Embarrassed Sri Lanka answers critics in merciless fashion- Hasarsnga and Matthews lead Zimbabwe rout in decider- BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE (eLanka Sports editor) Sri Lanka responded like a team stung by embarrassment smashing Zimbabwe by nine wickets in the T20 decider in Colombo. After two nail biters in the first two encounters, Sri Lanka hit their straps to set the record straight humiliating the Zimbabwean’s in a one-sided game that didn’t go the distance anticipated. New skipper Wannindu Hasarsnga De Silva underlined his liking to the new role leading from the front with a bamboozling performance with the ball to reduce Zimbabwe to rubble making Sri Lanka’s batting woes with less pressure to deal with. Hasarsnga mesmerised Zimbabwe’s batters to claim 4 fir 15 off 4 overs, Matthews 2 for 15and Maheesh Theeksheena 2 fir14 to destroy Zimbabwe to 82 all out. Angelo Matthews rectified his bowling embarrassment in ...

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Return of Angelo Matthews, the man with the Midas touch transforms Sri Lanka’s fortunes. England perish under new look Sri Lanka. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE(eLanka Sports editor). Angelo Matthews turned out to be Sri Lanka’s new good luck charm and Kusal Mendis warmed to his role as skipper leading the Island nation to a convincing 8 -wicket victory over defending World Cup champions England in Bengaluru.  Shell- shocked England, currently languishing at the bottom of this edition, had no answers to a revitalised Sri Lanka, as Matthews provided the Midas touch, after Jos Buttler won the toss and elected to bat. The bowlers, at long last, hit superb lengths with good line and accuracy to destroy England’s strong batting line-up, dramatically changing the leather hunt they were on in the first three games.  And this made it so much easier for Sri Lanka’s batters to romp to an ...

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Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrema fireworks count for nothing as the tail let’s Pakistan cruise past. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE.  (eLanka Sports editor) Sri Lanka’s batting continues to flourish on the back of brilliant Kusal Mendis but they were unable to shake off a tenacious Pakistan who overhauled a competitive target to post a six wicket win.  Sri Lanka should have capitalised on a great start set up by Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrema but the lower order buckled once more reaching 344 for 9 wickets in their 50 overs. Pathum Nissanka was back in form while Kusal Perera failed again before Mendis and Samarawickrema took charge racing to centuries suggesting a winnable 400 run target. But the familiar sight of a limp tail resurfaced to see them fall well short of all expectations.  Pakistan were a dominant force allround, underlining why they were ranked number on in ...

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Sri Lanka get a mauling from South Africa but show a bit of pulse. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports editor) Photo Courtesy of ICC. © ICC 2023 (media contact; Trevine Rodrigo – ICC approved media partner) Sri Lanka’s bowlers took a battering from South Africa but fought back to save face despite a 102 -run rout in their opener of the Cricket World Cup in Delhi. Missing most of their front-line bowlers,  Sri Lanka’s stand in troops had no answer to a ruthless South African batting onslaught that broke several records including the fastest century in only 49 balls by Aiden Makram.  Three centuries, from Quinton De Kock, 100 off 84 balls, Rassie Van der Dussen 108 off 110 and Makram with further contributions from almost all the batters, made this a bizarre chapter in Sri Lanka Cricket. South Africa recovered from the early exit of skipper ...

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Sri Lanka selectors make calculated risk on an improving squad much in line for their unorthodox game plan – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE (Elanka Sports Editor)   Sanity has finally prevailed as Sri Lanka’s cricket selectors boldly shunned and thumbed their noses at the call for Skipper Dasun Shanaka’s sacking and stuck with a recently proven outfit for the World Cup in India. Yes, ramifications could be diabolical if the plan backfires, but it does make sense to stick with an outfit that has jelled in a way. Fourteen wins from 16 games is no mean feat although expert commentators claim that most of those wins were against ‘minnows ‘. That term has little relevance and no place in cricketing parlance anymore. This World Cup will reveal that. Informed sources say that Shanaka was given the choice of resigning and accepted it. But in true Sri Lankan fashion, a ...

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Pathirana and Theeksheena lay the platform for a sensational Sri Lanka triumph over Bangladesh – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (Elanka Sports Editor) If early indications count for anything, Sri Lanka showed pride and poise of it’s symbolic Lion as they cruised past Bangladesh with a clinical five- wicket victory at Pallekelle. Hamstrung with a number of injuries, and perhaps resting some players for the upcoming World Cup, Sri Lanka showed some promise with available stocks, particularly Matheesha Pathirana who teamed up with Maheesh Theeksheena to rip through a respected Bangladesh batting line-up and bowl them out for 164 in 42.4 overs making the task for the batters a relatively easy task . Sri Lanka strolled to the target in 39 overs losing five wickets thanks to fighting knocks from Sadeera Samarawickrema 54 off 77 balls, and Charith Asalanka 62 off 92 balls after a top order stutter. Sri Lanka’s ...

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Pumped up Sri Lanka burst Dutch bubble. Shanaka’s men annihilate Netherlands in emphatic fashion in qualifying final. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE Dasun Shanaka and Sri Lanka basked in the glory of a complete whitewash of the qualifiers with a comprehensive thrashing of the Netherlands in the final at Harare.  The Sri Lankans showed remarkable fight when their backs were against the wall as the went on to remain unbeaten and throwing out a warning that they are up for the fight against the best.   Maheesh Theeksheena and Dilshan Madushanka ensured that Sri Lanka’s modest total of 233 all out in 47.5 overs was defendable, when they routed the Dutch for 105 in only 23.3 overs making the decider a cakewalk.  Theeksheena followed his four wicket haul against Zimbabwe with another similar effort and Madushanka grabbed another three and with Wanindu Hasarsnga De Silva two more to his remarkable ...

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 Angry awoken Lion’s savage Afgan intrusion.  Sri Lanka annihilate Afghanistan in one day duel. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE  Afganistan stepped on the tail of a sleeping Lion and paid the price of a savage mauling at its awakening in the one day series in Hambantota.  Game one saw the visiting Afgans jump the locals in a surprising turnaround. Don’t get me wrong, they are a force in world cricket at the moment. Sri Lanka isn’t.  Stung by the humiliation, Sri Lanka returned fire to annihilate the invaders in games two and three to clinch the three game one day series in emphatic fashion.  It would be fair to say the home team was depleted with the absence of key bowlers Dushmantha Chameera   Maheesh Theeksheena and Wanindu Hasarsnga De Silva in game one.  But the demoralising defeat in that encounter demanded action stations, and the selectors reacted swiftly to ...

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Sri Lanka eclipsed in pulsating thriller. New Zealand complete clean sweep – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE (eLanka Sports editor) Beaten but unbowed, Sri Lanka engaged New Zealand in an epic decider which ended in a heart stopping Kiwi win with a ball to spare. The Islanders left New Zealand shores with a semblance of their reputation restored. After a torrid tour in the Tests and one-dayers, the Lankans redeemed some pride going down 2-1 but after a much better effort where the home team had to work hard for their success. New Zealand had a clean sweep in all formats indicating their steady rise in the world rankings and the revelation there is no lack of talent in both batting and bowling as some regulars were missing making big money in the IPL. A final analysis will suggest the Lankans were comprehensively outclassed by a stronger opponent. The Queenstown ...

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Chris Silverwood will be key for Sri Lankan upset –  BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE (eLanka Sports Editor) Sri Lanka will bank on coach Chris Silverwood’s innermost knowledge of England’s batting weaknesses in a bid to upset the favourites at the SCG.  Silverwood was the former England coach until the disastrous Ashes tour last summer in Australia, where he was relieved of his duties after returning home with very little happy stories to write about. At the helm of a younger, relatively inexperienced Sri Lanka side who are currently gaining a reputation as a dangerous proposition to anyone on their day, his direction could be crucial to a Lankan upset. From a personal perspective,  he has a point to prove to his former employers that the hiccup against Australia was not the end all of his ability to handle the reins. Sri Lanka has a mathematical chance of qualifying for ...

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