SRI LANKA CRICKET NEWS
(OCTOBER  2019)
Compiled by Victor Melder

Pakistan beat the touring Sri Lankans by 5 wickets to win the third and final One-Day International, played at Karachi National Stadium. Scores:

Sri Lanka – 297/9 in 50 Overs (Gunathilaka 133, Shanaka 43, Thirimanne 36, Bhanuka 36, Amir 3/50, Nawaz 1/24, Shinwari 1/41)

Pakistan – 299/5 in 50 Overs (Zaman 76, Ali 74, Sohail 56, Azam 31, Pradeep 2/53, Jayasuriya 1/39, de Silva 1/54, Kumara 1/55)

Player of the match: Abid Ali (Pakistan)

Pakistan won the 3-match series 2-0.

ODI debut: Minod Bhanuka (Sri Lanka)

The touring Sri Lankans beat Pakistan by 64 runs to win the first T20 International, played at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. Scores:

Sri Lanka – 165/5 in 20 Overs (Gunathilaka 57, Fernando 33, Rajapaksa 32, Hasnain 3/37, Khan 1/35)

Pakistan – 101 in 17.4 Overs (I. Ahmed 25, S. Shamed 24, Udana 3/11, Pradeep 3/21, de Silva 2/20, Rajitha 1/20)

Player of the match: Danushka Gunathilaka (Sri Lanka)

T20 debut: Bhanuka Rajapaksa (Sri Lanka) & Minod Bhanuka (Sri Lanka) 

The touring Sri Lankans beat Pakistan by 35 runs to win the second T20 International, played at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. Scores:

Sri Lanka – 182/6 in 20 Overs (Rajapaksa 77, Jayasuriya 34, Shanaka 27no, Wasim 1/27, Riaz 1/31, Khan 1/38)

Pakistan – 147 in 19 Overs (Wasim 47, Ali 29, Ahmed 26, Pradeep 4/25, de Silva 3/38, Udana 2/38, Rajitha 1/11)

Player of the match: Bhanuka Rajapaksa (Sri Lanka)

The touring Sri Lankans beat Pakistan by 13 runs to win the third and final T20 International, played at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. Scores:

Sri Lanka – 147/7 in 20 Overs (Fernando 7, Perera 13, Samarawickrama 12, Amir 3/27, Riaz 1/26, Wasim 1/18)

Pakistan – 134/6 in 20 Overs (Sohail 52, Azam 27, S.Ahmed 17, I. Ahmed 17, de Silva 3/21, Kumara 2/24, Rajaitha 1/17)

Player of the match: Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka)

Player of the series: Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka)

Sri Lanka won the 3-match series, 3-0

Sri Lanka’s young cricketing heroes who brought the number one ranked T20 international team Pakistan to their knees by recording a 3-0 series whitewash will be handsomely rewarded with Sri Lanka Cricket announcing that they would be paid a total of US$ 145,000 for their outstanding performance. The total includes a win bonus of US$ 15,000 for each victory plus US$ 100,000. Apart from earning such riches the players have also put the places of the ten players who refused to go on the grounds of security concerns in some kind of jeopardy. Chairman of selectors and manager of the team Ashantha de Mel clearly outlined what the players who stayed back have in store for them after the youngsters who replaced them came up with some outstanding batting and bowling performances on the field to outplay Pakistan who were the favourites to clinch the series. “Earlier we had a problem of selecting now we have a competition for six places in the batting department. What I was impressed with the youngsters was when we gave them the opportunity they grabbed it with both hands,” said De Mel at a press conference held at Sri Lanka Cricket headquarters yesterday. “Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Minod Bhanuka and Oshada Fernando they played out of their skin. We have watched these players but to come out and perform against the best T20I side in the world against a bowling line-up which is one of the strongest is something praiseworthy. “The way Bhanuka (Rajapaksa) batted reminded me of Mahela (Jayawardene) hitting the ball over extra cover. Sri Lanka are due to tour Australia at the end of the month for a series of three T20I.De Mel rated right-arm leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga as the most improved player he has seen this year.“From batting, bowling and fielding the confidence that he generates is immense,” said De Mel. Sri Lanka’s interim head coach Rumesh Ratnayake said that the performance the young cricketers took them by surprise although they were aware of the talent they possessed. “There were 10 seniors who didn’t come along but it didn’t deter the process because we knew whom we chose had to be the next best and from day one we inculcated with the boys and told them that they were the best and that we are playing against one of the best ODI and T20I sides,” said Ratnayake. (Daily News 11.10.2019.

Sri Lanka Twenty20 regular skipper Lasith Malinga returned to the side along with Kusal Janith Perera, Kusal Mendis and Niroshan Dickwella, who pulled out from the recent tour to Pakistan, for the upcoming three-match T20i Series in Australia.  Top order batsmen Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Oshada Fernando, who impressed with match-winning knocks in Pakistan have cemented their slot in the side while Lahiru Madushanka, wicketkeeper/batsman Minod Bhanuka, Angelo Perera and Sadeera Samarawickrama have been ruled out.  Stand-in T20i skipper Dasun Shanaka and allrounder Shehan Jayasuriya also have been retained in the squad. The Sri Lanka team will leave for Australia on Sunday (20) to play a three-match T20i series, which begins with the first game at the Adelaide Oval on October 27.  The second game will be played at the GABBA in Brisbane on October 30, while the series will come to a close with the third and final game on November 1 at the MCG in Melbourne.  T20i Squad: Lasith Malinga (Captain), Kusal Janith Perera, Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka Fernando, Niroshan Dickwella, Dasun Shanaka, Shehan Jayasuriya, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Oshada Fernando, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Pradeep, Lahiru Kumara, Isuru Udana, Kasun Rajitha (TimesOnline, 19.10.2019)

The touring Sri Lankans were beaten by the Prime Minister’s XI, by 1 wicket in their opening encounter at Manuka Oval, Canberra. Scores:

Sri Lanka – 131/8 in 20 Overs (Fernando 38, de Silva 26, Rajapaksa 24, Christian 2/16, Bloomfield 2/17,  Siddle 1/15, Fallins 1/17)

Prime Minister’s XI – 132/9 in 20 Overs (Nielsen 79, Rajitha 3/21, Sandakan 3/21, Pradeep 1/16, Kumara 1/26)

Player of the match: Harry Nielesen (Australia)

Australia beat the touring Sri Lankans by 7 wickets, to win the first T20 encounter, played at the Adelaide Oval. Scores:

Australia – 233/2 in 20 Overs (Warner 100no, Finch 64, Maxwell 62, Shanka 1/10, Sandakan 1/41)

Sri Lanka – 99/9 in 20 Overs (Shanaka 17, Perera 16, Fernando 13, Zampa 3/14, Starc 2/16, Cummins 2/17, Agar 1/13)

Player of the match: David Warner (Australia) 

Australia beat the touring Sri Lankans by 9 wickets, to win the second T20 encounter, played at the Gabba, Brisbane. Scores:

Sri Lanka – 117 all out in 19 Overs (Perera 27, Gunathilaka 21, Zampa 2/20, Agar 2/27, Cummins 2/29,)

Australia – 118/1 in 13 Overs (Warner 60no, Smith 53no, Malinga 1/21)

Player of the match: David Warner (Australia)