Category: Sri Lanka

Herath leads Lanka’s crushing win over Bangla

Herath leads Lankas crushing win over Bangla Sri Lankan cricket captain Rangana Herath leaves the ground after victory in the opening Test match against Bangladesh at the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle, on Saturday. GALLE (SRI LANKA), March 11: …

Over 55 Sri Lankan food exporters take part in Gulfood 2017 in Dubai

Mar 11, Colombo: The largest ever contingent of Food and Beverage exporting companies from Sri Lanka successfully participated in the 22nd edition of Gulfood 2017 trade exhibition in Dubai. The annual event, which is considered as the world’s largest Food and Drink event, was held at Dubai World Trade Centre in UAE from 26th February to 2nd March 2017.

Matara Hurricane a Mohammedan man

He was one of the pioneers that revolutionised ODI cricket in the 1990s and early 2000s, at one point holding the records for the fastest fifty and fastest century. He was the scourge of opening bowlers the world over.

Cummins backs Stanlake after tough T20I debut against Lanka

Melbourne [Australia], Feb.18 : Australian paceman Pat Cummins has called on his teammate Billy Stanlake to put his poor Twenty20 international debut behind and back his pace in the remaining two games of the three-match series against Sri Lanka. Unlike fellow debutants Michael Klinger and Ashton Turner, Stanlake had a forgettable debut during his side’s five-wicket defeat at the hand of Sri Lanka in the opening T20 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground .

Sri Lankan prime minister says refugees safe to come home

Sri Lankan asylum seekers held on Pacific island camps who could potentially find new lives in the United States are free to return home without fear of persecution, Sri Lanka’s prime minister said Wednesday. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe made the comments during a visit to Australia in which he discussed with his Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull bilateral cooperation on combating people smuggling.

Slam Dunk for Ben as Lynnsanity sidelined

BIG Bash leading run-scorer Ben Dunk has received a national call-up after big-hitting Chris Lynn was ruled out of next week’s Twenty20 Internationals against Sri Lanka. Lynn was forced to miss the final three one-day internationals against Pakistan after he aggravated a bulging disc in his neck.

SAITM students ready to face any national exam conducted by government

Feb 07, Colombo: The students of the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine is ready to take any national examination conducted by the government, the SAITM Chairman Dr. Neville Fernando said. Addressing a media briefing held at the BMICH today, SAITM Chairman responding to a query from BBC Sandeshaya suggested the government to hold a common national exam for the medical graduates of all state universities and medical graduates from foreign countries as well as for the graduates of SAITM.

Queen congratulates Sri Lanka on 69th Independence Day

Feb 03, Colombo: The Queen Elizabeth II of England has sent a congratulatory message to Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena on the occasion of the country’s 69th National Independence Day. “It gives me great pleasure to send Your Excellency Maithripala Sirisena my congratulations on the celebration of your National Day, together with my best wishes for the good fortune and happiness of the people of Sri Lanka in the coming year.

Sri Lanka arrest astrologer who predicted president’s death

Most Sri Lankans follow advises of astrologers for making decisions, and the suspect, astrologer Vijitha Rohana Wijemuni, is a former navy sailor convicted of attempting to assassinate India’s then-Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi by assaulting him when he visited the island in 1989. The Police Media Division said Wijemuni was arrested Tuesday evening on the charges of making false predictions and comments that could mislead people.

Dropping Dunk tough

OUT: Ben Dunk has been dropped for Tasmania’s Sheffield Shield clash with Queensland at the Gabba, starting on Wednesday. Pictures: Getty Images Dan Marsh has admitted the decision to drop Ben Dunk for Tasmania’s upcoming Sheffield Shield clash with Queensland was “a very hard decision”.

Fudgie’s men to maintain momentum in Bullring bat-a-thon

Sri Lanka’s Niroshan Dickwella believes if Sri Lanka can play a full 20-overs-a-side match, his team is capable of sticking with and even beating South Africa. Good for Dickwella, but the rest of his mates who’ve been here for over a month have seemingly grown accustomed to suffering beating after beating and it doesn’t matter who’s wearing the Proteas shirt, whether white or a garish yellow with green stripes, and if the ball is red or white, Sri Lanka just don’t look like winning at the moment.

AB de Villiers has dismissed suggestions he might be about to retire from Test cricket

AB de Villiers insists he has no intention of retiring from Test cricket, but admits he will need to manage his workload with his main priority now to try and help South Africa win the 2019 World Cup. De Villiers has not played a Test match for almost a year while his most recent one-day international appearance for South Africa was last June, with the Proteas superstar having been sidelined by an elbow injury.

Monty Panesar to help Australian spinners ahead of India Tour

Melbourne [Australia], Jan. 17 : Cricket Australia has recruited England spinner Monty Panesar as a spin-bowling consultant for their upcoming tour to India in a bid to provide valuable tips to the Australian spinners as well as to the batters to tackle ace Indian spinners. Panesar has been recruited into the Australian ranks at the behest of Pat Howard, Cricket Australia’s high performance manager, whose team were whitewashed 0-4 on their last tour to India four years ago, and recently succumbed to a 0-3 loss in similarly spin-friendly conditions in Sri Lanka.

SA take 16 wickets to beat SL, win series 3-0

Wayne Parnell and Duanne Olivier damaged Sei Lankan batting line-up in the second innings as they shared seven wickets. South Africa’s fast bowling quartet rifled through 16 Sri Lankan wickets on the third day to wrap up an innings victory in the third test at the Wanderers on Saturday.

SA vs SL: Hashim Amla seeks form in 100th Test

Hashim Amla’s career average of 49.46 in nine matches at the Wanderers almost exactly replicates his career average of 49.45. Hashim Amla will become the eighth South African to appear in 100 Test matches in the third and final Test against Sri Lanka starting at the Wanderers Stadium tomorrow.

Suit and tie stripped from dress code

SRI Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena on Monday overturned a 26-year-old decree that required top bureaucrats to wear a suit and tie, saying they could now opt for “more comfortable” clothing instead. “We must adopt clothing that suits our weather and climate,” Sirisena said.

O’Keefe to prepare for India

Steve O’Keefe’s hopes of joining the Australian slow-bowling attack in the four-test series in India from next month have been boosted after the left-arm spinner was withdrawn from the remainder of the Big Bash League to prepare for the tour. The 32-year-old returned home injured after playing his third Test in Sri Lanka last July and was only recalled to the national team for last week’s final Test of the home summer against Pakistan.

Violent clashes erupt in Sri Lanka over land, port deal with

At least 21 people were injured Saturday in violent clashes between Sri Lankan government supporters and villagers marching against what they say is a plan to take over private land for an industrial zone in which China will have a major stake. Police used tear gas and water cannons to try to break up the clashes, which took place as Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was attending an opening ceremony for the industrial zone, located near the port city of Hambantota, about 150 miles southeast of the capital, Colombo.

Sri Lankan port area will become ‘Chinese colony,’ say protesters

Sri Lankan police used water cannons to try to break up violent clashes Saturday between government supporters and villagers marching against what they say is a plan to take over private land for an industrial zone in which China will have a major stake. The clashes took place as Prime Minister Ranil Wickeremesinghe was attending an opening ceremony for the industrial zone near the port city of Hambantota, about 240 kilometers southeast of capital Colombo.

South African pacer Kyle Abbott retires from international cricket

South African bowler Kyle Abbott celebrates the dismissal of Sri Lanka’s batsman Dhananjaya De Silva during the fifth and last day of the first Test between South Africa and Sri Lanka on December 30, 2016 at St George’s Park ground in Port Elizabeth. / AFP PHOTO Cape Town: South African fast bowler Kyle Abbott announced his retirement from international cricket on Thursday to play in England, catching his employers by surprise and highlighting a growing drain of sporting talent from the country.

SA on track to victory

South Africa need six more wickets with two days still to play to win the second Test against Sri Lanka, who closed the third day at Newlands on Wednesday on 130 for four, still 377 runs behind the mammoth target set them. Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada both took two wickets in the Sri Lankan second innings as the home team closed in on victory and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.

Vernon Philander: Lead of 80-plus will put SA in good stead vs SL in 1st Test

“We knew it was going to be tough scoring here – it’s always tough in PE,” said Vernon Philander A Getty Images South African all-rounder Vernon Philander on Tuesday said that ensuring Sri Lanka ‘s final three wickets to fall in a matter of just 25 runs would prove to be fruitful for the hosts, as they could possible take a good advantage and a healthy lead against the visitors. “A lead of 80-plus will put us in good stead.

Dinesh Chandimal: SL gave away easy wickets to SA in 1st Test

Dinesh Chandimal defended the aggressive approach by Sri Lankans, by saying that it wasn’t pre-planned to play aggressive, but it was the way it happened A Getty Images With Sri Lankan batsmen in the form of Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Perera and Kusal Mendis, all being dismissed on a similar occasion for aiming to be aggressive and playing ambitious strokes, against hosts South Africa in the first of the three-Test series at the St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth, Lankan skipper Dinesh Chandimal defended it by saying that it wasn’t pre-planned to play aggressive, but it was the way it happened. The opening three wickets was a cause of consternation.

Sri Lankan church’s hymnbook subs in Tupac’s ‘Hail Mary’

In a Christmas debacle, Sri Lanka’s Catholic church withdrew hymn sheets after lyrics of “Hail Mary” were mixed up with an expletive-packed version by rapper Tupac Shakur, a spokesman said Monday. Hail Mary, also known as Ave Maria, is a traditional Catholic prayer asking for the intervention of the blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Kiwis’ lives as full-time travellers: How a couple quit their jobs to see the world

Watching the sunset from the crater of a live volcano off the coast of Sicily, swimming in a geothermal waterfall in Tuscany before being offered dinner by Jamie Oliver and swimming with giant Manta Rays in the Maldives are all in an day’s work for Brook Sabin and Radha Engling; a Kiwi couple who have made world travel both a business and a lifestyle. The couple, both originally from Northland, were just a few days away from buying a house when, after a particularly poignant late-night soul-searching session, they did a complete u-turn.