Janith Liyanage played a blinder as Sri Lanka chased down a target of 430 with one ball to spare
by Rex Clementine
How much relevance bilateral and tri-nation ODI cricket will retain after next year’s World Cup remains anyone’s guess. So let’s enjoy the format while we can. On Thursday night, Rawalpindi served up a feast as Sri Lanka chased down 430 with one ball to spare, leaving England shell shocked and the rest of the cricketing world rubbing its eyes.
Harry Brook’s record breaking double hundred could not secure victory as Sri Lanka pulled off a remarkable comeback. A team that had spent much of the past six months stumbling from one disappointment to another suddenly had the cricketing world on its feet.
That is the thing with Gary Kirsten. From the moment he took charge, he has stressed the importance of getting the processes right. One of his priorities has been playing on good pitches. There will always be the temptation to argue that Sri Lanka might have beaten India in the Test series had they rolled out rank turners. But the bigger picture demands that we buy into Gary’s thinking.
He is a methodical coach who places a premium on values and crucially, treats everyone equally. Someone might occasionally pull a fast one on him, but they are unlikely to get away with it for long.
Even so, this victory came like a bolt from the blue. Once England crossed 400, Sri Lanka looked done and dusted. There was no Pathum Nissanka to tear into the bowling during the Powerplay, nor Wanindu Hasaranga to provide firepower at the death. Somehow, though, they found a way.
Avishka Fernando played a blinder and Dasun Shanaka matched him with an innings of his own. Pavan Rathnayake translated his domestic success into runs on the international stage. His unusual stance may invite comparisons with Shivnarine Chanderpaul, but what matters is what happens once the ball leaves the bowler’s hand. On that score, he is doing rather nicely.
Janith Liyanage, meanwhile, continues to build a reputation as a finisher. He delivered again, producing some stunning strokes before settling the argument with a six off the penultimate ball. Finishing schools could do worse than study his composure.
Sri Lanka still have issues to address, but the inquest can wait for another day. For now, this victory should provide a generous injection of confidence and the self belief so conspicuously absent even during the England tour. A strong showing in this competition could also put fifth place in the ODI rankings within reach.
This time next year, the World Cup will be in full swing, with all three teams battling to secure places in the Super Seven stage. The expanded tournament features 14 teams, compared with ten at the previous edition. A top three finish in either group of six guarantees progress, with the better fourth placed side claiming the remaining berth.
Everything Sri Lanka do now should serve that campaign. Under a sensible man like Gary, one hopes there will be continuity rather than the selection merry go round that marked the build up to the 2019 and 2023 tournaments. The players already in the system need regular opportunities and clearly defined roles.
Rawalpindi offered a glimpse of what that faith can produce. The task now is to make such performances a habit.
Sports
Dharmapala shine at All Island Schools Games Athletics Championship
Published
19 mins ago
on
2026/10/25
Omindi Benuri, Buddini Saubagya, Dilanma Ransini, Hashini Vimansa, Umaya Thathsarani and Dahami Pahanya are seen receiving the runner up award for Dharmapala College Pannipitiya from Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya. (Pic by Kamal Wanniarachchi)
by Reemus Fernando
Dharmapala College, Pannipitiya, achieved a remarkable feat at the All Island Schools Games Athletics Championship, which concluded at Diyagama last week.
Of the many notable performances during the five-day event, Dharmapala’s overall girls’ runner-up title deserves special mention. Relying on their own talent and instructors, the school secured a top spot at the country’s most competitive athletics meet.
They did not accumulate enough points to challenge Lyceum International School, Wattala, who won the girls’ overall title. Yet as a fully government-owned school, Dharmapala achieved a level of success that no other government school in the Western Province has managed. It was the first time in more than four decades that the school had won such a high accolade at the championships.
The team’s success is largely attributed to the dedication of coach Dulip Dushmantha, who has transformed it into a formidable outfit. According to former Sri Lanka Athletics secratary Saman Kumara Gunawardana, an old boy of Dharmapala, the school had at times engaged even top national-level coaches, but those efforts were in vain.
Dushmantha began coaching Dharmapala in 2014 and produced his first medallists the following year, when Senuri Anuththara and Yohan Sri Hansaka won the Under 14 girls’ and boys’ sprint hurdles at the All Island Schools Championship in Anuradhapura. Since then, the school has consistently produced champions at junior national level. Years of dedicated work gradually made Dharmapala a force to be reckoned with on the junior circuit, and they have been among the top three schools at that level for the past three years.
In an interview with The Sunday Island, Dushmantha credited the team’s success to the commitment of the athletes and the support of his coaching team, including Tharidu Rupasingha, Y. G. Kotalawala and Imalka Ranaweera.
This year brought several individual highlights, including record-breaking performances. Dehami Abhimani Kodituwakku delivered a remarkable run in the Under 20 girls’ 400 metres hurdles. Her time of 1:01.57 erased the nine-year-old record held by Yamani Dulanjali of Ambagamuwa Central.
Udeshika Keshani excelled to win the javelin throw in the same age category, while Dilanma Hansini claimed podium places in the 100 and 200 metres. The Under 20 girls’ team also won medals in both relays.
Nimshi Ekanayake dazzled by claiming the Under 16 100 metres title, coming close to the meet record. She had set the 200 metres record at the last edition with a time of 25.24 seconds, but this time had to settle for runner-up in that event.
Janudi Gunawardhana also impressed, finishing just outside the podium in the Under 16 100 metres hurdles.
Latest News
Nabi, Rashid and quicks lead Afghanistan to tri-series title
Published
21 hours ago
on
2026/10/24
Rashid Khan finished with 3 for 41
Afghanistan lifted the ODI tri-series trophy in style, comprehensively beating Zimbabwe by seven wickets in the final in Sharjah. They were clinical with bat and ball throughout the competition, capping off with a performance that also saw great fielding on Friday.
Afghanistan bowled out Zimbabwe for 169 in 43.3 overs, before knocking off the target in 34.3 overs. Ibrahim Zadran struck his second half-century in the tournament, as he got them close to the target with an 82-run third wicket stand with captain Rahmat Shah. Zadran was unbeaten on 70 when Hashmatullah Shahidi struck the winning boundary in the 35th over.
Afghanistan’s chase was smooth because of how they had bowled and fielded after Zimbabwe decided to bat first.
Rashid Khan’s 3 for 41 was Afghanistan’s best bowling figures, as he became the second bowler in ODIs to complete six successive innings with at least three wickets each. Afghanistan’s pace trio and Mohammad Nabi had already made Zimbabwe’s life miserable with the first six wickets. Left-arm quick Fazalhaq Farooqi, offspinner Nabi, and seamer Bilal Sami took two wickets each, while Azmatullah Omarzai, the No. 1 ODI allrounder, picked up one wicket.
Only Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza resisted for his side with an innings of 68 that included three sixes and as many fours. Raza thus became the first batter aged 40 years or more to score a fifty in an ODI tournament final.
He walked into bat in what was a familiar situation as Zimbabwe lost their first three wickets quickly. Their top order crumbled similarly even in the two round-robin matches of the tri-series. Farooqi cleaned up Tadiwanashe Marumani, before Omarzai had Brian Bennett caught and bowled with fine reflexes in his follow-through.
AM Ghazanfar, however, topped Omarzai’s efforts with a superb one-handed catch at short square leg after Tafadzwa Tsiga flicked Farooqi uppishly in the next over. When Sami had Brendan Taylor caught behind in the 13th over, Zimbabwe were in freefall at 55 for 4.
But Raza and Ryan Burl briefly rescued Zimbabwe. They focused on picking up the ones and twos, and played out Rashid’s first spell. Raza and Burl struck a few boundaries, until Zadran dropped the latter on 30. Raza soon reached his half-century, as it looked like the pair were about to drag Zimbabwe out of a tough situation.
Raza became the second Zimbabwe captain to score a fifty in a tournament final, after Allistair Campbell’s 51 against Kenya in 1997. Next ball, however, Sami took a tumbling catch at deep square leg after Burl miscued Nabi’s half-tracker.
Nabi’s second wicket followed soon afterwards when wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz affected a superb stumping. Wessley Madhevere missed the ball while coming down the track, as the ball deflected off his pad. Gurbaz collected the ball that was going away from him and broke the stumps in one motion, giving Nabi his 300th wicket across formats in international cricket.
Rashid then came back into the attack and picked up three quick wickets. He trapped Brad Evans lbw for 1 before bowling Newman Nyamhuri with a ball that he delivered from at least two yards behind the popping crease. Rashid then got the big one as Raza’s second attempt for a big hit in the over found the long-off fielder. He had earlier struck Rashid for a 98-metre six over midwicket.
Rashid looked primed to pick up his fourth wicket, but Wellington Masakadza and Blessing Muzarabani resisted him. In fact, the tenth-wicket pair lasted for nearly ten overs during which they added 32 runs. It was the second-highest partnership of Zimbabwe’s innings. When Sami trapped Masakadza for 8, it finally ended things for Zimbabwe as they posted a sub-par total in the final.
Afghanistan tore into the Zimbabwe attack in their reply. Zadran kicked things off with a flurry of boundaries off Evans, including a huge six over square leg in the fourth over. Gurbaz took over from that point, cracking the left-arm quick Nyamhuri for consecutive fours in the eighth over. He launched Muzarabani over fine leg, before picking up Evans down the ground for sixes.
Nyamhuri cut Gurbaz’s stay short when the batter carved a slower ball into Madhevere’s lap at point. Gurbaz struck six boundaries, including the two sixes, in his 31-ball 36. Nyamhuri also removed Sediqullah Atal shortly afterwards, as the left-hand batter was caught behind for 6.
Captain Rahmat Shah then took control of the chase. He picked the singles and doubles quite regularly with Zadran, who was also comfortable at the crease. The pair went through 77 balls without hitting a boundary, but hardly looked out of place. Rahmat’s cover-driven four in the 27th over broke the duck, before Zadran slogged Raza for another four in the over.
Rahmat slammed Masakadza’s short ball for his first six, hammered over midwicket, before Burl took an excellent catch at short midwicket with eight runs left in the chase. Rahmat made 43 off 63 balls with a four and a six each. Shahidi and Zadran, who struck four fours and a six in his 96-ball stay, scored the remaining runs easily thereafter.
Scores:
Afghanistan 170 for 3 in 34.3 overs (Ibrahim Zadran 70*, Rahmat Shah 43; Newman Nyamhuri 2-43) beat Zimbabwe 169 in 43.3 overs (Sikandar Raza 68; Rashid Khan 3-41, Mohammad Nabi 2-25, Bilal Sami 2-27, Fazalhaq Farooqi 2-41) by seven wickets
(Cricinfo)