SRI LANKA CRICKET NEWS (JULY  2024) Compiled by Victor Melder Former Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya has been appointed as the interim Head Coach of the Sri Lanka men’s national cricket team. Jayasuriya will lead the team for the home series against India and the Test tour to England while Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) searches for a replacement for Chris Silverwood, who resigned last week. Jayasuriya also served as a Consultant for the team during this year’s T20 World Cup.    Chris Silverwood has resigned from his position as head coach of Sri Lanka’s men’s team last week. (Daily Mirror, 8.7.2024) National Men’s T20I Captain Wanindu Hasaranga has decided to resign from the captaincy, Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed in a press release. Hasaranga said it is in the best interest of Sri Lanka Cricket that he decided to relinquish the captaincy duties and remain in the side as a player. ...

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Two New Cricket Captains for Sri Lanka-by Michael Roberts Source:Thuppahis Item in The Island, 31 December 2023 ….. with highlighting imposed by The Editor, Thuppahi Dasun Shanaka’s reign as Sri Lanka’s white-ball captain has come to an end as Sri Lanka’s new selection committee appointed Kusal Mendis and Wanindu Hasaranga to lead the ODI and T20I sides, respectively. With Dimuth Karunaratne currently leading the Test side, this is the first time Sri Lanka have three different captains in the three formats. Shanaka first captained Sri Lanka in 2019, on the team’s first tour to Pakistan since the 2009 Lahore attack, but it was not until 2021 that he became their regular captain. Under him, Sri Lanka won 23 out of 41 ODIs and 22 out of 48 T20Is. The highlight of his tenure was the 2022 T20 Asia Cup victory in the UAE where Sri Lanka beat Pakistan in the final. Also notable were ODI series wins against South ...

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13 SL cricketers picked for ILT20 league – by Sunil Thenabadu Source : info-rain Eight more Sri Lankan cricketers have been signed for the UAE’s International League T20 (ILT20), ahead of the second edition which is set to begin on 13th January 2024. Sri Lanka’s Dasun Shanaka, Nuwan Thushara, and Sadheera Samarawickrama have been signed by Dubai Capitals. Kusal Perera and Vijayakanth Viyaskanth have been signed by MI Emirates. Sri Lankan cricketers Dilshan Madushanka, Kusal Mendis, and Maheesh Theekshana have been signed by Sharjah Warriors. Earlier, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Chandimal and Matheesha Pathirana had been retained by Desert Vipers. Charith Asalanka was retained by Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, while Dushmantha Chameera was pre-signed by Dubai Capitals. All together, 13 Sri Lankan cricketers are set to feature in the UAE’s ILT20 which will kick off in January next year. (NewsWire) ...

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Thirty member cricket pool named for Zimbabwe tour-by Dhammika Ratnaweera Kusal Mendis who was named ODI Vice captain playing football while at training (pix courtesy SLC) Source:Dailynews Sri Lankan ODI cricket team is getting ready for the world Cup qualification tournament which is scheduled to commence on June 18 in Zimbabwe. Sri Lanka already have been relegated to play in the 10 team qualifier tournament where the finalists will join the eight automatic qualifiers in the main draw. South Africa is the latest addition to automatic qualifiers list and they were able to edge out Ireland to qualify for the direct qualification slot. Sri Lankan also an uphill task to get qualification slot while Ireland, Netherlands, West Indies, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka (five super league bottom teams), Nepal, Oman, Scotland (League 2 top three teams) and UAE and USA Qualifier play off top two teams) are expected to take part ...

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  SRI LANKA CRICKET NEWS Compiled – by Victor Melder   (JANUARY 2023) Sri Lanka Cricket has appointed Chris Clarke-Irons as the Lead Physiotherapist of the National Team, with effect from January 1, 2023. Chris is on a two-year contract with Sri Lanka Cricket and his first official tour with the Sri Lanka National Team will be the Sri Lanka Tour of India 2022–2023. Chris, who holds a BSc (Hons) Degree in Physiotherapy obtained from the University of East London and an MSc in Advanced Physiotherapy from Kings College, London, was the Head of Science and Medicine and also the Lead Physiotherapist of the Essex County Cricket Club, before joining Sri Lanka Cricket. He also held stints with the England Men’s Team during an ODI Tour of Australia and also functioned as the physiotherapist for the ECB’s Senior Men’s Pace Program. (Daily Mirror, 1.1.2023) India beat the touring Sri Lankans ...

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Kusal, Dushmantha among key players to play against England Lions before NZ tour Source:Dailymirror The Sri Lanka Cricket Selectors have decided to play 14 players including Kusal Janith Perera and Dushmantha Chameera as and when needed during the upcoming games against the England Lions Team, as part of their preparation for the Sri Lanka Tour of New Zealand. The Sri Lanka team is scheduled to tour in New Zealand in March this year for 2 Test matches, 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is. It was reported that some key Sri Lankan players who have recovered from injuries will be included in the New Zealand tour. ...

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SRI LANKA CRICKET NEWS (AUGUST 2022) Sri Lankan spinner Prabath Jayasuriya’s sensational start to international cricket has been capped off by winning the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for July 2022. the ICC announced. Jayasuriya beat England batter and June’s Player of the Month winner Jonny Bairstow, and French sensation Gustav McKeon for the coveted monthly award, after a brilliant start to international cricket in the longest format. The 30-year-old was thrilled to have won the monthly award. “I am delighted with this announcement, and wish to thank the fans for voting me as the ICC Men’s Player of the Month,” Jayasuriya said. “Certainly it has been an incredible month for me, as I made the Test debut, and also got the opportunity to contribute for my team to level the Test series played against Australia and Pakistan. “I take this opportunity to thank my fans, team-mates, coaches, ...

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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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Sri Lanka T20I squad for India tour announced; Wanindu to miss the series Source:Dailynews Sri Lanka Cricket’s Selection Committee has selected the following T20I squad to take part in the upcoming 03 match T20I series with India. The Minister of Youth and Sports Namal Rajapaksa approved the below-given squad 1st game of the three match series will take place on February 24 at Lucknow.   T20I Squad Dasun Shanaka – Captain Pathum Nissanka Kusal Mendis Charith Asalanka – Vice-Captain Dinesh Chandimal Danushka Gunathilaka Kamil Mishara Janith Liyanage Wanindu Hasaranga Chamika Karunaratne Dushmantha Chameera Lahiru Kumara Binura Fernando Shiran Fernando Maheesh Theekshana Jeffrey Vandersay Praveen Jayawickrama Ashian Daniel – Subjected to Ministerial approval In the meantime, the below-mentioned players who were in the T20I squad which toured Australia will return to Sri Lanka due to injuries. Avishka Fernando Nuwan Thushara Ramesh Mendis All-rounder and spin sensation Wanidu Hasaranga will miss the upcoming ...

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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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