The Sri Lanka Cricket Selection Committee has named the following 18-member squad for the first Test match.

The two match test series will commence on 17th June 2025 at the Galle International Cricket Stadium.

Test Squad : Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva (Captain), Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Sonal Dinusha, Pavan Rathnayake, Prabath Jayasuriya, Tharindu Ratnayake, Akila Dananjaya, Milan Rathnayake, Asitha Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Isitha Wijesundara

Although Lahiru Kumara was selected but will not play as he has suffered an injury during practices.

South Africa have broken a 27-year drought by claiming an emphatic five-wicket victory over Australia in the ICC World Test Championship Final at Lord’s on Saturday.

The Proteas made reasonably light work of the 69 runs they needed to win the mace on the fourth morning in London, with Kyle Verreynne hitting the winning shot to deliver South Africa their first men’s senior ICC trophy since 1998.

South Africa opener Aiden Markram took on the Australia attack and scored a crucial century on Day 3 of the World Test Championship Final at Lord’s.

Player of the Match Aiden Markram fell late in proceedings with just six runs required, with his innings of 136 proving the difference between two sides in a Test where ball dominated bat for the majority of the contest.

There were only two other hiccups for South Africa on the fourth morning, with skipper Temba Bavuma (66) removed by Australian counterpart Pat Cummins (1/59) in the third over of the day as the Aussies sniffed a potential lifeline and then Mitchell Starc (3/66) pierced the defences of Tristan Stubbs (8) when 41 runs were still required.

Aiden Markram’s superb innings comes to an end as South Africa inch closer to a historic win at Lord’s.

But just like he had done on a crucial third day, Markram stayed composed and waited for the bad ball to dispatch and made batting look relatively easy as South Africa inched towards the victory target.

His demeanour didn’t change when Bavuma and Stubbs departed and his dismissal to Josh Hazlewood (1/58) with the finish line in sight only allowed the opener to soak up the atmosphere and receive a standing ovation from the appreciative Lord’s crowd.

South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma overcame pain to score a valiant half-century to put his side on course to a historic win at Lord’s.

While Markram will win plenty of plaudits for his match-winning innings and deservedly so, South Africa received a strong range of contributions from their entire XI and pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada also played a vital role in the triumph with his nine wickets across the two innings.

Both Markram and Rabada played together when South Africa won the ICC Men’s Under 19 Cricket World Cup in 2014 and this victory is just rewards for the pair and a South African team that have had so many close misses in the knockout stages of ICC events in recent times.

Just last year South Africa fell agonisingly short with victory in sight in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup against India and there were some nervy moments at Lord’s as the Aussies made a couple of important breakthroughs on Saturday as the target of 282 was slowly diminished.

Australia’s experienced bowling attack was in excellent form for the entire match and it took the innings of Markram’s lifetime to quell them as South Africa broke their lengthy trophy drought in style in the Ultimate Test.

Mitchell Starc delivered a second breakthrough to Australia with a peach of a delivery.

South Africa XI: 1. Aiden Markram, 2. Ryan Rickelton, 3. Wiaan Mulder, 4. Temba Bavuma (c), 5. Tristan Stubbs, 6. David Bedingham, 7. Kyle Verreynne (wk), 8. Marco Jansen, 9. Keshav Maharaj, 10. Kagiso Rabada, 11. Lungi Ngidi

Australia XI: 1. Usman Khawaja, 2. Marnus Labuschagne, 3. Cameron Green, 4. Steve Smith, 5. Travis Head, 6. Beau Webster, 7. Alex Carey (wk), 8. Pat Cummins (c), 9. Mitchell Starc, 10. Nathan Lyon, 11. Josh Hazlewood

(ICC)

The Order under the Convention Against Doping in Sports Act, scheduled to be taken up for debate in Parliament on June 17 for the purpose of being passed, has received the approval of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Youth Affairs and Sports.

This approval was granted at the meeting of the said Committee held today (June 13) at Parliament, chaired by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage. 

Deputy Minister of Sports, Sugath Thilakaratne was also present at this Committee meeting held.

At the meeting, officials stated that, in relation to sports, Sri Lanka is legally updating the relevant regulations through this Gazette notification in accordance with the list published annually by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). It was further pointed out by the officials that certain substances are newly added to the list while some are removed from it. For instance, the substance “Caffeine” has now been removed from the list.

In addition, matters such as the possibility of obtaining the assistance of the Ministry of Sports for inter-university sports competitions, challenges related to establishing youth societies across the island, the shortage of youth service officers, and the need to develop sports including cricket at the rural level were raised by the MPs present at the meeting. Accordingly, the Minister instructed the relevant officials to take prompt action regarding these matters.Members of the Committee, Members of Parliament who are non-member members, and a group of officials including the Secretary to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports were present at this committee meeting held.