News

Kohli fined after heated altercation with Konstas at MCG

Published

6 months ago

December 26, 2024

editor

Virat Kohli has been fined 20% of his match fees and awarded one demerit point after his heated altercation with Australia’s 19-year-old debutant Sam Konstas during the fourth Test at the MCG. The incident occurred after the tenth over of the morning when Kohli and Konstas bumped shoulders while moving across the pitch between overs.

Both players immediately looked back for a heated exchange of words, before Konstas’ opening partner Usman Khawaja and umpire Michael Gough interrupted to cut the altercation short.

Kohli was sanctioned for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct that relates to “inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person (including a spectator during an International Match”. No formal hearing was required as Kohli accepted the sanctions.

Replays that emerged later in the session showed that Konstas had turned around from the crease after the last ball of the tenth over, and was walking straight towards the other end while looking at his gloves, whereas Kohli – while tossing the ball in his hand – was looking straight ahead and went from way outside the pitch right towards Konstas and bumped into him.

“I think the emotions got to both of us,” Konstas later told Channel 7 in the second session. “I didn’t quite realise; I was doing my gloves, then [there was] a little shoulder charge. But it happens in cricket.”

“Have a look at where Virat walks,” former Australia captain Ricky Ponting observed on commentary for Channel 7 while watching the replay of the incident. “Virat’s walked one whole pitch over to his right and instigated that confrontation. No doubt in my mind, whatsoever.”

While talking to Star Sports at the end of the day, former India coach Ravi Shastri said what Kohli did was “unnecessary”.

“When you see that, it’s not needed at that moment of time,” he said. “I think Virat will realise that later, with the stature he has in the game, he’s captained the side for many, many years. In heat of the moment, things do happen. But on reflection, I would say it was unnecessary. You don’t want to see such things. There’s a line, you don’t want to overstep that line.”

Konstas made his Test debut with a stunning half-century off just 52 balls, by taking on Jasprit Bumrah, the best bowler of the series, who had dismissed Nathan McSweeney four times in six innings in the first three Tests. Konstas replaced McSweeney for this Test, and struggled to 5 off 21 after being beaten several times before moving to 27 off 38 at the time of the altercation with Kohli.

By then, Konstas had reverse-scooped Bumrah for a six over the slips which had followed a more straightforward scoop that had fetched him four runs after moving across and flicking the ball over the wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.

Konstas finished on 60 off 65 balls with six fours and two sixes, having scored 34 from 33 against Bumrah and 20 from 19 off Mohammed Siraj.

Tests between India and Australia have been high-intensity, and known to throw up such altercations and controversies, especially involving Kohli. He had once collided – when he was captain – for an altercation with the opposite captain Tim Paine in 2018-19, and had a duel with Mitchell Johnson while scoring a stunning century in Adelaide in 2014.

(espncricinfo.com)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by espncricinfo.com has not been edited by SLM staff)

News

Essential to enhance facilities in education system – President

Published

4 hours ago

July 8, 2025

editor

President Anura Kumara Disanayake emphasized that in order to successfully implement the proposed educational reforms, it is essential to enhance the facilities throughout the entire education system while also strengthening the institutional framework.

The President made these remarks during a discussion held today (July 08) at the Presidential Secretariat with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and senior officials of the Ministry of Education regarding the proposed new education reform process.

During the meeting, officials from the Ministry provided the President with an overview of the suggested reforms.

The President stated that the government is ready to study the reform proposals and allocate the necessary resources based on identified needs.

President Disanayake further pointed out that in order to achieve the intended outcomes of these reforms, a comprehensive transformation of the entire system is required. He stressed that attention must be paid not only to developing physical and infrastructural resources but also to enhancing human resources. The President instructed that a full study be conducted before presenting plans and budget estimates, and assured that necessary provisions would be allocated through the upcoming national budget.

He also emphasized the importance of paying attention to teachers and students of teacher training colleges throughout this reform process and called for broad consultations with all stakeholders to gather their views and suggestions.

As a first step, the President advised Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya to organize two workshops to brief all Members of Parliament on the proposed education reform programme and to gather their input and recommendations.

The discussion was also attended by Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education Madhura Seneviratne, Deputy Minister of Vocational Education Nalin Hewage, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Education Nalaka Kaluwewa and a group of senior officials from the Ministry.

(President’s Media Division)

News

CID reopens Lalith-Kugan disappearance case after 14 yrs.

Published

4 hours ago

July 8, 2025

editor

The Sri Lankan government has officially handed over the long-stalled investigation into the disappearance of human rights activists Lalith Kumar Weeraraj and Kugan Muruganandan to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala made the announcement in Parliament today (7).

The two activists went missing on December 9, 2011, in Jaffna, under circumstances that have remained unresolved for over a decade.

Initial reports were submitted to the judiciary on December 12, 2011, and the case was heard multiple times before being set aside by court order on October 10, 2014 due to lack of investigative progress.

Minister Wijepala revealed that, due to the prolonged stagnation of the case, the Acting Inspector General of Police issued formal instructions on June 3, 2025, directing the CID to take over the investigation.

A letter was subsequently sent to the Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police for the Northern Province, requesting all relevant case files and forensic reports from the Achchuveli Police Station, the Jaffna Division Crime Investigation Unit, and the regional forensic laboratory.

These documents were officially transferred to the CID on June 11, 2025. The Homicide and Organized Crime Division of the CID has now begun active investigations into the case.

The Minister also disclosed that the CID is currently investigating four other disappearance cases in the Northern and Eastern provinces, while the Colombo Crime Division is handling six additional cases. None of these investigations have yet been concluded.

(News1st)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by News1st has not been edited by SLM staff)