SRI LANKA CRICKET NEWS – OCTOBER 2021

SRI LANKA CRICKET NEWS
(OCTOBER 2021)
Compiled by Victor Melder

Minod Bhanuka, Ramesh Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Lakshan Sandakan and Ashen Bandara have been added to Sri Lanka’s original squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup – announced mid-September. Lahiru Madhushanka, who was named in the original squad will not travel with the team as he is recovering from an injury. Reserve-keeper Minod Bhanuka and the two batsmen – Ramesh Mendis and Pathum Nissanka – were part of Sri Lanka’s recent home series defeat to South Africa in August. They came away with underwhelming performances and were omitted from the initial squad. Ashen Bandara last played a month before at home in the series win against India, while Lakshan Sandakan’s previous outing for the national side came in July in England. Neither made a big enough mark to be considered initially, but Sri Lanka have now added to their squad, which will have to play in the first round, starting on October 17, to make it to the Super 12s. The Dasun Shanka-led side will leave for Oman on October 3, and begin its campaign against Namibia on October 18. Sri Lanka squad: Dasun Shanaka (C), Dhananjaya De Silva, Kusal Janith Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Charith Asalanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kamindu Mendis, Chamika Karunaratne, Nuwan Pradeep, Dushmantha Chameera, Praveen Jayawickrema, Maheesh Theekshana, Minod Bhanuka, Ramesh Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Lakshan Sandakan, Ashen Bandara Reserves: Lahiru Kumara, Binura Fernando, Akila Dananjaya, Pulina Tharanga (Daily Island, 3.10.2021)

The touring Sri Lankan beat Oman by 19 runs to win the first T20 match played at Al Amerat Cricket Ground, Oman. Scores:

Sri Lanka – 162/4 in 20 Overs (A. Fernando 83no, Shanaka 51no, Rajapaksa 15, Butt 2/42, Kaleemullah 1/18, Ali 1/18)

Oman – 143/8 in 20 Overs (Kushi 40, Nadeem 32, Khan 23, Goud 17, Kumara 4/30, Pradeep 2/7, Karunaratne 2/28)

T20 Debut: Kashyap Prajapati (Oman)

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) National Selectors yesterday made four changes to their final 15-member Squad ahead of the ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Following the injury to fast bowler Nuwan Pradeep during the first T20 against Oman, the Selectors also decided to bring in Lahiru Kumara, Binura Fernando, Pathum Nissanka and Akila Dananjaya. They will replace the two injured players Pradeep and Lahiru Madushanka, all-rounder Kamindu Mendis and spinner Praveen Jayawickrama. Sri Lanka will begin their campaign on October 18 ‘with a qualifying round game against Namibia in Abu Dhabi. They will play in Group ‘A, alongside Ireland and the Netherlands. The Sri Lanka Squad: Dasun Shanaka (Captain), Kusal Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva (Vice-Captain), Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Chamika Karunaratne, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara, Maheesh Theekshana, Akila Dananjaya and Binura Fernando. (Daily News, 11.10.2021)

The touring Sri Lankan beat Oman by 5 wickets to win the second and final T20 match played at Al Amerat Cricket Ground, Oman. Scores:

Oman – 159/8 in 20 Overs (Llyas 59, Prajpati 22, Khan 20, Kumara 2/20, Karunaratne 2/39, B. Fernando 1/9, Shanaka 1/24)

Sri Lanka – 163/5 in 17.3 Overs (Karunaratne 35no, Rajapaksa 35no, A. Fernando 33, Nissanka 26, Nadeem 2/22, Nutt 1/30, Kaleemullah 1/31)

Sri Lanka won the two match series 2-0

Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by 4 wickets to win the ICC Mens’ T20 World Cup ‘Warm-up’ Matches, played at Tolerance Oval, Abu Dhabi. Scores:

Bangladesh – 147/7 in 20 Overs (Sarkar 34, Das 16, Hasan 16no, Chameera 3/37, Shanaka 1/17, Kumara 1/24, W. de Silva 1/24, Theekshana 1/ 31)

Sri Lanka –  148.6 in 19 Overs (A. Fernando 62no, Karunaratne 29no,  Sarkar 2/12, Hasan 1/22,  T. Ahmed 1/25)   

Sri Lanka beat Papua New Guinea by 39 runs to win the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup ‘Warm-up’ Matches, played at Tolerance Oval, Abu Dhabi. Scores:

Sri Lanka – 162/5 in 20 Overs (Nissanka 76, A. Fernando 61, Morea 4/25)

Papua New Guinea –  123/7 in 20 Overs (Vala 51, Ura 24, Amini 15, W. de Silva 2/16, Chameera 2/20, Shanaka 1/5)

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup – 4th Match, First Round Group A.

Sri Lanka beat Namibia by 7 wickets, in the match played at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi. Scores:

Namibia –  96 in 19.3 Overs (Williams 29, Erasmus 20, Theekshana 3/25, Kumara 2/9, W. de Silva 2/24, Karunaratne 1/17, Chameera 1/19)

Sri Lanka –  100/3 in 13.3 Overs (Rajapaksa 42no, A. Fernando 30no, Smit 1/11, Scholtz 1/16, Trumpelmann 1/27)

Player of the Match:  Maheesh Theekshana (Sri Lanka)

Points: Sri Lanka 2, Namibia 0.

Sri Lanka pacer Lahiru Kumara and Bangladesh batter Liton Das were on Monday fined 25 per cent and 15 per cent of their match fees respectively for breaching ICC’s code of conduct with their aggressive actions during their T20 World Cup Super-12 fixture. After getting involved in a heated exchange of words, the two cricketers tried getting physical with each other on the field forcing the umpire and the other players to intervene during their match on Sunday in Sharjah. The incident occurred in the fifth over after the dismissal of batter Litton Kumar Das in the Bangladesh innings. Accordingly, Kumara was found guilty of breaching Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “Using language, actions or gestures which disparage, or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match. Das was found guilty of breaching Article 2.20 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “Conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game. Kumara was fined 25% of his match fee and received 1 demerit point while Das was fined 15% of his match fee and received 1 demerit point. (Daily Mirror, 25.10.2021)

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup – 8th Match, First Round Group A.

Sri Lanka beat Ireland by 70 runs, in the match played at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi. Scores:

Sri Lanka 171/7 in 20 Overs (de Silva 71, Nissanka 61, Shanaka 21no, Little 2/23, Adair 2/23, Stirling 1 / 4)

Ireland – 101 in 18.3 Overs (Balbirnie 41, Campher 24, Theekshana 3/17, Kumara 2/22, Karunaratne 2/27)

Player of the Match: Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva (Sri Lanka)

Points: Sri Lanka 2, Ireland 0.

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup – 12th Match, First Round Group A

Sri Lanka beat the Netherlands by 8 wickets, in the match played at Sharjah cricket Stadium. Scores:

Netherlands – 44 in 10 Overs (Ackermann 11, Edwards 8, Kumara 3/7, de Silva 3/9, Theekshana 2/3, Chameera  1/13)Sri Lanka – 45/2 in 7.1 Overs (Perera 33no, Asalanka 6,  Glover 1/12, van Meekeren 1/20)

Player of the Match: Lahiru Kumara (Sri Lanka)

Points: Sri Lanka 2, Netherlands 0.

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup – 15th Match, Group 1

Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by wickets, in the match played at Sharjah cricket Stadium. Scores:

Bangladesh 171/4 in 20 Overs (Naim 62, Rahim 57no, Karunaratne 1/12, Fernando 1/27, Kumara 1/29)

Sri Lanka – 172/5 in 18.5 Overs (Asalanka 80no, Rajapaksa 53, Nissanka 24, Al Hasan 2/17, Ahmed 2/29, Saifuddin 1/38)

Player of the Match: Charith Asalanka (Sri Lanka)

Points: Sri Lanka 2, Bangladesh 0.

Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga has become only the third bowler to take a hat-trick in T-20 World Cup history. Hasaranga took wickets off three successive deliveries across two overs against South Africa in Sharjah. Ireland’s Curtis Campher and former Australia pacer Brett Lee are the other two bowlers to take a T20 World Cup hat-trick. (Ceylon Today, 31.10.2021)

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup – 22th Match, Group 1

Australia beat Sri Lanka by 7 wickets, in the match played at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Scores:

Sri Lanka – 154/6 in 20 Overs (Perera 35, Asalanka 35, Rajapaksa 33no, Zampa 2/12, Starc 2/27, Cummins 2/34)

Australia – 155/3 in 17 Overs (Warner 65, Fin

Points: Australia 2, Sri Lanka 0.

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup – 25th Match, Group 1

South Africa beat Sri Lanka by 4 wickets, in the match played at Sharjah cricket Stadium. Scores:

Sri Lanka –  142 in 20 Overs (Nissanka 72, Asalanka 21, Shanaka 11, Shamsi 3/17, Pretorius 3/17, Nortje 2/27)

South Africa – 146/6 in 19.5 Overs (Bavuma 46, Miller 23no, Rabada 13no, de Silva 3/20, Chameera 2/27)

Player of the Match: Tabraiz Shamsi (South Africa)

Points: South Africa 2, Sri Lanka 0.