Shanaka happy with bowlers for today’s final – By Dhammika Ratnaweera Source : sundayobserver Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka said that his team has got the bowlers to deliver in today’s Asia Cup cricket final against Pakistan in Dubai. “Our bowling combination starting with left arm fast bowling, the off-spinner, leg spinner and variations can challenge any kind of batting line-up and that is a good advantage for us. Our spinners and pacemen have proved their ability”, said Shanaka. He said beating Pakistan in the last Super Four match on Friday gave the team good momentum to go forward in the final. Shanaka also said that picking up wickets with the new ball will be crucial in the final. Sri Lanka began their Asia Cup 2022 campaign losing to Afghanistan but they haven’t looked back since completing a stunning win over Bangladesh in a must-win group-stage match. Sri Lanka were not ...

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Three replacements for Sri Lanka Asia Cup squad-by Dhammika Ratnaweera Source:Dailynews Three replacements have been named in the 20-man cricket squad for the six nation Asia Cup T20 cricket tournament which will commence on August 27 in Dubai. The selection committee headed by Pramodya Wickramasinghe has picked a 20-member squad (17-player squad and three stand-by players) and Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe has given his approval to this squad. Two players who were originally named pacemen Binura Fernando and Kasun Rajitha got injured during the recently concluded SLC Invitational T20 League tournament while Sri Lankan white ball format main strike bowler Dushmantha Chameera who was rested for the T20 invitational tournament once again got injured last Friday during the training and selectors named three replacements for Binura Fernando, Kasun Rajitha and Dushmantha Chameera. The selectors earlier named two replacements pace bowlers Asitha Fernando who was the best player of the recently ...

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Jayasuriya and Chandimal hoping to turn Test form into BBL deals Prabath Jayasuriya took 12 wickets on Test debut against Australia Source:Island Two Sri Lankan stars who dominated Australia in the recent Test in Galle have nominated to play in the BBL this upcoming season with Prabath Jayasuriya and Dinesh Chandimal among the latest names to headline a host of new nominations for the upcoming overseas draft. Jayasuriya, Chandimal, Maheesh Theekshana and Bhanuka Rajapaksa have all nominated while England’s Overton brothers, Jamie and Craig, have also put their names forward. None of those players have played in BBL before and Jayasuriya, having taken 29 wickets in his first three Tests, has never even played a T20I for Sri Lanka. But there are still no Pakistan players amongst the 169 players currently nominated after it was revealed that the PCB is refusing to provide no-objection certificates (NOCs) to Pakistani players – ...

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What Sri Lanka must learn from their India thrashing – By Trevine Rodrigo (Melbourne: eLanka Sports Editor)   The old adage about catches winning matches couldn’t be better exemplified than by the butter-fingered Sri Lankan cricket team, who squandered at least a consolation win in Game 2 and were whitewashed by India. Dropped catches, sloppy fielding and questionable placement cost them the second game that would have been there for the taking with a smarter strategy. Fresh from a trouncing in Australia, the young Sri Lanka squad received a baptism of fire as they had to hurriedly readjust to Subcontinental conditions in a tight schedule that could be classified as unfair. The experience of handling bouncy wickets in Australia, which makes it difficult for the best batsmen in the world, definitely did not get better as the young Lankans took on the might of another lethal bowling attack in world ...

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They came, they saw and realized the mountain was too high to conquer – by Trevine Rodrigo Photo Source:abc.net.au Watch Highlights of the 4th T20 ODI – Sri Lanka vs Australia Sri Lanka’s aspirations to gain some solace from a lost series against Australia hit an expected low as they struggled against a rampant World Cup champion sans it’s best pace attack to reveal why they have plenty to do before the upcoming World Cup in this part of the world.  Funny but most experts would have predicted a closer game knowing that Australia wasn’t at full strength as they focused on resting some stars for the upcoming Pakistan tour.  But the depth of Australian cricket was in full evidence as the second rungers emphasised to the visitors that they are still not upto  the standard to challenge the best in the world.  Australia’s second string attack raised awareness that in ...

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Lankan T20 team takes wing for Australia – by Dhammika Ratnaweera   Source:dailynews.lk Sri Lanka T20 cricket team led by Dasun Shanaka left for Australia yesterday early morning to take part in the 5-match T20 series which is scheduled to commence from February 11. However, the Sri Lanka team is facing its biggest challenge with a few players who have tested positive for COVID-19 before this tour. Earlier, interim coach Rumesh Ratnayake, fast bowler Nuwan Thushara, and trainer Dilshan Fonseka had tested positive while all rounder Chamika Karunaratne had been detected with the virus during a test that was conducted before his departure. Professor Arjuna de Silva, head of Sri Lanka Cricket’s medical unit said, “Chamika has to wait for his second report to confirm and so far we can’t confirm his illness and measures have been taken to isolate the cricketer at this stage.” Prof. Arjuna further said, “fast ...

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SRI LANKA CRICKET NEWS (JANUARY 2022) Compiled by Victor Melder Sri Lanka Cricket today (07) lifted the one-year ban imposed on Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis and Niroshan Dickwella  from all forms of International cricket. The trio were banned for one year and six months from international cricket and domestic cricket, respectively, and were each fined Rs. 10 million on 30 July 2021, following allegations of breaching the bio-bubble whilst on tour in England. Upon completion of the one-year ban on International cricket, each of the players were to be subjected to a further ban of one year, which was to be suspended for two years, SLC stated at the time of the incident. Earlier today, Gunathilaka announced his retirement from Test cricket. (Ceylon Today, 8.1.2022) In the wake of cricketer Bhanuka Rajapaksa has announced his intention to retire from international cricket, the Sri Lanka Cricket has taken a number of decisions ...

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Dickwella, Gunathilake and Mendis given a pardon, permitted to play in domestic cricket- Lanka Premier League to commence on 5th December  By sunil Thenabadu (sports editor-eLanka) Banned Sri Lanka cricketers  for misconduct for breaking the Bio-Bubble while touring England with SL team Niroshan Dickwella, Dhanushka Gunathilaka and Kusal Mendis in June this year have got a reprieve  before their one year ban period expired have been granted permission to play in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) that will have top players both overseas and local in action when it begins on December 5 in Sri Lanka.  The three players were banned from both international and domestic cricket and fined Rs.10 million each at a time they were also involved in a pay dispute with Sri Lanka Cricket.  The squads:  Jaffna Kings: Faf du Plessis, Thisara Perera, Wahab Riaz, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shoaib Malik, Usman Shinwari, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Avishka Fernando, Upul Tharanga, Chaturanga de Silva, ...

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An inspirational campaign with piles of positives by our young T 20 team – By Sunil Thenabadu (Sports editor – eLanka) The national cricket team journeyed back home on Friday night having been away for approximately a calendar month and their showing during the seventh edition of the ICC T-20 World Cup held successfully in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Dubai organised to precision which even the pessimistic fans commended and endorsed the performance by beating the formidable West Indians the reigning champions in the sixth edition with so many famous names. Sri Lanka former champions in year 2014 and twice runners up of course had little impetus behind them when they left the island having been whitewashed by touring South Africa 3-0 at our own backyard. home. It is pertinent to quote that more than half the members in the tour party had played less than a handful of T-20 Internationals and there ...

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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 ...

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