Tournament favourites, Sri Lanka has confirmed their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier Group A semi-final spot with a dominant, 67-run victory over Uganda at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

A career-best T20I knock from Vishmi Gunaratne and a brilliant bowling effort led Sri Lanka to a massive win in Group A of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier.

With this victory, Sri Lanka continues their unbeaten streak in the tournament.

Scores :

Sri Lanka 

154/4, 20 overs (Vishmi Gunaratne 73 not out, Hasini Perera 30; Janet Mbabazi 1-19)

Uganda 

87 all out, 19.2 overs (Prosscovia Alako 36; Inoka Ranaweera 2-10, Shashini Gimhani 2-23, Kavisha Dilhari 2-27)

Player of the Match – Vishmi Gunaratne

Former Pakistani legend Wasim Akram will conduct a two-day training program for national players, SLC High Performance Coaches, and the coaches of the major clubs.

In total, Akram, who arrived in Sri Lanka this morning, will conduct five sessions, covering the SLC pace academy, HPC, and major club coaches.

He will also observe Sri Lanka’s national players’ preparation for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

The program marks Sri Lanka Cricket’s initiative to bring in the required expertise to enhance the coaching strength of the SLC High Performance Center and the Major Club system in the country.

The decision to invite Akram was taken by the Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket headed by Mr. Shammi Silva, the President of Sri Lanka Cricket. His training program will commence on May 2, 2024.

(srilankacricket.lk)

The 5^th edition of the Lanka Premier League 2024 has seen interest from over 500 players from overseas, ready to take the field in the upcoming edition.

Players from 24 cricket-playing nations, including the ones from all the ICC full member nations, have registered for the upcoming player auction and are vying to get picked into one of the five teams in the Lanka Premier League 2024.

Among the key players registered are Tamim Iqbal, Tim Southee, Rassie Van Der Dussen, Jimmy Neesham, Mushfiqur Rahim, Reeza Hendricks, Rilee Rossouw, Shai Hope, Taskin Ahmed, Lungi Ngidi. Naseem Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Colin Munro, Ish Sodhi, Mark Chapman, Jason Behrendorff, Andre Fletcher, Oshane Thomas, Keemo Paul and Fabian Allen.

Apart from them, Usman Khawaja, Tabraiz Shamsi, Evin Lewis, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Reece Topley, Iftikhar Ahmad, Mohammad Nawaz, Gulbadin Naib, and Ibrahim Zadran are also among the top players.

The 5th edition of the Lanka Premier League 2024, which is Sri Lanka’s top-most domestic T20 tournament with an international flavor, will be held from July 1^st to 21^st.

The much-awaited auction date will be announced in due course.

(srilankacricket.lk)