News

Confident SL women cricketers meet Kiwis in 1st ODI

Published

4 months ago

March 5, 2025

editor

Sri Lanka women’s cricket team led by Chamari Athapaththu will meet New Zealand women in their first ODI of the three match series today at McLean Park Napier, commencing at 6.30a.m (Sri Lanka time).

Before the ODI series Sri Lanka team got a chance to play two warm up games which gave good match practice to adjust to the conditions.

Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu said New Zealand tram is strong and we have to put up a challenge against them during this series as they have more youngsters and they have to get good experience playing in those conditions. I have previous experience in New Zealand having played matches also in franchise leagues but most important is to adjust to the conditions to get success in this series.

Weather conditions and ground conditions are different compared to our home conditions. Our team is ready to play good cricket during this series. Here in New Zealand more seam and bouncy wicket and our fast bowlers have to adjust to that and our senior fast bowler Udeshika Prabodhani will be missed this time due to hamstring injury and young Malki Madara the left arm fast bowler replaced her and this is a good opportunity to young Madara and hope she will do her best. The uncapped fast bowlers Chethana Vimukthi, 19 year old Rashmika Sewwandi and Achini Kulasuriya who have previous experience with the National team are the other fast bowlers of the side.

Skipper Athapaththu further said both Sri Lanka and New Zealand already qualified for the world cup and this series is very important for both teams. We had four months break but domestic cricket and practice matches gave good chance to players while myself was busy with league cricket which always give good exposure and we all are in good form to play this series. Half of the team is very young and this time we brought two under 19 players Manudi Nanayakkara and Rashmika Sewwandi both are good up and coming players who are talented while young opener Vishmi Gunaratne and Harshitha Samarawickrama and Kaveesha Dilhari also in good form and hope they will repeat their performances in this series said Skipper Chamari Athpaththu.

This is a good opportunity for our youngsters and they have to get more experience before world cup and we want to execute our plans to get success and every match always challenge to us especially playing in this conditions all players have to realize their duty to do their best concluded skipper Chamari Athapatthu who joined the team midway of the women’s Premier league (WPL) from India.

Meanwhile Sri Lanka team happy about their preparation with two warm up games before the ODI series.

The first warm up game Sri Lanka lost to New Zealand cricket President’s XI but Sri Lanka scored 244 all out in 49.4 overs. Vishmi Gunarane (61), Kaveesha Dilhari (48), Manudi Nanayakkara(34)Imesha Dulani (26) made useful contributions in this first game. The second warm up game Sri Lankan lasses won in which Vishmi Gunaratne (52), Manudi Nanayakkara((58) were among the runs. Sachini Nisansala had fine figures of 4 for 43 while Achini Kaushalya took 2 for 39 to get victory over New Zealand cricket Presidents X1.

Meanwhile experienced Suzie Bates will lead the New Zealand team in the absence of full-time ODI captain Sophie Devine, who is on a well-earned break Amelia Kerr will also miss the series as she is in India representing Mumbai Indians at the WPL.

New Zealand have picked a young uncapped trio of Emma McLeod, batter Izzy Sharp and left-arm seamer Bree llling for this series against Sri Lanka. The squad of 16 also sees the return of Georgia Plimmer after recovering from a bone stress reaction in her hip which had sidelined her since November.

Sri Lankan women will play the second and third ODI on March 7 and 9 followed by the T-20 series.

Sri Lanka women’s squad: Chamari Athapaththu (capt), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Nilakshika Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Anushka Sanjeewani, Manudi Nanayakkara, Imesha Dulani, Achini Kulasuriya, Sachini Nisansala, Kaushini Nuthyangana, Inoshi Priyadarshini, Sugandika Kumari, Rashmika Sewwandi, Chethana Vimukthi, Malki Madara.

New Zealand squad: Suzie Bates (capt), Eden Carson, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Bree Illing , Polly Inglis, Bella James, Hayley Jensen, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Emma McLeod, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe.

(dailynews.lk)
(This story, originally published by dailynews.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

News

Passengers jump from plane’s wing after fire alert on Spain flight, triggers panic

Published

3 hours ago

July 5, 2025

editor

Wildfires have broken out on an island and in towns near Athens in Greece, with blazes also being sparked in Turkey and Syria.

The Hellenic Fire Service and local authorities said that two villages – Tsakeoi and Limnionas – had been evacuated on the island of Evia after the blaze started late on Friday.

One fire service official said more than 160 firefighters, 46 trucks and five aircraft were deployed in southern Evia to put out the fire.

Southern Evia, to the east of Athens, was one of several regions in Greece placed on high alert for wildfires over gale-force winds forecast for today.

Images from Koropi, a town to the southwest of Athens, also show houses burnt down and helicopters dropping water on burning forests.

It marks the latest wildfires to break out in Greece – where blazes are common during the summer – as it tackles strong winds and dry conditions amid an early summer heatwave in southern Europe.

Officials have linked the conditions to at least nine deaths across the continent.

A wildfire broke out in Achlia on the island of Crete on Wednesday, forcing thousands of residents and tourists to evacuate – with some taken to a nearby basketball arena and hotels in safer parts of the island.

The fire service official told Reuters on Friday that the fire in Crete was largely contained.

Meanwhile, blazes have also broken out on Turkey’s west coast – the latest in a series of blazes which started in late June – as well as its southerly neighbour Syria.

At least five fires have been reported in Izmir after extreme heat, strong winds and low humidity. Two people have been killed by the blazes, while tens of thousands have been evacuated.

Fires also flared on both sides of the Turkish-Syrian border on Friday, with a new blaze reported near the town of Dortyol in Turkey’s border province of Hatay.

According to Syria’s Civil Defence, wildfires have spread across large parts of mountainous areas in the Latakia province.

The government department added that conditions have hampered efforts to bring the fire under control, and noted unexploded ordnance could be in some of the areas affected.

Source: SKY NEWS

News

CBSL extends Perpetual Treasuries suspension for six months

Published

4 hours ago

July 5, 2025

editor

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has decided to extend the suspension of Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL) from carrying on the business and activities of a Primary Dealer for a further period of six months.

The extension is with effect from 4.30 p.m. on 05th July 2025, in order to continue the investigations being conducted by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

The suspension has been extended by CBSL acting in terms of the Regulations made under the Registered Stock and Securities Ordinance and the Local Treasury Bills Ordinance.

News

Kataragama Basnayake Nilame pressured over complaint against Kapuwas’ donation misuse

Published

14 hours ago

July 5, 2025

editor

It has been reported that Dishan Wickramaratne Gunasekara – the Basnayake Nilame of the historic Ruhunu Kataragama Maha Devalaya, is facing pressure including from several parties including political circles to withdraw his complaint lodged against the custodians (Kapu Mahattaya) of the devalaya.

The issue had arisen after it was discovered that some custodians were collecting money into their own tills instead of allowing them to be deposited in the official donation box.

Public discussion about the transparency of the temple’s donations intensified after the Basnayake Nilame had begun using a portion of the funds for community projects like hospital construction.

Traditionally, devotees often handed donations directly to the custodians, but the Basnayake Nilame had urged the public via media to place offerings only in the official donation box managed by the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs.

He subsequently arranged a proper audit of all such donations for the first time.

In response, some custodians had reportedly begun pressuring devotees near the official box to hand over donations to them instead.

Upon learning of this, the Basnayake Nilame had lodged a complaint with the Kataragama Police, arguing that diverting funds from the official box amounts to fraudulent misappropriation.

Acting on the complaint, police arrested 02 custodians who were collecting offerings near the official box.

However, other custodians then surrounded the police station and pressured the officers to release the arrested individuals, resulting in their release.