Sports

Sri Lanka Cricket has unveiled its 25-member provisional squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, confirming Dasun Shanaka as the team’s captain for the global tournament.

The squad features a mix of experienced campaigners and emerging talent, reflecting the selectors’ focus on depth and balance as preparations gather pace ahead of the competition. The final lineup will be announced nearer to the start of the World Cup.

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be jointly hosted by Sri Lanka and India.

Sri Lanka’s 25-member preliminary squad:

1. Dasun Shanaka (Captain)

2. Pathum Nissanka

3. Kusal Mendis

4. Kamil Mishara

5. Kusal Perera

6. Dhananjaya de Silva

7. Niroshan Dickwella

8. Janith Liyanage

9. Charith Asalanka

10. Kamindu Mendis

11. Pavan Rathnayake

12. Sahan Arachchige

13. Wanindu Hasaranga

14. Dunith Wellalage

15. Milan Rathnayake

16. Nuwan Thushara

17. Eshan Malinga

18. Dushmantha Chameera

19. Pramod Madushan

20. Matheesha Pathirana

21. Dilshan Madushanka

22. Maheesh Theekshana

23. Dushan Hemantha

24. Vijayakanth Viyaskanth

25. Traveen Mathew

Pawan Rathnayake has been added to Sri Lanka’s squad for the upcoming T20I tri-series in Pakistan, according to sources.  

He has been added to the squad following reports that several members of the team have fallen ill, the source said.

Rathnayake made his ODI debut for Sri Lanka in the third and final match of the ODI series against Pakistan yesterday.

Pakistan is hosting Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe for a T20 tri-series at Rawalpindi.

( Source : adaderana.lk)

Sri Lanka’s newly appointed Chief Selector, Pramodya Wickramasinghe, has confirmed that Dasun Shanaka will remain at the helm of the national T20 team for the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup 2026.

Speaking on Thursday, Wickramasinghe said Shanaka will also captain the side in upcoming bilateral series against Pakistan and England, which form part of Sri Lanka’s build-up to the global tournament.He added that selectors have already named a 25-member provisional squad for the T20 World Cup, while noting that the final selection will be made nearer to the start of the competition.

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is set to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

Rajasthan Royals on Monday announced Sri Lanka legend Kumar Sangakkara as their head coach for the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, following the exit of Rahul Dravid from the role.

Dravid had left the franchise in August this year and Sangakkara, who has been the franchise’s Director of Cricket since 2021, will be returning as the head coach having served in the same role from 2021-2024.

“Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara will also take charge as Head Coach for IPL 2026,” Rajasthan Royals posted on X.

It was an abrupt end for former India captain Dravid’s tenure after returning to the franchise for the 2025 season with a multi-year contract. The T20 World Cup-winning former national coach exited after a “structural review” of the team’s poor performance earlier this year.

The franchise endured a terrible run, finishing ninth in the 10-team event with just four wins from 14 games.

Sangakkara’s return as head coach comes days after Rajasthan Royals completed the trade of their wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson, who will join Chennai Super Kings. In return, Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran have been roped in by the Royals’ camp.

Meanwhile, RR also released a total of seven players, including three overseas, ahead of the mini auction to be held on December 16 in Abu Dhabi.

Among the players released by the Royals are Akash Madhwal, Ashok Sharma, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kumar Kartikeya Singh, Kunal Rathore, Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga.

( Source : adaderana.lk)

Lionel Messi is set to visit India for a three day event called the GOAT Tour. The Argentine legend will be in the country on December 13, 14 and 15, travelling across four major cities. Earlier this week, Messi won the 48th trophy of his career and his India tour will include meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leading celebrities and several chief ministers.

Event promoter Satadru Dutta has confirmed that legendary striker Luis Suarez, Messi’s long time Barcelona teammate, will join the tour along with FIFA World Cup winner Rodrigo De Paul.

Tickets for the GOAT Tour, especially for events where Messi will make public appearances, are available through the District app. Fans in Sri Lanka and around the region can book tickets directly at the official link: https://www.district.in/events/messi-2025-india-tour-ticket-booking

Ticket prices begin at around Rs 4500 in most cities, while the Mumbai events start at Rs 8250.

Messi will travel from Miami and stop briefly in Dubai to manage jet lag before arriving in Kolkata at around 1.30 am. His schedule in Kolkata is extremely tight, beginning with meetings from 9.30 am. After attending several events, including a celebrity friendly match, he will depart for Hyderabad at 2 pm following interactions with Sourav Ganguly and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

In Hyderabad, Messi will play in a 7v7 football match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy will also take part. The evening will include a musical performance held in Messi’s honour.

After Hyderabad, Messi will travel to Mumbai. He is expected to appear in a charity fashion show and will auction select items from the 2022 World Cup to raise funds. Luis Suarez will also take part in a Spanish music show during the Mumbai segment.

The GOAT Tour will end in New Delhi, where Messi will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and participate in an event at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Sri Lankan fans who want to follow Messi’s full India itinerary can refer to the complete schedule below.

Lionel Messi GOAT Tour: Complete Schedule

December 13, Kolkata

1.30 am Arrival in Kolkata

9.30 am to 10.30 am Meet and greet programme

10.30 am to 11.15 am Virtual inauguration of Messi’s statue

11.15 am to 11.25 am Arrival at Yuva Bharati

11.30 am Shah Rukh Khan arrives at Yuva Bharati

12.00 pm Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Sourav Ganguly arrive at the stadium

12.00 pm to 12.30 pm Friendly match, felicitation and interaction

2.00 pm Departure for Hyderabad

December 13, Hyderabad

7.00 pm 7v7 match at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium featuring Messi and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy

The evening will also feature a musical concert celebrating Messi

December 14, Mumbai

3.30 pm Participation in the Padel Cup at the Cricket Club of India

4.00 pm Celebrity football match

5.00 pm Event at Wankhede Stadium followed by a charity fashion show

December 15, New Delhi

Meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi

1.30 pm Event at Arun Jaitley Stadium including the felicitation of Minerva Academy players

Messi’s upcoming trip marks his second visit to India. His first appearance was in 2011 when Argentina played a friendly against Venezuela at the Salt Lake Stadium. Messi delivered an outstanding performance and assisted the winning goal in Argentina’s 1 to 0 victory.

(Source - Dailymirror)

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan edged out Sri Lanka by six runs in a thrilling first One-Day International on Tuesday, thanks to a brilliant century from Salman Agha and a four-wicket haul from Haris Rauf.

Agha’s unbeaten 105 off 87 balls powered Pakistan to a strong 299 for 5, before Rauf’s fiery spell of 4 for 61 restricted Sri Lanka to 293 for 9 in their 50 overs — giving the hosts a 1–0 lead in the three-match series.

The match went ahead despite a suicide attack near Islamabad that claimed at least 12 lives, prompting authorities to tighten security for the visiting team.

Sri Lanka got off to a promising start with debutant Kamil Mishara (38) and Pathum Nissanka (29) adding 85 for the first wicket. However, Rauf struck back swiftly, dismissing both openers and Kusal Mendis (0) in quick succession.

Sadeera Samarawickrama (39) and captain Charith Asalanka (32) steadied the innings with a 57-run stand, but Pakistan regained control when Rauf removed Samarawickrama with a superb catch by Babar Azam at slip.

Despite a late charge from Wanindu Hasaranga, who smashed a fighting 59 off 52 balls with seven boundaries, Sri Lanka fell just short, needing 21 runs off the final eight deliveries.

For Pakistan, Agha and Hussain Talat (62) added a vital 138-run partnership for the fifth wicket after the team had slumped to 95-4. Hasaranga was Sri Lanka’s best bowler with 3 for 54, while Asitha Fernando claimed an early breakthrough.

“Agha and Talat batted very well to take us to 299. Haris then gave us crucial wickets,” said Pakistan skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi after the win.

Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka admitted, “We gave away too many runs. The way Agha and Talat batted took the game away from us.”

The remaining ODIs will be played on Thursday and Saturday, both in Rawalpindi.

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is destroying his legacy, says former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney.

Salah said on Saturday he felt like he had been "thrown under the bus" by Liverpool and that his relationship with head coach Arne Slot had broken down.

Rooney believes that Slot must now show his authority and not involve Egypt international Salah in Tuesday's Champions League game at Inter Milan or next Saturday's home match with Brighton.

"Arne Slot has to show his authority and pull him in and say 'you are not travelling with the team, what you said is not acceptable'," said Rooney in his latest podcast episode.

"Take yourself off to Afcon and let everything calm down. If I was him there would be no way he would be in the team."

Rooney said Salah needed to either iron out his differences with Slot, or leave Liverpool.

"It needs to be sorted out quickly either way," he added.

Salah, 33, has scored 250 goals in 420 Liverpool appearances but has failed to start the past three matches and was an unused substitute in Saturday's 3-3 draw at Leeds United.

After the game, Salah told reporters at Elland Road: "I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager, and all of a sudden we don't have any relationship.

"It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame."

Salah, whose 29 Premier League goals helped propel Liverpool to the Premier League last season, signed a new two-year contract in April.

Rooney questioned why Salah, who signed for Liverpool from Roma in 2017, would come out publicly with his comments.

"He is absolutely destroying his legacy at Liverpool," added the five-time Premier League winner.

"It would be sad for him to throw it all away. He's gone about it all wrong."

Sri Lanka’s Taavi Samaraweera has climbed to No. 3 in the U-11 Boys’ World Table Tennis Rankings.

This is the highest ranking ever achieved by a Sri Lankan player at any age level.

Samaraweera achieved the historic milestone after consistently performing at a number of events held recently.

(Source - adaderana.lk)

The 26-year-old took the title by two points from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who won the race to take his eighth victory of the year, one more than the Briton and his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri.

McLaren were always in control of a race packed with tension even though Verstappen was on course for victory from the first lap, because Piastri finished second and was in a position to help Norris if needed.

Norris becomes the 11th British F1 world champion at the end of his seventh season in F1, a year that he started slowly but in which he came on strong in the second half of the year.

And it is McLaren’s first drivers’ and constructors’ title double since 1998.

“I’ve not cried in a while and I didn’t think I would cry but I did,” said a jubilant Norris.

“I mean, it feels amazing, I now know what Max feels like. I want to congratulate Max and Oscar, my two biggest competitors the whole season.

“It’s been a pleasure to race against both of them and an honour, I’ve learned a lot from both of them as well.

“I’ve enjoyed it and it has been a long year but we did it and I’m so proud of everyone.”

While the McLaren has been the fastest car on balance this season, Norris’ championship will be given added credibility by the fact that he won it in the face of a tough challenge from Verstappen, who is widely acknowledged as the finest driver of his generation.

Norris cried in his car on the slowing-down lap as he accepted the congratulations of his team and thanked them and his family for getting him into a place to fulfil his lifetime ambition.

The key stories of the race were:

• Norris and McLaren’s calm and controlled drive to the title
• A battle between Norris and Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda as the Japanese sought to help out Verstappen mid-race and a brief threat of a penalty for the McLaren driver
• A dominant victory from Verstappen to crown perhaps the most impressive year of his career

McLaren and Norris deal with the pressure

As the race finally started after a nervy weekend for McLaren, the pressure was high after the team had suffered two difficult races in the grands prix preceding this one.

A double disqualification in Las Vegas followed by a botched strategy that handed Verstappen victory in Qatar had upped the stakes for McLaren at the end of a year in which they won the constructors’ title with six races to go.

Norris took a cautious approach to the start, not engaging with Verstappen as the Dutchman aggressively defended his lead from pole position on the run to the first corner.

Halfway around the lap, Piastri swept around the outside of Norris at the long left-hander of Turn Nine.

The move had been previously discussed in McLaren strategy meetings as a way to bring the Australian into play for the victory against Verstappen. Norris did not make it difficult for his team-mate to pass.

Piastri was on hard tyres and Verstappen and Norris on medium, so the plan was to run long and give Red Bull something to consider and reduce the risk of him backing up the field to Norris’ disadvantage.

Norris was left to battle with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc for third place but was always in control.

And after a second tyre stop for Norris to mirror Leclerc’s two-stop strategy, the Briton closed in on Piastri in the final laps.

“It’s incredible. It is pretty surreal, you know?” said Norris. “I’ve dreamed of this for a long, long time. Everyone does.

“A lot goes into a season like this, a lot of ups, a lot of downs. But none of that matters as long as you try and come out on top, and that’s what we have managed to do.

“It’s not just this year, it has been over the last seven or eight years being with McLaren, with the last 16, 17 years of my life, trying to chase this dream, and today we all did it so I’m pretty happy.”

Verstappen, who was aiming to equal Michael Schumacher’s record of five consecutive drivers’ titles, said: “I kept looking up at the screen and hoping something would pop up. Every straight, I kept looking to see if something was happening, but it didn’t and that is racing, and I am not too fussed about it.

“I have no regrets about my season.”

The nerviest moment for Norris came after his first pit stop, when he came up behind Tsunoda in a battle for third place.

Red Bull had started the Japanese driver on hard tyres for the express purpose of trying to affect the race of Verstappen’s rival, in the way his predecessor Sergio Perez had with Lewis Hamilton in the controversial decider here in 2021.

Red Bull made it clear that he “knew what to do” after being told to do everything he could to hold up Norris.

He weaved down the straight on lap 23, but Norris committed for the inside, and kept this foot hard down even as he was edged slightly off track.

The incident was put under investigation by the stewards and the question was whether Norris would receive a penalty for overtaking off the track.

The stewards took no further action on that charge, but did penalise Tsunoda for making too many moves in defence.

From then on, Norris had only to hope his car kept going to the end, which it did, as he sealed an achievement that crowned his career, that he said on Thursday he had been working for for 16 years, and to underline a superb season for McLaren.

It is the first drivers’ championship won by the team since Lewis Hamilton’s first title in 2008.

(Source - BBC )

In a historic achievement for the hill capital, PMTD Puwakgolla clinched the title of National Champion at the 71st National Snooker Championship, played for the prestigious Late U. W. Sumathipala Challenge Trophy. His teammate, Prathap Murugesh, emerged as the runner-up, marking the first time in the tournament’s long and proud history that both the champion and runner-up hailed from Kandy.

Both cueists represent the renowned Piramid Snooker Parlour, Kandy, and their outstanding performances have brought immense pride to the region and the Sri Lankan snooker fraternity.

The championship, organized in October, featured 283 players representing six districts (Colombo, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Kegalle, Galle, and Rathnapura). As in previous years, the event was sponsored by Sumathi Holdings, continuing its tradition of promoting and uplifting cue sports in Sri Lanka.

Puwakgolla displayed exceptional composure and skill throughout the tournament, demonstrating tactical brilliance and precision under pressure. Murugesh, too, impressed with his consistency and sportsmanship, making the final a thrilling encounter that showcased the rising standard of Sri Lankan snooker.

Both players have now been selected to represent Sri Lanka at the 2025 IBSF (International Billiards and Snooker Federation) World Snooker Championship, currently being held in Qatar from November 3 to 10. Reports indicate that the duo is performing admirably on the international stage, carrying the hopes of the nation with pride and determination.

This remarkable achievement not only underscores the growing dominance of Kandy in cue sports but also signals a new era for snooker in Sri Lanka. The dedication, discipline, and passion of these young players stand as an inspiration to many aspiring cueists across the country.

The Sri Lanka Billiards and Snooker Association, along with sponsors, well-wishers, and the entire sporting community, extend their heartiest congratulations to Dhanushka Puwakgolla and Prathap Murugesh. As they compete among the world’s best in Qatar, Sri Lanka proudly stands behind them and wishing them every success in raising the national flag high on the global stage.

The Netherlands sealed their 2026 World Cup berth on Monday with a dominant 4-0 victory against Lithuania in Amsterdam.

The Oranje — three-time finalists in 1974, 1978, and 2010 — will participate in their 12th World Cup after finishing top of Group G ahead of Poland, who won 3-2 in Malta, and will have to go through the play-offs next March to reach the tournament in North America.

With a very advantageous goal difference of +13 compared to Poland at the start of the match, the Dutch could even have afforded a defeat.

But Ronald Koeman’s men entertained the 50,000 spectators at the Johan Cruyff Arena with their high tempo play, too fast for the Lithuanians who were constantly pinned back in their own half.

Despite a compact opposing defense, Koeman’s men found the breakthrough after 15 minutes through Tijani Reijnders, perfectly set up by Frenkie De Jong.

The score was 1-0 at halftime despite the overwhelming home dominance thanks to a remarkable performance from Lithuanian goalkeeper Edvinas Gertmonas.

Shortly before the hour, however, Gertmonas was powerless to prevent Cody Gakpo from making it 2-0 from a penalty for handball.

Two minutes later when Xavi Simons fired home from close range to make it 3-0.

Doneyll Malen sealed the victory another two minutes later and Koeman brought on five substitutes.

Luciano Valente made his Oranje debut for the final ten minutes with a huge cheer going up from the Amsterdam crowd as the 22-year-old Feyenoord attacking midfielder took to the field.

( Source : adaderana.lk)

The 2025 Ambassador’s Cup Badminton Tournament was held for the third consecutive time on October 31 and November 1–2 at the University of Colombo Indoor Sports Complex.

The overall championship of the tournament was won by the University of Colombo, while the University of Peradeniya emerged as runners-up.

In the Over-40 Women’s category, Vasantha Ratnayake from the University of Colombo was named the Best Player, while she was also recognized as the Best Player in the Staff Open Mixed Teams event. In the Over-50 Men’s category, Prof. Subash Jayasinghe from the University of Ruhuna was awarded Best Player, and in the Staff Open Men’s Team event, the Best Player award went to Prof. Tharaka Dissanayake from the University of Peradeniya.

In the University Students’ Team event, Chirath Illaperumaarachchi of the University of Colombo was recognized as the Best Male Player, and Midum Keerthisiri, also from the University of Colombo, was named the Best Female Player.

Universities from China and India had been invited to participate in the tournament, in addition to staff members and students from both state and private universities in Sri Lanka.

At the closing ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer of Colombo International Container Terminals (CICT), Mr. Zhang Jianhui, and the Dean of the Faculty of Management at the University of Colombo, Prof. Nihal Hennayake, attended as guests of honour.

The tournament was organized by the Department of Physical Education of the University of Colombo, with financial sponsorship provided by Colombo International Container Terminals (CICT).