Sports

Former Zimbabwe cricket team captain Heath Streak dies at 49, his wife Nadine confirmed via a social media post on Sunday. A couple of weeks ago, the news of Streak’s demise had emerged on social media via his former teammate Henry Olonga. However, the news turned out to be false, with Olonga himself taking a U-turn, suggesting the former Zimbabwe skipper was alive. However, the news of the legendary cricketer’s death this time was confirmed by his wife.

“In the early hours of this morning, Sunday the 3rd of September 2023, the greatest love of my life and the father of my beautiful children, was carried to be with the Angels from his home where he wished to spend his last days surrounded by his family and closest loved ones. He was covered in love and peace and did not walk off the Park alone. Our souls are joined for eternity Streaky. Till I hold you again,” his wife Nadine Streak wrote on Facebook. John Rennie, a former Zimbabwe international, also confirmed the news to Sportstar. He said: “He passed away in the early hours of the morning at his farm at Matabeleland. He was surrounded by his family and loved ones. He died peacefully after a long fight with cancer...”.

Streak, who was battling liver cancer for a long time, was one of the most decorated cricketers of his time, representing Zimbabwe in 65 Tests, 189 ODIs while scoring 4933 runs and taking 455 wickets for his country across formats. Streak, till date, remains the only player from Zimbabwe with a double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets in Tests and 2000 runs and 200 wickets in ODIs. A number of his records still inspire cricketers, not just in Zimbabwe but across the world.

Source - NDTV

--Agencies

Former Captain Angelo Mathews today became the third Sri Lankan to score 7,000 Test runs.

Mathews reached the milestone after scoring 47 runs in the first innings of the first Test against New Zealand in Christchurch.

Only two other Sri Lankans have scored more runs than Mathews in the country’s Test history.

During his innings, Mathews also surpassed the Test runs tally of former skipper Sanath Jayasuriya.

Jayasuriya retired from Test cricket after scoring 6,973 runs.

Kumar Sangakkara with 12,400 runs and Mahela Jayawardene with 11,814 runs lead the Test run scorers tally for Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka Cricket has selected a 15-member squad to take part in the Asia Cup 2023.

Dasun Shanaka - Captain 
Kusal Mendis - Vice Captain
Pathum Nissanka
Dimuth Karunaratne
Kusal Janith Perera
Charith Asalanka
Dhananjaya de Silva
Sadeera Samarawickrama
Maheesh Theekshana
Dunith Wellalage
Matheesha Pathirana
Kasun Rajitha
Dushan Hemantha
Binura Fernando
Pramod Madushan

Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka, and Lahiru Kumara, who were selected in the original squad, will not take part owing to injuries.

Binura Fernando and Pramod Madushan’s names have been sent to the Ministry of Sports and Youth for approval, as they were late inclusions to replace injured players.

Kusal Janith Perera is recovering from a “flu’, which he suffered, and will join the squad once fully recovered.

The Asia Cup 2023 begins on August 30 and will run until September 17.

TV1, as part of the Champion Network, brings you the action live holding the official broadcasting rights of the tournament for Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka Cricket said that at the disciplinary inquiry carried out by the three-member inquiry panel into the alleged violations by the nationally contracted player, Chamika Karunaratne, for breaching several clauses in the Player Agreement during the recently concluded ICC T20 World Cup held in Australia, Karunaratne had pledged guilty for all charges levelled against him.

Considering the seriousness of the violations committed by Karunaratne, the Inquiry Panel by its report has recommended to the Executive Committee of the SLC to strongly warn the player to refrain from further violations and to impose a punishment that will not have an impact on his cricketing career.

Subsequent to the said findings and recommendations of the inquiry panel the Executive Committee of SLC has handed a one-year ban from taking part in all forms of Cricket, and the said ban will be suspended for a period of one year.

And further to the said suspended sentence a fine of USD 5,000/- was also imposed against Karunaratne.

Sri Lankan sprinter Tharushi Karunarathna on Sunday (July 16) set an Asian record and a national record at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championship being worked off in Bangkok, Thailand.

The 19-year-old clocked a time of 2:00:06 to clinch the Gold medal in women’s 800m event, ahead of Gayanthika Abeyrathna who finished third to win the Bronze medal with a time of 2:03:25.

Karunarathna holds the record for both 400m and 800m events at the All-Island School Games 2019 while being the Gold medalist for both events. She also holds the record for the 800m at the Sir John Tarbot Senior Championships 2019 and is the Gold medalist for both 400m and 800m events. She was awarded the best female athlete under 16 at the provincial meet in 2019.

Last month, Karunarathna clinched the Gold medal in the women’s 800m event and the Silver medal in the women’s 400m competition at the 20th Asian Under-20 Junior Athletic Championships 2023 currently in Yecheon, South Korea.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan team – consisting of Tharushi Karunarathna, Aruna Dharshana, Tharushi Karunarathna, Kalinga Kumarage and Nadeesha Ramanayake – on Saturday (July 15) bagged the Silver medal in 4x400 mixed relay at 2023 Asian Athletics Championship.

Ramanayake on Thursday (July 13) won a Gold medal for the country in the Women’s 400m event at the Asian Athletics Championship 2023, while Abeyratne and Lekamge claimed the Bronze in women’s 1,500-metre event and women’s javelin throw, respectively.

The 13-member Sri Lankan athletic team, led by Abeyratne, left for Bangkok on July 09, to take part in the championship which will be held at the Supachalasai National Stadium in Bangkok from 12 – 16 July.

England tasted Twenty20 World Cup glory here today in the most dramatic style when Ben Stokes edged them past Pakistan in a thrilling, low scoring final.

Stokes made an unbeaten 52 and put on a decisive stand of 48 with Moeen Ali that calmed England’s nerves and saw them past Pakistan’s 137 for eight with six balls to spare.

Yet if that seemed comfortable it was anything but, with Pakistan bowling brilliantly in defence of their average total on a used pitch until they lost their spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi with what looked like a recurrence of his knee injury.

But that should take nothing away from the performance of Stokes who was brilliant in batting the situation, just as he was in the decisive group game against Sri Lanka, to lead England home and unite the 50-over and t20 world titles.

Jubilation then for England who can rightly now claim to be one of the best white-ball sides of all time after completing their transformation from the dark days before the 2015 World Cup to become the epitome of modern limited-overs excellence.

This is their second T20 title, following Paul Collingwood’s triumph in 2010, their second World Cup of the post 2015 era following their fabled 50-over triumph in 2019 and their fifth consecutive appearance in the last four of a global white-ball tournament.

And it confirmed Jos Buttler as the rightful captain of this side, winning a trophy in his first tournament in charge after taking over from Eoin Morgan last summer.

The first victory came when the game started on time in defiance of the gloomy forecasts all week that said both this and Monday’s reserve day could be wash-outs.

In the event no rain fell on Melbourne before the start and only minor showers fell during the game and if the Australian meteorology experts had almost as bad a World Cup as their cricketers then England also got off to a slightly nervy start in this final.

Sri Lanka have beaten the Netherlands by 128 runs in the final of the ICC World Cup Qualifiers on Sunday at Harare Sports Club.

Sri Lanka — who remained unbeaten in the Super Six stage — posted 233 on the scoreboard while batting first. Sahan Arachchige top-scored for the Lankan Tigers scoring 57 off 71 deliveries.

The Netherlands could not stand in front of Sri Lanka’s bowling as they were all-out for just 105 runs. Only three Dutch batters managed to score into double figures.

-Agencies-

Sri Lanka qualified for the finals of the 2022 Asian Netball Championships after defeating Hong Kong today (10).

The team came out on top of the semi-final clash against the Hong Kong after defeating them by 67 – 43.

The tournament is being held in Singapore, and the final is due to be held on Sunday (11).

The championships, in which 11 teams took part, also serve as qualifiers for the 2023 Netball World Cup which is due to be held in Cape Town, South Africa.

Australia has won its maiden World Test Championship title after beating India by 209 runs in the final at The Oval.

Chasing 444 for victory, India were all out for 234 shortly before lunch on day five on Sunday after losing seven wickets on the final morning

The triumph makes Australia the first team to have won world titles in all three formats of the game, with Pat Cummins, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc and David Warner completing their own triple crowns.

Sri Lanka beat Australia in the 2nd Test match today (11) by an inning and 39 runs, extinguishing Australia’s hopes of seizing a 2-0 series win in Sri Lanka.

Prabath Jayasuriya managed to take six wickets for 59 runs.

Dinesh Chandimal scored an impressive 206 as Sri Lanka was bowled out 554 in the first innings while Australia scored 364 in the first innings and 151 in the second innings.

Sri Lankan athlete Tharushi Karunarathna wins the Gold medal in the 800m women’s event at the Asian Under 20 Junior Athletic Championships being held in Yecheon, South Korea.

Tharushi Karunaratne with a timing of (2.05.63) won the Gold medal.

Yupun Abeykoon has set a new record, becoming the first ever Sri Lankan and South Asian to run 100m under 10 seconds.

He clocked an impressive record of 9.96 seconds to win the men’s 100m at the Resisprint International Chaux-de-Fonds 2022 in Switzerland.

With his performance, Abeykoon managed to become the first ever South Asian to break the 10-second barrier for the very first time in the category.