Sports

Yodasinghe takes giant strides in 100 metres sprinting

Published

2 years ago

2024/07/21

Thilina Walpola

Chamod Yodasinghe (File pic: Kamal Wanniarachchi)

by Reemus Fernando

Chamod Yodasinghe took a giant step towards cementing his position as one of the top sprinters in the country when he clocked a blistering time of 10.27 seconds to establish a new meet record in the men’s 100 metres at the National Sports Festival at the Sugathadasa Stadium last week.

The 24-year-old overtook Umanga Surendra (10.36 secs), Shehan Ambepitiya (10.31 secs), Chinthake de Soysa (10.29 secs) and Vinoj Suranjaya (10.27 secs) to occupy the third place in the all time best Sri Lankan performances in the men’s 100 metres.

The 10.27 seconds is the biggest gain the sprinter trained by Sanjeewa Weerakkody has achieved since he was introduced to the latter by his former coach Lalith Liyanage in 2018.

A late developer Yodasinghe had an impressive start to the last season when he clocked 10.37 seconds at the first selection trial for the Asian Games in March (2023). That was the first time he clocked sub 10.40 seconds and now he has reduced 0.10 seconds to be on par with some of the top sprinters the country has ever produced.

This year there were huge expectations when the national record holder Yupun Abeykoon arrived for the National Championships to pursue for his Olympic berth. Yodasinghe has largely remained unchallenged at local events and a possible dual between Abeykoon and Yodasinghe would have resulted in him producing his best. But when Abeykoon pulled out without completing the 100 metres heat Yodasinghe had no rival to challenge his bid for a third national title.

What Yodasinghe has achieved last week is remarkable considering the lack of competition and the deteriorating track condition at the Sugathadasa Stadium. After having reached his personal best what would be his target next? “My long term goal is the 2028 Olympics. Others include next year’s Asian Athletics Championship,” said Yodasinghe in an interview with the ‘Sunday Island’ after he was awarded the best athlete title at the National Sports Festival on Friday.

Performances such as Yodasinghe’s need to be applauded and he needs to be given necessary facilities to accomplish the target he has set for himself.

During the last five years he has proven beyond doubt that he is a true fighter and he has received the necessary backing from his coach Weerakkody to break barriers. But from now on the aim is to brush shoulders against world class sprinters. Such efforts need huge financial backing which Yodasinghe, Weerakkody and his employer Sri Lanka Army can not provide alone. Yodasinghe deserves the backing of a sponsor as he aims high and Weerakkody who is with the ministry of education needs to move his training base from Kandy to Colombo to be physically present with his charge. It is incumbent upon authorities to make necessary arrangements fast for this pair to reach their full potential.

Yodasinghe thanked his coach, the Army, the president of Sri Lanka Athletics and his training partners for the support given to reach where he is today.

He did 100m, 200m and long jump as a beginner at Dorawaka Sirinivasa MV before being introduced to systematic training at St. Mary’s College Kegalle. He was under Lalith Liyanage’s guidance from 2014 to 2018 and won podium positions at top national level in 2018. While most of the athletes who won top positions at junior level alongside Yodasinghe have either simply faded away or given up athletics Yodasinghe has blossomed at the right age to deliver exciting performances.

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Sports

India to host inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy in February

Published

9 hours ago

2026/09/3

Priyan

The Brabourne Stadium hasn't hosted an international game since December 2022 [BCCI]

The inaugural six-team Women’s Champions Trophy has been moved from Sri Lanka to India, and will be played in Mumbai and Vadodara from February 14 to 28 next year.

The Brabourne Stadium and the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium will host the T20 tournament. Despite losing the hosting rights because of government interference in their cricket board, Sri Lanka will still be part of the tournament, having qualified after being in the top six of the T20I rankings on the July 6 qualification cut-off date. Australia, England, India, New Zealand and South Africa are the other teams.

According to a media release, the ICC assessed three candidates – Bangladesh, India and South Africa – against its established host evaluation criteria before recommending India as the replacement host on Wednesday.

The Brabourne Stadium hasn’t hosted an international game since December 2022, when India women hosted Australia for a T20I series. It hosted the first-ever season of the WPL in 2023 and also a few matches in 2025. Vadodara, meanwhile, has hosted WPL matches in 2025 and 2026.

The Champions Trophy was due to be Sri Lanka’s second ICC event in two years after they also co-hosted the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup with India. The six participating teams will compete in a round-robin league, with the top two sides advancing to the final on February 28.

The SLC is under interim administration, called the Transformation Committee, which was put in place by the Sri Lankan government and will oversee major board changes including those to its constitution. The ICC does not recognise politically appointed administrations and SLC representatives have not been at ICC board meetings since the Transformation Committee was put in place.

[Cricinfo]

Sports

Mendis, Nissanka return for England white ball series

Published

19 hours ago

2026/09/3

Sahan Weerasooriya

Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka return to the side after missing India Tests due to injuries.

by Rex Clementine

Prolific batsman Pathum Nissanka and white-ball captain Kusal Mendis are back in the fold after being named in Sri Lanka’s ODI and T20 squads for the six-match tour of England later this month.

Both Mendis and Nissanka missed the recent Test series against India through injury. Nissanka was recovering from wrist surgery, while Mendis suffered a hamstring injury during the LPL. It was the first major injury setback for the wicketkeeper batter, who has been a fixture in the Sri Lankan side for more than a decade.

Interestingly, Charith Asalanka has returned to the leadership group as vice-captain. Asalanka was stripped of the captaincy in both white ball formats earlier this year and subsequently fell out of favour with the selectors. His elevation suggests that the experiment of grooming Kamindu Mendis as the all-format vice-captain has, for the moment at least, been shelved.

There are, however, a few concerns heading into the tour. Kusal Mendis and Dushmantha Chameera have not featured in the ongoing domestic tournament, leaving them short of competitive cricket. Chameera’s lack of preparation will be particularly concerning given the fast bowler’s lengthy history of injuries. Pathum Nissanka did turn up for NCC though during this week’s T-20 competition but didn’t make an impact.

The inclusion of 28-year-old leg-spinner Sachindu Colombage in the ODI squad has also raised a few eyebrows.

While Sri Lanka’s T20 game remains a work in progress, their ODI fortunes have taken a significant turn for the better. The side has found consistency and made rapid strides, underlined by automatic qualification for next year’s World Cup in South Africa. It is a marked contrast to the build-up to the 2023 edition, when Sri Lanka were forced to travel to Zimbabwe and negotiate the qualifying tournament to earn their place at the World Cup.

Sri Lanka will begin the tour with the T20 series, with Southampton hosting the opener on September 15. The teams then travel to Cardiff and Manchester before the ODI leg gets underway at Chester-le-Street. Headingley will stage the second ODI, with the tour concluding at The Oval.

The Sri Lankan squad will leave for London on Saturday, September 5, giving them ten days to prepare for the six-match white-ball assignment.

ODI squad: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka (vice-captain), Kusal Mendis (captain), Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Sachindu Colombage, Dushmantha Chameera, Eshan Malinga, Asitha Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka.

T20 squad: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Lahiru Udara, Kusal Mendis (captain), Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka (vice-captain), Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Tharindu Rathnayake, Dushmantha Chameera, Eshan Malinga, Nuwan Thushara and Binura Fernando.

Sports

Sampath, bowlers steer Golden Green Plantations to title

Published

19 hours ago

2026/09/3

Sahan Weerasooriya

MCA Premier League Champions 2026 Golden Green Plantations

MCA – ABANS PREMIER LEAGUE 2026

A skipper’s innings of 70 runs off 89 balls by T M Sampath and a four fer by Hesham Madushanaka and two wickets by Upul Hettiarachchi helped new comers to the MCA cricket arena Golden Green Plantations defeat David Pieris Group of Companies by four wickets in the final of the MCA-Abans Premier League 2026 and become the first winners of the ‘Abans Challenge Trophy’.

Electing to bat first David Pieris Group of Companies were restricted to 147 runs in 39.3 overs. Santhush Gunathilake who opened innings topped the score card with a fluent 53 off 50 balls with seven fours and a six. Asitha Wanninayake chipped in with 31 off 59 balls. Heshan Madushanka captured four wickets for 11 runs.

Chasing 148 to win, skipper T M Sampath scored 70 runs off 89 balls with seven boundaries and two sixes before being stumped off the bowling of Dilanka Auwardt, with score on 122/5. Shammu Ashan and Mohamed Shamaz shared a 25 run partnership to equal the scores at 147/6 and Shammu Ashan scored the winning runs with a four.

The Golden Green Plantation Team led by T M Samapth comprised, Heshn Madushanka, Malith Mihiranga, Mohamed Shamaz, Randika Mihiranga, Upul Httiarachchi, Dhanuja Induwara, Gimadu Malkam, Sammu Ashan , Vikum Sanjaya and Johan Pathirana

With only four teams entering the prestigious MCA Premier Leaguethis year, DFCC Bank secured third spot having a slightly better run rate over Nawaloka Hospitals and were unlucky that the opportunity for securing a spot in the final was washed away as qualifier 2 was abandoned on two consuecutive days due to rain.

Player of the Final T M Sampath of Golden Green Plantations receives his trophy from Sajith Athapaththu Chairman of the MCA Social, Bar and Restaurant Committee

Special Awards:

Best fielder of the Final :

Dhanuja Induwara of Golden Green Plantations [3 catches and 1 runout]

Best bowler of the Final:

Heshan Madushanka of Golden Green Plantations [4 wickets for 11 runs]

Best batsman of the Final:

Santhush Gunathilake of David Pieris Group of Companies [53 runs off 50 balls]

Player of the Final ;

T M Sampath of Golden Green Plantations [70 runs and 1 wicket]

Best bowler of the Tournament:

Tharinda Nirmal of David Pieris Group of Companies [13 wickets in 4 innings]

Best batsman of the Tournament: