SRI LANKA CRICKET NEWS
(NOVEMBER 2021)
Compiled by Victor Melder
Sri Lanka’s new cricket superstar Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva said his first T20 World Cup will be one of his most memorable feats in history as he finished the championship with 16 wickets that included the three qualifying round matches although his team failed to qualify for the semi finals. In the Super 12s Hasaranga took 10 wickets while Australia’s Adam Zampa took 11. The 24 year old all-rounder has taken 36 T20 International wickets as he baffled opposing batters with his googly that included West Indies power hitters Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo who were both clean bowled in Sri Lanka’s sign-off match. “I have taken the most number of wickets this year and I am really happy with it and it makes me feel good to contribute to the team especially when it is your first World Cup,” said Hasaranga. “There’s another T20 World Cup coming up next year and as a young team we will have to work harder to correct our mistakes and do well next year. “We were going through a bad patch and as a team we worked hard to give our hundred percent. We have come to a stage where we can give a good fight to stronger teams.” Sri Lankan coach Mickey Arthur was highly appreciative of Hasaranga’s skills. “He just excites me. Every time I see him with a ball or see him with a bat or on the field, he excites me as a cricketer. He’s a wonderful player and this has been Hasaranga’s dedication.” Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka said Hasaranga is the kind of player that has to be treated like a treasure. “He’s a gem. He’s a superstar in the making. There is a lot of cricket to be played and we have to protect him as well. As a captain, I back him in every situation. After Muttiah Muralidaran and Rangana Herath, Hasaranga is the match winning spinner in the Sri Lanka team,” said Shanaka. Hasaranga, a product of Richmond College, also became only the second Sri Lankan bowler to top the ICC rankings since 2011 when Ajantha Mendis reached the top in the T20I bowler rankings. He made his T20I debut in 2019 in Pallekele against New Zealand and since then has been a regular member of the white ball team. (Sunday Observer, 7/.11.2021)
The West Indies team arrived in Sri Lanka this morning (08) for a two match Test series for the Sobers-Tissera Trophy. The tourists will play a four-day warm-up match in Colombo before the two World Test Championship fixtures at Galle, starting on 21 November. The West Indies Test squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), Jermaine Blackwood (vice-capt), Nkrumah Bonner, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Kyle Mayers, Veerasammy Permaul, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Jeremy Solozano, Jomel Warrican. (Ceylon Today, 8.11.2021)
The selection committee of Sri Lanka Cricket has picked a squad of 22 players for the upcoming two-match Test series against the visiting West Indies, which begins next Sunday. Under opener Dimuth Karunaratne, the selectors have named four rookies — Charith Asalanka, Kamil Mishara, Suminda Lakshan and Chamika Gunasekara. Making comebacks to the Test side are former skippers Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal and middle-order batsman Roshen Silva, who could bolster Sri Lanka’s batting strength. The selectors have included four spinners into the squad, namely Lasith Embuldeniya, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lakshan Sandaken and newcomer Suminda Lakshan, who is more of an allrounder in the domestic field. Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara and rookie Chamika Gunasekara have been named as the fast bowlers. With few allround options in Dhananjaya de Silva, Ramesh Mendis, Chamika Karunaratne and Test rookie Charith Asalanka, Sri Lanka may hope to bank their hopes in claiming a series win in the two-match Test series. Asalanka, the well-known name among the four rookies for his fireworks at the ICC T20 World Cup, which ends today in Dubai, has appeared in eight ODIs and nine T20s for
Sri Lanka. He turns out for SSC at domestic level and has featured in 39 first class matches and has 1752 runs as a left-hand bat and 30 wickets as a right-arm off-spinner to his name. Kamil Mishara, opens for Panadura SC at domestic tournaments, and has appeared in five first class matches. He has scored 340 runs at an average of 48.57 with three half centuries. Still 20, the left-hand bat and right-arm off-spinner, represented Sri Lanka Under-19s after his prolific school career at Royal College. Suminda Lakshan, who turns out for Army SC at domestic level, comes into the squad as a leg-spinner. At 24, he has appeared in 29 first class games and has a reputation as a batsman than a spinner. Lakshan has scored 1488 runs and has four centuries under his belt with the best of 221, and has 56 scalps with the best of 5 for 85. Chamika Gunasekara, of NCC, is a 21-year-old with a moderate record after five first class appearances. He has scored 56 runs, with a best knock of 50 and claimed eight wickets, with the best of 6 for 83 against the visiting Pakistan Shaheens at Pallekele last week. The first Test match will be played from November 21 to 25 at Galle International Stadium, followed by the second, from November 29 to December 3 at the same venue.
Sri Lanka beat the touring West Indies by 187 runs, to win the first Test played Galle International Stadium. Rain interrupted some of the play. Scores:
Sri Lanka – 1st Innings – 386 (Karunaratne 147, de Silva, 61, Nissanka 56, Chandimal 45, Chase 5/83, Warrican 3/87, Gabriel 2/69)
West Indies – 1st Innings – 230 (Mayers 45, Brathwaite 41, Cornwall 39, Holder 36, Jayawickrama 4/40, Mendis 3/75Lakmal 1/10)
Sri Lanka 2nd Innings – 194 decd (Karunaratne 83, Mathews 69no, Warrican 2/42, Cornwall 2/60)
West Indies – 2nd Innings – 160 (Bonner 68no, Da Silva 54, Embuldeniya 5/46, Mendis 4/64, Jayawickrama 1/28)
Player of the Match: Dimuth Karunaratne (Sri Lanka)
Test Debut: Jeremy Solozana (West Indies)
Points: Sri Lanka 12, West Indies 0.
