Habibul Bashar won the toss and elected to field against Sri Lanka in the first qualifying match of the ICC Champions Trophy.
Several senior players, including Sanath Jayasuriya, Lasith Malinga, Chamara Kapugedera and Ajantha Mendis, were left out for next month's tri-series with Bangladesh and India. Former captain Mahela Jayawardene, spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, all-rounder Angelo Mathews and fast bowler Dilhara Fernando were not available due to injury.
Murali took 6-36 and Samaraweera top scored with 51 in their second innings.
South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn became the third fastest bowler to pick 300 wickets in Test cricket when he bowled Doug Bracewell in the first session of the first Test against New Zealand at Newlands on Wednesday.
Muralitharan will resume bowling on March 17 after shoulder surgery while Zoysa is recovering from a knee injury.
Muttiah Muralitharan claimed his 300th wicket in ODIs as Sri Lanka beat England by 31 runs in the tri-series.
Sri Lanka will be hoping for help from wickets more suitable for spin bowling in the next two Tests against Australia after losing the opener by 137 runs on a Hobart track described as a "minefield" by coach Graham Ford.
Graeme Swann completed 200 wickets in Test cricket on Saturday when he trapped Harbhajan Singh LBW. Swann became the 14th Englishman and 60th bowler overall to accomplish this feat. Rajneesh Gupta presents a list of the highest wicket-taking off-spinners in Test cricket and lists bowlers who took the least time to get to the 200-wicket mark.
Muttiah Muralitharan bowled with a cast on his arm which did not allow him to bend the arm beyond the defined limit.
Bangalore Royal Challengers skipper Kevin Pietersen has been warned by the Indian Premier League for showing dissent over an umpiring decision during his side's humiliating 92-run loss at the hands of Chennai Super Kings on Monday. Pietersen received an official warning from the IPL for objecting his first-ball leg before wicket dismissal against Sri Lanka veteran spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.
'They need batters who can bat out a full session in Australia.' 'You have seniors like Pujara and Rahane, who are scoring runs in domestic cricket. They have experience of Australian conditions too.' 'They should be given a chance to make a comeback, no harm in trying especially when your batting line-up is not even lasting a full session.'
Zimbabwe were dismissed for 102 in their second innings, as Sri Lanka won the first Test by an innings and 240 runs.
Former Australian umpire Darrell Hair, who triggered a storm by accusing Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan of chucking 16 years ago, says Indian tweaker Harbhajan Singh is also among the bowlers with "highly suspicious action".
Sri Lanka dropped veteran Sanath Jayasuriya and spinner Ajantha Mendis from their 15-member squad for the Asia Cup tournament starting in Colombo from June 15.
Former Sri Lanka spin sensation Muttiah Muralitharan discusses the BCCI's clampdown on suspect bowling actions and his role as bowling coach and mentor of Sunrisers Hyderabad with Harish Kotian/Rediff.com
Spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan took his 40th five-wicket haul as Australia were bowled out for 220.
Brainchild of former India skipper Sourav Ganguly, the iconic bowling duo, who have signed a three-year contract, will spend at least 30 days with a pool of Bengal youngsters for a development programme aimed at creating supply line for the senior team.
Their crucial contribution in guiding India to their first World Cup title in 28 years on Sunday fetched the trio of Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan a place in the International Cricket Council's Team of the Tournament.
Royal Challengers Bangalore paceman R Vinay Kumar said having world-class bowlers like Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar, Muttiah Muralitharan and Daniel Vettori in their ranks would make his job easier in the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The ace spinner took his 450th Test wicket and a five-wicket haul for a record 37th time in the second Test against New Zealand.\n\n
Highly impressed with Virender Sehwag's pyrotechnics, former England cricketer Derek Pringle has rated the dashing Indian opener as the greatest batsman of the decade.
Reader Tushar Gorde sends us some photographs.
Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan has been signed by English county side Gloucestershire as their overseas player for two Friends Provident Twenty20 Cup seasons.
Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar will be competing with the likes of tennis star Rafael Nadal and Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel for the 2011 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award.
Hard-hitting West Indies batsman batsman Marlon Samuels will play in Australia's second T20 Big Bash League season for Melbourne Renegades. He joins Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan as the second international on the Renegades' list for BBL.
'It is something special because after COVID-19, and six-seven months of staying at home and nothing to do, to be back with Sunrisers.'
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq although admitted that Sri Lanka's bowling has weakened with the retirement of the likes of Muttiah Muralitharan and Lasith Malinga but said that they remain a potentially dangerous side and could not be taken lightly.
Retired Sri Lankan spin-wizard Muttiah Muralitharan was the star attraction when players representing various Airtel Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) franchise teams attended a coaching clinic at a school in Parkmore, Johannesburg, on Tuesday.
Calling retired spin great Muttiah Muralitharan's outburst against his long-time detractor Bishen Singh Bedi a perfect "parting shot", former Sri Lanka captain Marvan Atapattu said that the iconic bowler brilliantly timed his verbal attack on the Indian.
Statistical highlights of the fifth day of the first cricket Test between India and Sri Lanka in Galle on Thursday.
Kumar Sangakkara has been appointed Sri Lanka captain, the selectors confirmed on Wednesday. Sangakkara, 31, the vice-captain since 2006, was the obvious heir apparent to Mahela Jayawardene, who stepped down after the recent Pakistan tour which was abandoned when gunmen attacked the team bus on the way to the stadium in Lahore.
Muttiah Muralitharan went past Wasim Akram to become the highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket.
Skipper Mahela Jayawardene and vice-captain Kumar Sangakkara were left out of Sri Lanka's 15-man squad on Tuesday for the Twenty20 match against India next week. Tillakaratne Dilshan will lead the side, with Chamara Kapugedera serving as his deputy.
Sri Lanka have named Tillakaratne Dilshan as captain after deciding to rest several senior players for their tri-series in Zimbabwe in June. Normal captain Kumar Sangakkara, vice-captain Muttiah Muralitharan, former captain Mahela Jayawardene and fast bowler Lasith Malinga were all rested for the three-nation tournament.
'Muttiah Muralitharan and Ravichandran Ashwin can't be compared in a strait-jacketed manner.'
Pune Warriors batsman Monish Mishra tells Manu Shankar the IPL is the perfect platform to showcase one's talent.
The Lankans thought the 274 they put up in the World Cup final against India was a good total, but 'God does not give everything', said the ace off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, looking back on Saturday's defeat.
Containing big-hitting Brendon McCullum and the best utilisation of his key spinner Muttiah Muralitharan is what Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Daniel Vettori is thinking ahead of their IPL clash against Kolkata Knight Riders, in Bangalore, on Tuesday.
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