News

Wanindu suspended from Test series against Bangladesh, Kusal fined

Published

2 months ago

March 19, 2024

editor

Sri Lanka all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga has been suspended from Bangladesh’s upcoming two-Test series, shortly after announcing his return to Test cricket following retirement from the format last year.

Hasaranga’s suspension stems from an incident during the third ODI against Bangladesh, where he breached Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel by showing dissent at an umpire’s decision. This resulted in a 50 percent fine and three demerit points, bringing his total to eight within 24 months.

Already on five demerit points, Hasaranga’s accumulated total led to a suspension from two T20Is against Bangladesh. Now, with four suspension points, he will miss the two ICC World Test Championship Tests against Bangladesh.

This development comes after Sri Lanka’s victory in the T20 series against Bangladesh, with Hasaranga’s absence from the Test series impacting Sri Lanka’s lineup ahead of the T20I World Cup.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis has also been fined 50 per cent of his match for a Level 2 offence. According to the ICC, He was found guilty of breaching article 2.13 of the Code, which relates to “Personal abuse of a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire or Match Referee during an International Match.”

In addition to this, three demerit points have been added to the disciplinary record of Mendis, for whom it was the first offence in a 24-month period.

Mendis abused the umpires while shaking hands with them at the end of the match, the ICC says.

Both Hasaranga and Mendis admitted their offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees and, as such, there was no need for formal hearings.

On-field umpires Sharfuddoula Saikat and Tanvir Ahmed, third umpire Adrian Holdstock and fourth umpire Richard Kettleborough leveled the charges.

News

Fire breaks out in workers’ living quarters near Colombo Port

Published

10 hours ago

May 19, 2024

editor

A fire has reportedly broken out in the living quarters of highway access road workers near the Colombo Port.

The Colombo Fire Brigade said it has dispatched four fire trucks to assist in extinguishing the flames.

News

President Wickremesinghe meets Elon Musk to discuss starlink implementation in Sri Lanka

Published

10 hours ago

May 19, 2024

editor

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has met with billionaire and investor Elon Musk on the sidelines of the 10th World Water Forum High-Level Meeting being held in Indonesia.

During the meeting, Wickremesinghe and Musk discussed the implementation of ‘Starlink’ in Sri Lanka.

It was emphasized that Sri Lanka is committed to expediting the application process to connect the country to the global Starlink network, according to the President’s Media Division (PMD).

Minister Jeevan Thondaman, accompanying the President on his two-day visit to Indonesia, tweeted: “President and Elon discussed Sri Lanka’s recovery, economic potential, and new opportunities for investment. Great to have two visionary leaders come together for Sri Lanka.”

Elon Musk arrived in Indonesia’s resort island of Bali on Sunday to launch Starlink satellite internet service in the world’s largest archipelago nation.

The billionaire head of Tesla and SpaceX, and owner of social platform X, arrived by private jet on the idyllic “island of the gods,” renowned for its tropical beaches, terraced rice paddies, mystical temples, and colorful spiritual offerings.

Musk is slated to launch the service alongside Indonesian President Joko Widodo in a ceremony later Sunday at a public health clinic in Denpasar, the provincial capital of Bali.

Musk will also sign an agreement to enhance connectivity in the country’s health and education sectors.

During his first in-person visit to Bali, Musk is also scheduled to participate in the 10th World Water Forum, which seeks to address global water and sanitation challenges.

–With agencies inputs

News

Senior diplomat to oversee Sri Lankan embassy in Russia

Published

21 hours ago

May 19, 2024

nipuni

It is reported that the government has planned to send a senior officer of the foreign service to the Sri Lankan embassy in Russia until a new ambassador is appointed due to the lack of an ambassador.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Taraka Balasuriya has told the media that the absence of an ambassador is just a gap in the work procedure, and based on the current situation in Russia, a senior official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be directed to supervise its affairs.

He emphasized that a retired foreign service senior is being sent and the lack of an ambassador is not a major problem.

The Minister further stated that there is already a senior Foreign Service officer there, and given the urgent need, a very senior Foreign Service officer is being sent not because the officer currently in Russia is inadequate.

Mr. Balasuriya has stressed that this is being done to strengthen the operation and that the work will be done according to the normal protocol.

However, even though an ambassador has been appointed to Russia, Mr. Balasuriya has made arrangements not to reveal who it is to the media.

The former Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation, Prof. Janitha A. Liyanage, was given three extensions, and she ended her service at the Sri Lankan Embassy in Moscow on April 29.

At present, Counsellor Ruvini K. Munidasa serves as the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy.