Sports
Yoshitha survived the knocks in rugby
Retires from the game this Saturday
By a Special Sports Correspondent
Former Thomian, Sri Lanka, and present Navy Sports Club player Yoshitha Rajapaksa expects to bring the curtain down on his rugby career after he plays his final match on April 2 (Saturday) at Longden Place.
Yoshitha’s decision to quit playing the game was confirmed by Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) sources. Hence he will be seen wearing the Navy jersey for the last time in this game where the ‘Sailors’ take on CR&FC.
He had his education at the school by the sea–S. Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia-so it was probably by choice and not coincidence that he chose to represent the ‘seagoing force’ when he decided to continue his rugby career after leaving school. He cut his teeth in the game at S.Thomas’ and even captained the school at First XV rugby; an achievement very few have achieved and all those who did are proud of.
But club rugby was a much more difficult experience for him. The transition from school rugby to club rugby overnight is unthinkable for even the greatest schoolboy rugby players. Yoshitha was no great player, but he had a large heart to continue rugby. With survival skills and just by hanging on there he got accustomed to senior rugby and eventually made it to the national pool. He played in his pet position as a flanker forward.
Before Yoshitha his brother Namal and later the younger sibling Rohitha being involved in the game coupled by their father Mahinda Rajapaksa being the president of the country made rugby the much talked about sport in the island. Rugby eventually became the ‘royal sport’ in the country. Those who would have been mere spectators took prominent roles in rugby administration and coaching during the time the Rajapaksas were at the peak of their careers.
But many good things also happened to the game during their time. There was a tussle for the national captaincy at one time when Yoshitha was just a ‘babe’ in the game. But when the time came for Yoshitha to captain we saw the players gelling together with him and there was hardly any internal conflicts within the national side.
The highlights of his career were that Sri Lanka, under his captaincy, became runners-up at the Asian Five Nations in Division 1 in 2012 and eventually won it the following year (2013). He also led the national side to win the Bowl Championship at the 2011 Borneo Sevens. He was a member of the Sri Lanka side that contested the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Scotland.
Despite a pretty ‘decent’ career in rugby Yoshitha’s life was punctuated with legal issues. He had to face legal investigations regarding financial discrepancies associated with Carlton Sports Network. His name featured prominently in the investigations carried into the murder case of star rugby player Wasim Thajudeen. But Yoshitha surfaced from the bottom of all this turmoil; probably showing everyone that rugby had molded him into an individual who can weather any storm in life.
Apart from his involvement in rugby this second son in the Rajapaksa family also shone in the sport of shooting; winning the President’s medal for standard division at the 2012 National Handgun Championships conducted by the National Raffle Association of Sri Lanka. Despite the focus now being on Yoshitha it was Namal who outshone the two other siblings at rugby when the family got involved in the game. Namal played his best rugby at school and even captained the under 20 national side. He too represented Sri Lanka as a hooker and was a prominent member of the Navy Sports Club side in division 1 rugby.
The 34-year-old Yoshitha carries much experience as a player and a citizen of the country. He served the Sri Lanka Navy in the capacity of Lieutenant Commander and at present is the current Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, his father. In 2019 Yoshitha tied the knot with Nitheesha Jayasekara. We really don’t know what he plans to do after hanging up his boots. But sources close to him opine that Yoshitha would most likely be connected to rugby in some form of an administrative role. For the record, his elder brother Namal is the present Sports Minister of the country and his younger brother Rohitha represents CH&FC in Division 1 rugby.
It’s remarkable to have had a career spanning 15 years in rugby at present because modern rugby is so demanding and physical. Given the punishing routine, club rugby players have to endure they hardly last more than a couple of seasons before hanging up their boots. Yoshitha taught us to hang in there when the chips were down. He continued to play rugby when his dad lost the election and was relegated to the opposition. At present, he is playing under Adeesha Weeratunga, who is leading Navy Sports Club. Yoshitha could have a smile on his face because when he is about to retire he is seeing his brother, Rohitha, lifting his game and inspiring the team that he (Rohitha) represents: CH&FC. Any brother would love to see the family baton being handed over to a capable person and Yoshitha has found one.
Yoshitha is sure to take great memories home after he retires from the game. His critics might have much to say. But he reminded everyone that the career is short for those who play high-risk rugby. He played the game in a manner that underscores the message that there is much to cherish and more staying power when one plays the game putting safety first.
Why did David Miller refuse a single off the penultimate delivery with Delhi Capitals needing 2 off 2? It’ll be spoken of for a while, but not inside the Gujarat Titans change room. Because Prasidh Krishna bowled a nerveless slower bouncer off the final delivery that Miller missed, and Jos Buttler then nailed a direct hit with an underarm throw from behind the stumps to run out Kuldeep Yadav, clinching a dramatic first win for GT in IPL 2026.
Despite being adjudged run out on the field, Miller wasn’t in the mood to concede defeat, and reviewed the final ball for a possible wide. But when replays confirmed what he had perhaps known, he was crestfallen. Equally distraught in the dugout was K L Rahul, whose 52-ball 92 set the game up for DC but for one run.
It was GT’s first win of the tournament and the first loss for DC after starting the campaign with two wins in a row.
Thirty-six needed off 12. A bruised finger that didn’t make it easy for him to grip the bat had forced Miller to retire hurt with DC needing 81 off 42. But when Tristan Stubbs was run-out in the 17th over, Miller returned hoping to play second fiddle to Rahul. Instead, he was now expected to deliver a box-office hit with Rahul nicking behind off a full Mohammed Siraj delivery two balls later.
Miller nearly delivered what was expected, as he went 6, 4, 6 off Siraj, repeatedly peppering the short leg-side boundary. At the other end, Vipraj Nigam also ramped four off a short delivery to bring the equation down to a manageable 13 off the final over.
Prasidh was tasked to bowl the final over. His three overs prior to that had been walloped for 41; Rahul, his state mate, had climbed into him earlier in the night. But all that would’ve been forgiven if Prasidh delivered a gun final over. That GT could only have four fielders out due to a slow over rate added to his challenge. And he nearly succumbed.
Nigam made room and swung cleanly to hit the first ball to the long-off fence, but a rush of blood had him swipe the second delivery to Shubman Gill at mid-off. With DC now needing nine off four, Kuldeep gently deflected his first ball to deep third to leave the chase in Miller’s hands.
With the equation down to 8 off 3, Prasidh bowled a slot-ball that Miller walloped over long-off. But with two needed, Miller inexplicably refused a single to take it all upon himself to finish the deal. He couldn’t connect on the final ball, and Prasidh belted a roar. GT had pulled one from under DC’s rug in dramatic circumstances.
After scores of 1 and 0 in his first two games, Rahul announced himself with a 29-ball half-century that was as pleasing as they come for large parts. It was also one that didn’t have the baggage of him playing run-accumulator, like he has tended to in the past while opening the batting. This Rahul was fun, free and fearless and he helped DC overcome a few roadblocks along the way, like when they lost two wickets in two deliveries to Rashid Khan at the halfway mark.
Rahul was particularly menacing against the fast bowlers, and it began with a wristy flick that he sent way back over deep square off Kagiso Rabada. The early jitters out of the way – if he even had some inkling of them – he batted like a man possessed, fearlessly climbing into length balls from Prasidh over cover, and slapping disdainfully over point.
He is good, but where is the Rashid of old, they asked. Turns out he hadn’t gone anywhere. After he conceded just nine in his first two with DC rampant, he returned to dismiss Nitish Rana in his dramatic third over, the 10th of the innings. Having been given out lbw earlier, only for Rana to overturn the decision through DRS, he was out a few balls later when he miscued a googly to Sai Sudharsan at long-off. This was Rana’s third sub-20 score of the season.
This brought the in-form Sameer Rizvi to the middle, and he lasted all of one delivery as Rashid snuck through his inside-edge with a ripping googly to briefly elicit jitters in the DC camp. This is when Miller entered, before briefly exiting with seven overs left. But in the same over, when Rashid had Axar Patel slice one to Glenn Phillips running back from cover, GT started to have an opening.
On any other night, Rashid’s spell would have cracked open the game. The fact that DC were still in it despite these wickets was down to Rahul. It needed the skilful Siraj to dismiss him with DC needing 45 off three overs. By then, the pressure was telling.
That GT were eventually able to get over the line was down to their run cushion, made possible thanks to half-centuries from Jos Buttler, Gill and Washington Sundar. Buttler looked unshackled, hitting four sixes off his first 15 deliveries en route a bruising half-century, while Gill played himself in and then allayed fears of neck spasms during his takedown of Kuldeep with the slog sweep. Then Washington, promoted to No. 4, struck his maiden IPL fifty to shore up the innings.
Even so, GT managed just 49 off the last five. On another day, this may have proved to be costly. It didn’t on Wednesday, and for that, they have Rashid to thank.
Brief scores:
Gujarat Titans 210 for 4 in 20 overs (Sai Sudarshan 12, Shubman Gill 70, Jos Buttler 52, Washington Sundar 55, Glenn Phillips 14*; Mukesh Kumar 2-55, Lungi Ngidi 1-24, Kuldeep Yadav 1-42 ) beat Delhi Capitals 209 for 8 in 20 overs (Pathum Nissanka 41, KL Rahul 92, David Miller 41*, Vipraj Nigam 12; Mohammed Siraj 1-42, Rashid Khan 3-17, Prasidh Krishna 2-52) by one run
[Cricinfo]
A stunning hundred by opening bat Lasith Croospulle helped Sri Lanka ‘A’ to post a commanding 368 for nine in their allotted 50 overs and then restrict New Zealand ‘A’ to 158 for three and a secure a 44 run win [DLS method] at Suriyawewa yesterday. The win helped Sri Lanka to take an unassailable 2-0 series lead.
The star for Sri Lanka ‘A’ was the former Maris Stella College, Negombo cricketer Lasith Croospulle as he smashed 103 off just 76 balls hitting 13 fours and six sixes as the hosts piled up the runs.
Croospulle has represented Sri Lanka in one T20I and performances such as these are sure to earn him a regular spot in the white ball sides.
The middle order then ensured that they didn’t spoil the good work of the top order with captain Sahan Arachchige and Sonal Dinusha posting half-centuries.
Arachchige smashed 76 in 68 balls with five fours and two sixes while young Sonal Dinusha put the bowling to the sword during the death overs. His 93 came off 77 deliveries with six fours and four sixes.
Dinusha, who has already made his Test debut and impressed many with his electric fielding could have gone on to post his hundred but sacrificed his wicket in a bid to score quick runs.
With the World Cup less than a year away and the selectors keeping a close eye on the second string, performances like these are sure to get their attention.
Rain reduced the game to 28 overs and New Zealand were given a revised target of 203 but they only managed 158 for three to hand Sri Lanka a comfortable win.
Sri Lanka ‘A’ had won the first game by 140 runs in Galle. Saturday’s third one-dayer will be a dead rubber.
The teams will stay back at Suriyawewa for two further weeks where the two match unofficial Test series will be played.
The composition for the four day games is set to change with Pasindu Sooriyabandara set to lead the side.
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Showers will occur at a few places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya and Mannar districts after 2.00 p.m.
Sun directly overhead Chilaw, Bingiriya, Halmillawewa, Panduwasnuwara, Gokarella, Kawudupelella, Koppaveli and Kirankulam about 12:12 noon. today (09)
Heat Index at Caution Level in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Eastern, North-western, Northern and North-central provinces and in Monaragala district
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