In a thrilling T20 encounter, Sri Lanka clinched the series against Bangladesh with a 2-1 victory, highlighted by fast bowler Nuwan Thushara’s sensational hat-trick.
Thushara, in only his seventh match, delivered a dynamic over that dismantled the Bangladeshi batting lineup and set the tone for Sri Lanka’s triumph.
Bowling the fourth over with Bangladesh at 15 for 1, Thushara showcased his prowess. His second ball shattered the stumps of Najmul Shanto, followed by a bulls-eye delivery that uprooted Towhid Hridoy’s off stump.
The climax of his fiery over was a perfectly aimed ball into the pads of the usually reliable Mohamudullah, resulting in a leg-before dismissal and a memorable hat-trick.
With Bangladesh reeling at 15 runs for the loss of four wickets, Thushara continued his onslaught, securing his fourth wicket by dismissing Soumya Sarkar for 11.
This stellar performance left Bangladesh with little hope of chasing down the 174-target, ultimately leading to Sri Lanka’s series victory.
Thushara, who replaced the injured Matheesha Pathirana, emerged as the unexpected hero for Sri Lanka, rescuing the team with his exceptional bowling performance.
Kusal Mendis earlier played a crucial role with the bat, smashing 86 runs in 55 balls, contributing significantly to Sri Lanka’s total of 173 for 7 in 20 overs.
The win was crucial for Sri Lanka, as they needed to secure the victory in the deciding match after Bangladesh leveled the series at 1-1.
The Sri Lanka Navy has rescued 04 Indian fishermen aboard an Indian fishing boat capsized in the Sri Lankan waters off Talaimannar on June 25.
Upon receiving the distress alert, a team of the Special Boat Squadron stationed at SLNS Thammanna, under the North Central Naval Command swiftly launched a search and rescue operation. During the rescue mission, the naval personnel located the overturned Indian boat, capsized after being caught in rough seas north of Sand Dune VII, and safely rescued all four fishermen.
The rescued individuals, identified as residents of Rameswaram, India, were brought ashore by the Navy and provided with necessary assistance.
The fisherman in good health condition were subsequently handed over to the Talaimannar Police for onward action. The Sri Lanka Navy remains vigilant in assisting distressed maritime and fishing communities within Sri Lankan waters, reaffirming its commitment to maritime safety and humanitarian efforts.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism has issued a special notice for Sri Lankans working in Israel.
A statement issued by the ministry states :
Due to the unstable situation in the Middle East region, the Population and Immigration Authority (PIBA) of Israel has decided to extend the validity period of the re-entry visa of those who have come to Sri Lanka possessing a re-entry visa with the hope of returning to their respective employments in Israel until 2025.07.31.
Accordingly, as international flights to Israel have started presently, those who came to Sri Lanka on re-entry visa have the possibility to return to work in Israel until 31.07.2025 even after the expiry of the re-entry visa.
All relevant institutions have been informed in this regard.