricinfo]
Under 19 Cricket
A century by Bihan Gamage and and a six wicket haul by Mevindu Kumarasiri were the individual highlights on day one of the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ and ‘B’ matches on Monday.
While Gamage’s century was the backbone of DS Senanayake’s challenging total of 365 runs against Nalanda, Mevindu Kumarasiri’s six wicket haul helped Sri Sumangala restrict Isipatana to 136 runs.
Later Sri Sumangala reached 158 for two wickets at stumps thanks to an unbroken third wicket stand of 140 runs between Sandeep Wijerathna (61n.o.) and Neksha Iddamalgoda (81n.o.).
That was not the only notable partnership of the day as the ninth wicket pair of Kaveesha Githmal (43) and Kavindu Nimsara (66) put on 99 runs for Mahinda to post 284 runs against Lumbini in their match.
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)
Nalanda 28 for 1 in 10 overs
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 in 20 overs (Kisandu Dulneth 33, Yashod Kavindu 26; Sadev Nethmina 2/27)
At Panadura
Scores
Isipatana 136 all out in 47.2 overs (Yuveen Keshan 21, Dasith Senal 31; Mevindu Kumarasiri 6/54)
Sri Sumangala 158 for 2 in 45 overs
(Sandeep Wijerathna 61n.o., Neksha Iddamalgoda 81n.o.) (RF)
S. Achchudan appointed as Director General of the Sports Development Department.
Amendment of the National Environment Act No. 47 of 1980
Tax relief for Dates received as donations or gifts for Ramadan
Cabinet nod to establish the Sri Lanka Industrial Transformation and innovation Authority
Temporary employment of Sri Lankan labour in the State of Israel
Cabinet approves liquidation of Sahasya Investment Company
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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