Sri Lanka, the 1996 winners, kick-started their bid for a place in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup semi-finals in dramatic fashion with a 20-run win against hosts England at Headingley. It took them to six points and off-spinner Dhananjaya de Silva insists they can still finish in the top four of the group despite suffering a pair of washouts in Bristol.
Undergoing a transition phase, defending champions Sri Lanka may not be in their elements in the build-up to the ICC World T20 but skipper Angelo Mathews today said it is good to carry the underdogs tag as it does not put the team under pressure. "The fact that we are coming as underdogs releases the pressure. Yes, we didn't do well in the Asia Cup but we're getting better day by day. I'm confident of my team's progress," Mathews said on the eve of their Super 10 opener against Afghanistan. Mathews said that his team needed just one win to get the momentum back. "We're not looking too far ahead at the moment and we will take one game at a time. We need one good game to get our momentum back," said the skipper. Afghanistan almost pulled off an upset during the 2015 World Cup in Australia when they threatened to chase down 237 before being bowled out for 232 in 49.4 overs and Mathews said Afghans were no more the minnows.
Images from the Indian Premier League 10 match played between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Daredevils on Wednesday
All-rounder Angelo Mathews was named Sri Lanka Twenty20 captain on Wednesday for the next 12 months in an appointment, which could lead to him taking over as leader of the Test side.
The 36-year-old Fernando, who last played for Sri Lanka way back in 2012, was included in place of T20 captain Lasith Malinga, who is recuperating from an injury.
Keshav Maharaj claimed a career-best eight for 116 to prevent Sri Lanka from making the most of a strong start and limiting them to 277 for nine on the opening day of the second and final Test on Friday.
Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan has resigned from the captaincy and former skipper Mahela Jayawardene has been reappointed to the role, the island nation's sports minister said on Monday.
Sri Lanka's Rangana Herath became the most successful left-arm spinner in Test cricket on Saturday, claiming six for 59 to bowl his team to an emphatic 259-run victory against Bangladesh in the first Test.
Tom Latham finished 264 not out -- a world's best for an opener carrying their bat through a completed innings -- as New Zealand were bowled out for 578, and holding a 296-run first innings lead.
Delhi Daredevils coach Rahul Dravid, on Thursday, admitted that missing a batsman of Quinton de Kock's calibre along with seasoned player JP Duminy will affect the balance and composition of the team going into 10th edition of Indian Premier League (IPL).
Sri Lankan medium-pacer Nuwan Pradeep is likely to miss the second cricket Test against India, starting on Thursday as he is yet to fully recover from a hamstring injury.
Pleased with his fast bowlers show in the 169-runs win over Sri Lanka, skipper Virat Kohi said that it augurs well for the tours to Australia and New Zealand.
Openers Martin Guptill and Colin Munro hit unbeaten half-centuries as New Zealand thrashed Sri Lanka by 10 wickets in their World Cup opener in Cardiff on Saturday.
With the series already in their pocket, India will look to give some of the bench players a chance but there will be no let-up in the intensity as they eye a complete whitewash against Sri Lanka in the third and final T20I in Mumbai on Sunday.
England moved towards victory in the second Test against Sri Lanka whose batsmen showed sufficient resolve on Sunday to push the game into a fourth day if not affect a result that still seems inevitable.
The actress received a thumbs up for her latest Cannes appearance.
India completed a 3-0 clean sweep of Sri Lanka with an innings and 171-run annihilation in the third and final Test, bringing to an early end to one of the most lopsided series in recent years.
Shikhar Dhawan struck a sublime hundred in the nick of time as India delivered yet again in a series decider to beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the third ODI and record their eighth successive win in a bilateral contest.
Images from the second One-day International between Sri Lanka and India being played at Hambantota.
End of chopping and changing has brought stability to white ball tea, says Pakistan captain Sarfraz
Virat Kohli too has stated that choosing between Dhawan and Rahul will be a tough call
Earlier, resuming on 3-0 and with an overall lead of 99, England lost Keaton Jennings leg before wicket for one off the first delivery of the day from Dilruwan Perera (5-88), which seemed to unhinge their top order.
Delhi Daredevils beat Kings XI Punjab by five wickets in their Indian Premier League match in Pune on Wednesday. It was Delhi's first win in 12 matches and their first against Punjab after four straight defeats.
The Australia batsman has overtaken New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and is now only nine points behind India skipper Virat Kohli.
Sri Lanka's cricket selectors on Tuesday expressed concern over the fitness of Angelo Mathews, who is currently playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as an all-rounder.
England captain Eoin Morgan has said that he did not come into the ICC World T20 with an aim of achieving a specific target but the endeavour has always been to get the best out of the available resources. Asked if he had expected at the start that England will qualify for the semi-finals, Morgan said: "I don't expect a great deal to be honest. I don't set expectations, barriers or limitations. It's all about getting the best out of what we have and at the moment and we seem to be doing that. If we do that from here on in, we put ourselves in really good position." Morgan is happy that the T20 unit has shown a lot of character in recent times by winning pressure games. "It gives us a great deal of confidence. I think in three of our wins we've had to show an immense amount of character, having to chase down 230 (vs SA) and then against Afghanistan, we put our backs against the wall early. We had to fight quite hard.
Sri Lanka's fast-bowling all-rounder Shaminda Eranga was named as replacement for Angelo Mathews, who had been ruled out of the ongoing Asia Cup tournament due to a calf injury.
Kane Williamson scored his fifth century in eight Tests in 2015 to guide New Zealand to a five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka before lunch on the fourth day of the second Test at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Monday.
Injury-ravaged pacer Lasith Malinga has stepped down as Sri Lanka's captain for the upcoming World Twenty20 in India following another breakdown during a disappointing Asia Cup campaign in Bangladesh.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar on Wednesday suggested that the veteran batsman should not miss any of the One-Day Internationals in the ongoing CB tri-series in Australia.
As India take on Sri Lanka in a three Test series, Rajneesh Gupta presents all the numbers.
All-rounder Angelo Mathews has returned from a calf injury to join the Sri Lanka squad for the second and final Test against England but he will not be available to bowl.
Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews said an inspirational net session with the legendary Kumar Sangakkara played a key role.
In the bowlers list, Bumrah achieved a career-high ranking of 28 while fellow teammate Mohammad Shami moved two places to 24th.
The earthquake has also damaged culturally important sites such as churches and cemeteries, leaving Virgin Mary statues and coffins in the rubble.
India might have won the third ODI against Sri Lanka, but the architect of the triumph, opener Gautam Gambhir, feels the team has to get its act together as far as bowling at the death is concerned.
Cricketers from the team of the Emirald Isle are under suspicion following their dismal performance in the recently concluded New Zealand tour
Australia edged Sri Lanka by five runs in an enthralling One Day International of the tri-series in Perth on Friday.
Sri Lanka, riding on the heroics of Angelo Mathews, fell short of what would have been a sensational victory over Australia by just five runs in the tri-series match in Perth on Friday.
The Carolina Herrera dress is being specially designed for Breaking Dawn, the latest Twilight installment.
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