The Ministry of Youth and Sports today distributed cricket equipment to 30 selected schools in the Western Province that currently do not offer cricket.

The programme is done with the goal of ensuring that every child interested in cricket has the opportunity to pursue the sport, despite their economic status. It is also expected to be expanded to all districts in the future.

The distribution was held under the patronage of Deputy Minister of Sports Sugath Thilakaratne at the Ministry premises.

Officials from the Ministry, principals, teachers, and students from the selected schools participated in the event.

The Attorney General has filed an indictment before the Hambantota High Court against former Sri Lankan cricketer Sachindra Madushanka Senanayake.

Senanayake faces charges of attempting to induce national cricketer Tharindu Hasanka Ratnayake into match-fixing during the Lanka Premier League (LPL) tournament in 2020.

The allegations include soliciting, inducing, or instructing the player in a manner that violates Section 5(a) of the Prevention of Offenses Relating to Sports Act No. 24 of 2019.

Senanayake is also said to have allegedly contacted two other cricketers participating in the inaugural Lanka Premier League (LPL) tournament in 2020 via telephone from Dubai, attempting to persuade them to engage in match-fixing. He had previously been released on bail in connection with those allegations.

Virat Kohli’s long wait to lay his hands on the IPL trophy finally ended as Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the Indian Premier League for the first time by defeating Punjab Kings in the final on Tuesday (June 03).

PBKS kept losing wickets at regular intervals, with captain Shreyas Iyer being dismissed for just one run. Earlier, RCB posted a score of 190 for nine after PBKS won the toss and opted to bowl first at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Virat Kohli was the top scorer for RCB with 43 off 35 balls, while Arshdeep Singh and Kyle Jamieson took three wickets each for PBKS.

This was Punjab’s first title clash since 2014, while it was the fourth for RCB. The final was also the second successive for Shreyas Iyer as captain after marshalling Kolkata Knight Riders’ triumph in 2024.

PBKS and RCB had finished at the top two positions respectively after a gruelling 70-match league round. 

(NDTV)