SRI LANKA CRICKET NEWS
(JULY 2021)
Compiled by Victor Melder
England beat the touring Sri Lankans by 8 wickets to win the 2nd ODI, played at Kennington Oval, London. Scores: Sri Lanka – 241/9 in 50 Overs (de Silva 91, Shanaka 47, Hasaranga 26, Curran 5/48, Willey4/64) England – 244/2 in 43 Overs (Morgan 75no, Root 68no, Roy 60, Bairstow 29, Karunaratne 1/34, Hasaranga 1/46) Player of the Match: Sam Curran (England) Match Points: England 10, Sri Lanka 0
The third ODI between England and the touring Sri Lankans played at County Ground, Bristol ended in No result after rain washed out play. Scores:
Sri Lanka – 166 in 41.1 Overs (Shanaka 48, Hasaranga 20, Curran 4/35, Woakes 2/28, Willey 2/36)
England – Did not bat.
Player of the Series: David Willey (England)
England won the 3-match series 2-0.
Match Points: England 5, Sri Lanka 5.
Former Sri Lanka batsman Bhanuka Rajapaksa has been fined US $5,000 for a breach of contract and is essentially on probation for two years, having been handed a one-year ban as a suspended sentence. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) dealt out these punishments for breaching “the obligations of Player Contract 2019-2020, while appearing in social and other media interviews”, according to an official release. Rajapaksa has been publicly protesting his continued omission from Sri Lanka’s major teams, most recently suggesting he should have been part of Sri Lanka’s squad for the tour of England. Despite the punishments, Rajapaksa has been included in the bio-secure bubble training squad that may be picked from, for the forthcoming series against India. Rajapaksa, who has seven T20 International caps for Sri Lanka last played for the country against India in Indore in 2020. (Agencies) (Daily News, 6.7.2021).
Sri Lanka Cricket announces that the India Sri Lanka series which was to start on July 13, will now be held from July 18 till July 29. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in consultation with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to reschedule the dates of the ODI and T20I series. Commenting on the changed schedule, Jay Shah, Honorary Secretary, BCCI, said: “We understand that circumstances are extraordinary, but the BCCI would like to extend its full support to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) during these tough times for the smooth conduct of the upcoming series. Our medical team is in constant touch with the team of doctors at SLC and together following all safety protocols that will help the series to get underway. We are confident that both nations will put up a spirited show in the days to come and we are in for some exciting cricket.” Commenting on the BCCI’s cooperation in this regard, Ashley De Silva, CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket said: ‘We are grateful for the BCCI for understanding the situation and agreeing to cooperate with us at this moment of time, as it has done on numerous occasions, during our long-standing relationship.’He also said the rescheduling of the series was a measure taken to ensure the safety of the players, officials, and the continuity of the tour. (Daily News, 10.7.2021)
Two key players in Sri Lanka cricket team namely Wicket-Keeper Batsman Kusal Janith Perera and Fast Bowler Binura Fernando will be ruled out of the India series due to injuries, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said. In a statement, it said Kusal Janith Perera will not be able to take part in the ODI and the T20i series against India owing to an injury. The Wicket-Keeper Batsman suffered a right shoulder sprain during training. Meanwhile, Fast Bowler Binura Fernando sprained his left ankle during a practice session held yesterday (15). It’s a lateral ligament sprain. Fernando will be unavailable for the ODI series of the India Tour of Sri Lanka.
The touring Indians beat Sri Lanka by 7 wickets in the First ODI, played at the R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. Scores:
Sri Lanka – 262/9 in 50 Overs (Karunaratne 43no, Shanaka 39, Asalanka 38, Fernando 33, Chahar 2/37, Yadav 2/48, Chahal 2/52, Pandya 1/26, de Silva 2/49, Sandakan 1/53)
India – 263/3 in 36.4 Overs (Dhawan 86no, Kishan 59, Shaw 43, Yadav 31no, Pandey 26,
Player of the Match: Prithiv Shaw (India)
ODI Debut: Bhanuka Rajapaksa (Sri Lanka), Ishan Kishan & Suryakumar Yadav (India)
Match Points: India 10, Sri Lanka ).
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has issued charge sheets to the three players serving a temporary suspension following their misbehaviour during the tour of England last month.Former Deputy Skipper Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunathillaka were found guilty for breaching the players’ code of conduct during that tour. All three players subsequently accepted that they were guilty at the initial investigation based on reports submitted by Sri Lanka Team Manager Manuja Kariyapperuma. It is reported that all three players have been given three days to submit their replies to the charge and an inquiry will be held after that by the independent panel appointed by SLC. (AN) (Daily News, 21.7.2021)
The touring Indians beat Sri Lanka by 3 wickets in the Second ODI, played at the R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. Scores:
Sri Lanka – 275/9 (Asalanka 65, Farnando 50, Karunaratyne 44no, Bhanuka 36, Chahal 3/50, Kumar 3/64, Chahar 2/53)
India – 277/7 in 49.1 Overs (Chahar 69no, Yadav 53, Pandey 37, Pandya 35, Dhawan 29, Hasaranga 3/37, Shanaka 1/10)
Player of the Match: Deepak Chahar (India)
Points: India 10, Sri Lanka 0
Sri Lanka have been fined 20 percent of their match fees for maintaining a slow over-rate against India in the second One Day International (ODI) in Colombo on Tuesday. Ranjan Madugalle of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanction after Dasun Shanaka’s side was ruled to be one over short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration. As per Article 16.12.2 of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League Playing Conditions, a side is penalised one point for each over short. Consequently, Sri Lanka will lose one point from their points tally during the Super League. Shanaka pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing. (Daily News, 23.7.2021)
Sri Lanka beat the touring Indians by 3 wickets to win the Third and Final ODI, played at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. Scores:
India – 225 in 43.1 Overs (Shaw 49, Samson 46, Yadav 40, Dananjaya 3/44, Jayawickrama 3/59, Chameera 2/55, Karunaratne 1/25, Shanaka 1/33)
Sri Lanka – 227/7 in 39 Overs (Fernando 75, Rajapaksa 65, Asalanka 24, Chahar 3/54, Sakariya 2/34, Pandya 1/43, Gowtham 1/49)
ODI Debut: Chetan Sakariya, Krishnappa Gowtham, Nitish Rana, Rahul Chahar and Sanju Samson (all India)
Player of the Match: Avishka Fernando (Sri Lanka)
Points: Sri Lanka 10, India 0.
Player of the Series: Suryakumar Yadav (India)
India won the 3-Match Series 2-1
Krunal Pandya has tested positive for Covid-19, forcing the second T20I between Sri Lanka and India, scheduled for Tuesday evening, to be pushed back by a day. Pandya’s positive test result came not too long before the scheduled start of play – 8pm local time – and eight other members of the Indian contingent have so far been identified as Pandya’s close contacts and asked to isolate in their hotel rooms. It is understood that Pandya complained of a sore throat on Tuesday morning, after which the Indian medical staff asked him to take the rapid antigen test, which came out positive. It is also understood that Pandya also underwent the RT-PCR test, globally recognised as the gold standard in Covid-19 testing, and that came out positive too.
BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a media release that the entire Indian squad would also undergo the RT-PCR test to “ascertain any further outbreak” in their camp. The BCCI did not identify the eight people who had been asked to isolate along with Pandya, but a board official told PTI that the majority of those were players. “The reports (of today’s tests) will come in the evening (around 6pm) and if everyone is in the clear, we can have the match on Wednesday. Maximum among the eight close contacts who are also in mandatory isolation are players.” It could not be confirmed how long Pandya and the eight others are going to be in isolation, but one person privy to the discussions in the camp said that the period would be determined based on the strain of Covid-19 in question. Professor Arjuna de Silva, who overseas SLC’s bubble protocols for international tours, told ESPNcricinfo that it remained a mystery as to how Pandya could have contracted Covid-19, as there have been no reports of the bubble being broken, nor any other significant irregularities. The series has been played behind closed doors and both teams have been operating out of a bio-secure bubble with their movements restricted to only the team hotel and the ground.
The India team has a hotel – the Taj Samudra – to themselves, and even the staff working in the hotel are essentially in the bubble, and undergo frequent testing. de Silva said that no one else, including staff, had tested positive so far. Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav were scheduled to leave for England immediately after the Sri Lanka series. This is the second time Covid-19 has forced Sri Lanka Cricket to tweak the itinerary of the six-match series. The ODI series was originally meant to commence on July 13, but had to be pushed to July 18 after a few positive cases emerged in the Sri Lankan group. As things stand, the second and third Sri Lanka T20Is will now be played back-to-back on Wednesday and Thursday. Though Pandya and some other players are likely to be unavailable for the last two games following the latest developments, India have enough back-up to field an XI, as they have travelled with an expanded squad of 20, plus five reserve bowlers. (ESPN Cricinfo)
The touring Indians beat Sri Lanka by 38 runs to win the First T20 International played at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. Scores:
India – 164/5 in 20 Overs (Yadav 50, Dhawan 46, Samson 27, Chameera 2/24, Hasaranga 2/28Karunaratne 1/34)
Sri Lanka – 126 in 18.3 Overs (Asalanka 44, Fernando 26, Kumar 4/22, Chahar 2/24, K. Pandya 1/16, H. Pandya 1/17)
Player of the Match: Bhuvneshwar Kumar (India)
T20 debut: Chamika Karunaratne & Charith Asalanka (Sri Lanka), Prithvi Shaw & Varun Chakravarthy (India)
Sri Lanka beat the touring Indians by 4 wickets to win the Second T20 International played at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. Scores:
India – 132/5 in 20 Overs (Dhawan 40, Padikkal 29, Gaikwad 21, Dananjaya 2/29, Shanaka 1/14, Chameera 1/23)
Sri Lanka – 133/6 in 19.4 Overs (de Silva 40, Bhanuka 36, Hasaranga 15, UYadav 2/3, Chakravarthy 1/18, Kumar 1/21)
Player of the Match: Dhananjaya de Silva (Sri Lanka)
T 20 Debut: Chetan Sakariya, Devdutt Padikkal, Nitish Rana & Ruturaj Gaikwad (India), Ramesh Mendis (Sri Lanka)
Sri Lanka beat the touring Indians by 7 wickets to win the Third and final T20 International played at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. Scores:
India – 81/8 in 20 Overs (Yadav 23no, Kumar 16, Gaikwad 14, Hasaranga 4/9, Shanaka 2/20, Mendis 1/13, Chameera 1/16)
Sri Lanka – 82/3 in 14.3 Overs (de Silva 23no, Bhanuka 18, Hasaranga 14no, Chahar 3/15)
Player of the Match: Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka)
Player of the Series: Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka)
T20 Debut: Sandeep Warrier (India)
Sri Lanka won the 3-Match Series 2-1.
Sri Lanka cricketers Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunathilaka and Niroshan Dickwella were recommended to be banned from all forms of cricket along with a fine of USD 25,000 for breaching the bio-bubble during the England tour. The decision was taken by a five member committee appointed to conduct a disciplinary inquiry into the actions of the national players during the last tour of England. The accused cricketers were summoned before the committee today (29). The committee recommended that Danushka Goonetileke and Kusal Mendis be banned for two years and Niroshan Dickwella for 18 months.In addition, they have each been imposed a fine of US $ 25,00. SLC said an announcement will be made after an official decision has been reached. The three players were called back to Sri Lanka immediately after a video circulated on social media showing the players roaming the streets of England, breaching the bio-bubble during the Sri Lanka Cricket team’s tour of England. (Ceylon Today, 30.7.2021)
