SRI LANKA CRICKET NEWS – By Victor Melder
Complied by Victor Melder
(JUNE 2023)
Experienced batsman Angelo Mathews was omitted from the Sri Lanka squad for the Cricket World Cup qualifiers this month, in an otherwise unchanged squad named for the three-month ODI series against Afghanistan. Brought in earlier this year to support an otherwise inexperienced ODI batting line up, Mathews managed just scored of 18, 0 and 12 in three matches since his return, and with only 15 players allowed in the squad, the former captain failed to make the cut. Of the 15 players named for the World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe, only Chamika Karunaratne did not feature in a single game in the series against Afghanistan, which Sri Lanka won 2-1. Sri Lanka begin their qualification campaign against the United Arab Emirates on June 19, but are scheduled to play two warm up matches against the Netherlands and the United States of America next week.
Squad: Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk) Charith Asalanka, Sadeera Samarawickrema (wk), Dhanajaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (C), Chamika Karunaratne, Dushan Hemantha, Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lahiru Kumara, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana, Kasun Rajitha (Daily Mirror, 9.6.2023)
The Sri Lanka Cricket Team will leave for Zimbabwe today (10).
Sri Lanka are scheduled to play warmup games against Nederlands (13th June) and USA (15th June) before taking on UAE on 19th June, Oman on 23rd June, Ireland on 25th June and Scotland on 27th June in the group stage of the ICC World Cup Qualifiers.
The Sri Lanka Squad for the ICC World Cup Qualifiers:
Dasun Shanaka (Captain), Kusal Mendis (Vice-Captain), Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dhananjaya De Silva, Charith Asalanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha (Sunday Island, 11.6.2023)
The touring Afghanistan team beat Sri Lanka by 6 wickeets to win the first One Day International, played at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International cricket Stadium, Sooriyawewa, Hambantota. Scores:
Sri Lanka: 268 in 50 Overs (Asalanka 91, D.de Silva 51, Nissanka 38, Hemantha 22, Ahmed 2/43, Farooq 2/49)
Afghanistan: 269/4 in 46.5 Overs (Zadran 98, Shah 55, Shahidi 38, Nabi 27no, Rajitha 2/49)
Player of the Match: Ibrahim Zadran (Afghanistan)
One Day International Debut: Matheesha Pathirana, Dishan Hemantha (Sri Lanka)
Sri Lanka beat the touring Afghanistan team by 132 runs to win the second One Day International, played at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International cricket Stadium, Sooriyawewa, Hambantota. Scores:
Sri Lanka: 323/6 in 50 Overs (Mendis 78, Karunaratne 52, Samarawickrama 44, Nissanka 43, de Silva 290no, Hasaranga 29no, Nabi 2/52, Ahmed 2/61)
Afghanistan: 191 in 42.1 Overs (Shahidi 57, Zadran 54, Shah 36, Omarzai 28, de Silva 3/39, Hasaranga 3/42, Chameera 2/18)
Player of the Match: Dhananjaya de Silva (Sri Lanka)
Sri Lanka beat the touring Afghanistan team by 9 wickets to win the third and final One Day International, played at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International cricket Stadium, Sooriyawewa, Hambantota. Scores:
Afghanistan: 116 in 22.2 Overs (Nabi 23, Zadran 22, Naib 20, Chameera 4/63, Hasaranga 3/7, Kumara 2/29)
Sri Lanka: 120/1 in 16 Overs (Karunaratne 56no, Nissanka 51, Naib 1/19)
Player of the Match: Dushmantha Chameera (Sri Lanka)
Player of the Series: Dushmantha Chameera (Sri Lanka)
Sri Lanka won the the match series 2-1.
Sri Lanka Cricket has reported a net surplus of Rs. 6.3 billion, the highest ever for a financial year in the history of the organisation. SLC also recorded a total income of Rs. 17.5 billion, which was a 120% over its 2021 revenue, generated from four revenue segments – international cricket, domestic cricket, sponsorship contracts and ICC annual member disbursements. While stating that the audited financial statements had been approved by the membership, SLC also claimed that the National Audit Office, in its Auditors Report, had issued an unqualified opinion on SLC’s financial statements. (Daily Mirror, 22.6.2023)
Sri Lanka beat the United Arab Emirates by 175 runs, to win the 3rd Match, Group B, in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers, played at Queens Sports Club, Bulayawo. Scores:
Sri Lanka: 355/6 in 50 Overs (Mendis 78, Samarawickrama 73, Nissanka 57, Karunaratne 52, Asalanka 48no, Naseer 2.44, Hameed 1/19)
United Arab Emirates: 180 in 39 Overs (Waseem 39, Aravind 39, Naseer 34, Shahzad 26, Hasaranga 6/24)
Player of the Match: Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka)
Sri Lanka beat Oman by 10 wickets, to win the 11th Match, Group B, in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers, played at Queens Sports Club, Bulayawo. Scores:
Oman: 98 in 30.2 Overs (Khan 41, Singh 21, Hasaranga 5/13, Kumara 3/22)
Sri Lanka: 100 in 15 Overs (Nissanka 37no, Karunaratne 61no)
Player of the Match: Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka)
Sri Lanka beat Ireland by 133 runs, to win the 15th Match, Group B, in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers, played at Queens Sports Club, Bulayawo. Scores:
Sri Lanka: 325 in 49.5 Overs (Karunaratne 103, Samarawickrama 82, de Silva 42no, Asalanka 38, Adair 4/46, McCarthy 3/56, Delaney 2/55)
Ireland: 192 in 31 Overs (Campher 39, Tector 33, Dockrell 26no, Hasaranga 5/79, Theekshana 2/29)
Player of the Match: Dimuth Karunaratne (Sri Lanka)
Sri Lanka beat Scotland by 82 runs, to win the 19th Match, Group B, in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers, played at Queens Sports Club, Bulayawo. Scores:
Sri Lanka: 245 in 549.3 Overs (Nissanka 75, Asalanka 63, Samarawickrama 26, Greaves 4/32, Watt 3/52, Sole 2/46)
Scotland: 163 in 29 Overs (Greaves 56, McBride 29, Theekshana 3/41, Hasaranga 2/4)
Player of the Match: Mahesh Theekshana (Sri Lanka)
Sri Lanka beat Ireland by 21 runs, to win the 22nd Match, Group B, Play-off Semi Final, in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers, played at Queens Sports Club, Bulayawo. Scores:
Sri Lanka: 213 in 47.4 Overs (de Silva 93, Karunaratne 33 Theekshana 28, van Beek 3/26, de Leede 3/42, Zulfiqar 2/48)
Netherlands: 192 in 40 Overs ( Edwards 67no, Barresl 52, de Leede 41, Theekshana 3/31, Hasaranga 2/53)
Player of the Match: Dhananjaya de Silva (Sri Lanka)
Sri Lanka tops the Super5 Six Table.
