Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka clinches series in last-ball thriller vs Australia
A nation dealing with its worst economic crisis and high inflation for months had something to celebrate Tuesday when Sri Lanka sealed a limited-overs cricket series victory with a game to spare against Australia with a last-ball thriller in Game 4.
Having been sent in and restricted to 258 in 49 overs, Dasun Shanaka’s Sri Lanka lineup held its nerve to bowl out Australia for 254 to secure the five-match ODI series 3-1. The last game Friday will be more like preparation for the test series.
Australia needed 19 off the last over bowled by skipper Shanaka, and No. 10 batter Matthew Kuhnemann (15) hit three boundaries to get the visitors’ equation down to five runs required off the last ball to keep the series alive. But he was deceived by a slower delivery, hitting it straight up in the air for Charith Asalanka to catch in the covers.
In the end, David Warner’s 99 wasn’t quite enough to get the Australians over the line after Asalanka hit a 106-ball 110 and Dhananjaya de Silva scored 60 from 61 deliveries for Sri Lanka.
Read: SL vs AUS 2022: Lankans eye first home series win over Australia since 1992
“Against such a quality attack it was a tough ask and we are glad we came through,” Asalanka said. “I walked in with us three down for not many inside 10 overs. Special credit to Dhananjaya de Silva, who took the pressure off from me with the way he batted.”
Sri Lanka had not beaten Australia in an ODI series since 2010, and hadn’t won a bilateral series at home against the Australians since 1992.
Australia won the toss and made a bold call to bowl first, a gamble which almost paid off.
“Every time we looked like getting a partnership we kept losing wickets,” said Australia skipper Aaron Finch, who was out for a four-ball duck. “They made use of the opportunities. It was a gettable total. The run rate was in control but we lost wickets and let it slip out of our hands. ”
Australia was on course for the target as Warner and Travis Head (27) added 58 runs for the fifth wicket, but lost three wickets for the addition of three runs in the space of eight deliveries.
Part-timer de Silva removed Head and Warner in his successive overs, starting when he bowled Head with the penultimate ball of the 36th.
Maheesh Theekshana (1-40) trapped Glenn Maxwell (1) in the next over from the other end before de Silva returned and had Warner smartly stumped by wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella on the first ball of the 38th.
“If someone had hung around David Warner for about another five overs that could have been a match-winning partnership,” Finch said.
Warner was unlucky to be dismissed one run short of his 19th ODI hundred. The opener has not scored an international hundred for more than two years across all formats.
With the series at stake, the five-time world champions brought in the experienced Pat Cummins in place of Jhye Richardson. There was no Mitchell Starc for Australia, though. The left-arm paceman hasn’t played any game since hurting his finger earlier in the series.
Read: “It’s unfortunate” says Naimur about Bangladesh’s Test debacle
There was some resistance from the lower order with Pat Cummins (35) and then Kuhnemann keeping Australia’s chances alive until the last delivery.
De Silva finished with 2-39 in his 10 overs to back up his half-century during the Sri Lankan innings. The middle-order batter hit seven fours before he was spectacularly caught by Maxwell, and he combined with Asalanka in an innings-reviving 101-run stand.
Asalanka was the hero for Sri Lanka with his first ODI hundred, joining de Silva with the total at 34-3.
The tour is all square heading into the two-match test series, with Australia winning the Twenty20 format 2-1 and Sri Lanka taking the ODI portion.
Sri Lanka chases down 292 to take series lead vs Australia
Pathum Nissanka hit a match-winning 137 as Sri Lanka pulled off its highest-ever successful run chase against Australia and took a 2-1 lead in the five-match limited overs series.
Sri Lanka reached their daunting target of 292 to win Sunday with six wickets and nine balls to spare.
Australia chose to bat first and scored 291-6. Sri Lanka finished on 292-4 in 48.3 overs, surpassing 281 — set in 2012 — as its highest successful run chase against Australia.
Also read:IND vs SA 2022: India, South Africa Gear Up for T20I Series Decider
Nissanka shared a 170-run stand for the second wicket with Kusal Mendis (87) before Mendis had to retire with a hamstring injury.
“We knew it was going to be a difficult chase and we needed to keep wickets in hand,” Nissanka said. “That big partnership with Kusal was crucial.”
Mendis played spin expertly with clever use of his feet and bisected the field brilliantly. He posted his half-century in just 39 deliveries, reaching the milestone by pulling Josh Hazlewood for four.
Mendis had raced to 87 off 85 balls with seven fours when he had to be carried off the field.
Nissanka also was limping while running between the wickets, but there was no stopping him as he posted his career-best score before going on to complete his first hundred. His 137 came off 147 deliveries and included 11 boundaries and two sixes.
Nissanka was playing the anchor role and needed 63 deliveries for his half-century. He reached his hundred in 123 balls before upping the tempo with some elegant strokes. By the time he was dismissed, the job was almost done as Sri Lanka just needed eight runs.
It was only the second hundred by a Sri Lankan in an ODI this year.
Earlier, Travis Head posted 70 not out off 65 deliveries, including three fours and three sixes. Australia scored 34 runs in the last two overs, including three sixes off Dunith Wellalage’s penultimate over. Head, who batted at No. 6, added 72 runs with Alex Carey (49) for the fifth wicket.
"Credit to Sri Lanka for the way they batted," Australian skipper Aaron Finch said. “I thought the wicket got better under lights.”
Also read:WI vs BAN 1st Test 2022: Shakib-Nurul's record partnership help Bangladesh avoid innings defeat
Sri Lanka left out opening batter Danushka Gunatilleke, who had a hamstring injury and recalled Niroshan Dickwella.
Australia made three changes to the side that lost the second ODI at Pallekele, with its injury toll worsening when former skipper Steve Smith was ruled out with a left quadriceps injury.
Mitchell Marsh was declared fit, and Australia also brought in Jhye Richardson and Cameron Green in place of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Swepson.
Sri Lanka holds its breath as new PM fights to save economy
It has been nearly three weeks since Ranil Wickremesinghe took over as prime minister of Sri Lanka with a daunting mandate to pull the crisis-weary country from the brink of an economic abyss that threatens to tear it apart.
The five-time prime minister has inherited a nation barreling toward bankruptcy and saddled with foreign debt so big that it has no money left for basic imports. Sri Lankans are struggling to access the bare necessities like food, fuel, medicine, cooking gas and even toilet paper and matches.
In his new job, Wickremesinghe left little doubt about what lies ahead. “The next couple of months will be the most difficult ones of our lives,” he told the nation fed up with long lines, sky-rocketing inflation and daily protests that seem to be getting out of control.
“We must prepare ourselves to make some sacrifices and face the challenges of this period.”
Since the May 17 televised speech, the seasoned politician, who also serves as the finance minister, has begun difficult negotiations with financial institutions, lenders and allies, and United Nations agencies to fill the coffers and give some relief to impatient citizens.
Also read: Bangladesh won’t face Sri Lanka-like crisis: Ambassador Haas
He has taken necessary steps like raising taxes and has pledged to overhaul government that concentrates power under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a model that many believe exacerbated the crisis.
He took over after days of violent protests last month forced his predecessor, President Rajapaksa's brother Mahinda, to step down and seek safety from angry crowds at a naval base. Wickremesinghe is due to deliver a much-awaited speech in Parliament on Tuesday that many hope will showcase a strategy to fix the crisis.
But time may not be on his side as reforms are slow and people want results now. He’s also a one-man party in Parliament — the only lawmaker from his party to hold a seat after it suffered a humiliating defeat in a 2020 election.
“A person who doesn’t have a political base has an unprecedented crisis to manage,” said Dayan Jayatilleka, a former diplomat and political analyst.
Lines to buy fuel and cooking gas have stretched kilometers (miles) every day, snaking around blocks, with Sri Lankans weathering heavy rains and scorching heat to buy essential items that cost three times what they used to. Often, they have to wait days, and many still end up empty-handed.
Jagath Chandana, 43, has been waiting in line on the outskirts of the capital, Colombo, with a canister to buy cooking gas for two days. “It has been crazy. We are totally helpless. It seems even Ranil can’t resolve the crisis. They (politicians) just talk but on the ground level, people are suffering,” he said.
Also read: Sri Lanka closes schools, limits work amid fuel shortage
For over 50 days, protesters have camped outside Rajapaksa’s office demanding he step down.
They say economic mismanagement, policy blunders like a hasty ban on imported chemical fertilizers that devastated crops, and a government stocked with Rajapaksa relatives caused the crisis. At their peak in power, six Rajapaksas occupied government posts — the crisis has seen the exit of all except one. The other five still remain as lawmakers.
Sri Lanka has suspended repayment of nearly $7 billion in foreign debt due this year. It owes $26 billion through 2026 out of a total of $51 billion.
Foreign currency reserves have diminished to just two weeks’ worth of imports while Wickremesinghe prepares to obtain a bailout package from the International Monetary Fund. On Thursday, he said any bridge financing will depend on an IMF agreement and he was hopeful that negotiations would finish by the end of June. The government is targeting $5 billion for repayments and another $1 billion to pad up the country’s reserves, Wickremesinghe said last week.
In such a volatile situation, Wickremesinghe has been able to bring some transparency and rationality that was lacking in the previous administration run by the Rajapaksa clan, said Jayatilleka.
But analysts also say it will be difficult for him to deliver on some of the challenges, especially as he also faces a messy battle to overhaul the constitution and strengthen the powers of Parliament to bring in much-needed reforms.
“His proposals are good for medium and long term. But people want immediate changes to take place and that they don’t see,” said political analyst Jehan Perera, adding that some see Wickremesinghe as helping Rajapaksa to stay in power.
In addition to demanding a new president, protesters have for weeks pushed for a complete revamp of what they say is a broken governance model.
For nearly 45 years, Sri Lanka has been ruled under a powerful executive presidential system. After a thumping election victory in 2019, Rajapaksa strengthened the system through constitutional amendments that further concentrated powers in the presidency — a move that alarmed critics at the time too.
Wickremesinghe made a key and early pitch to roll back some of the presidential powers. But such measures will not be easy and will require not just the approval of the Supreme Court but also a two-thirds majority in Parliament.
Questions remain whether Wickremesinghe would be able to push through reforms in the 225-seat Parliament where Rajapaksa’s party holds the majority. Some opposition parties have already thrown their support behind the reforms, but Wickremesinghe's sole standing in the chamber could prove a major drawback. Or it could be an asset.
His party split in 2020 amid a leadership crisis, prompting most of the senior members to leave and form a new party — currently the country’s main opposition.
“He has the opportunity of playing the role of a technocratic prime minister, with his expertise and experience, unconnected to any political party,” said Jayatilleka.
The size of the protests since Wickremesinghe assumed duties has also been shrinking. Perera said it is tough for people to sustain the high momentum but that as long as the economic crisis continues, so will the demonstrations.
While signs of financial hardship and struggle remain in Sri Lanka, there is growing hope among some that Wickremesinghe will see them through the tough times.
“He can’t perform miracles, it will take time to resolve the crisis because previous ministers have messed up,” said Amila Prasanna, a carpenter. “He is trying to solve the problems, one by one, and I am sure he will do something,” he said as he queued up for three days to buy gas.
World Bank to disburse 700 million USD to Sri Lanka: minister
The World Bank will disburse approximately 700 million U.S. dollars to Sri Lanka within the next few months, Sri Lanka's foreign minister announced on Monday.
This pledge was made when the World Bank's Country Manager in Colombo Chiyo Kanda talked to Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs G.L. Peiris.
During the meeting, the minister sought assistance from the World Bank until long term assistance materializes through the International Monetary Fund, other international institutions and donor countries.
The minister stated that short term financial assistance from the World Bank would be appreciated until sustainable solutions are found.
Also Read: Sri Lanka’s prime minister tackles thorny finances, economy
The World Bank country manager said that her office is also working with other organizations such as the Asian Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the UN office, encouraging them to "re-purpose" their already committed projects to help the people of Sri Lanka at this difficult time.
Sri Lanka is facing a severe foreign currency shortage which has created problems in importing essential items.
LGRD minister bins Bangladesh's comparison with Sri Lanka
It is irrational to compare Bangladesh’s situation with the internal crisis of Sri Lanka, said LGRD Minister Md Tajul Islam on Friday.
He made this remark at the concluding ceremony of the two-day ‘Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 International Conference: Issues and Challenges of Implementation’ held at Hotel Pan Pacific Sonargaon in the capital.
Also read: Bangladesh well-placed among Asian nations in terms of foreign debt: LGRD Minister
The economic situation of Bangladesh has changed a lot. Per capita income and purchasing power have increased, he said.
The minister further said many developed countries and foreign companies are investing in the country amid economic growth under the leadership of the prime minister.
Tajul said Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 adopted by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been formulated with the overall cooperation of the Netherlands in the light of their Delta Plan.
The main goal of the Delta Plan is to transform Bangladesh into a prosperous and self-respecting nation. If implemented, the next generation will get a sustainable developed country.
“We need the support of our development partners to implement the Delta Master Plan,” he said, urging the development partners and organisations, including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), to stand by Bangladesh.
Also read: Bangladesh on verge of collapse like Sri Lanka: Fakhrul
A letter of intent (LOI) was signed between the LGRD ministry and the Government of the Netherlands on Thursday as part of the implementation of Delta Plan 2100. Through the LOI, the Dutch government will conduct piloting activities in Raozan of Chattogram and Keshabpur Municipality of Jashore to combat the effects of climate change, said the minister.
The experience from the pilot project will be used to address climate risk in more than 100 municipalities in the future, he added.
Dhaka Test: Bangladesh capitulate as Sri Lanka win series
Sri Lanka won the second Test by 10 wickets and clinched the series 1-0 thanks to disastrous performance by top-order batters on Thursday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
The first match of the series ended up in a draw in Chattogram.
With this win, Sri Lanka secured a crucial 12 points and passed Pakistan in the points table of the ICC World Test Championship. On the other hand, Bangladesh missed a great chance to achieve some points for the current cycle of the Test Championship.
Also read: Bangladesh's top-order fail yet again
Bangladesh were down to 24 for five in the first innings of this match. Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das rescued them from that collapse hitting a century each. In the second innings, they again lost four under 25 runs. And this time, none came up with the efforts like the Mushfiqur-Liton partnership, and subsequently Bangladesh suffered a big defeat with about two sessions to play on the final day.
The Mushfiqur-Liton duo was unbeaten at the end of day four. So the expectation was high from them. But Mushfiqur only could deliver 23 this time, and he was dismissed in the morning session.
The onus was on Shakib Al Hasan, Liton and Mosaddek Hossian to stretch the innings as much as possible. On the fifth wicket, Liton and Shakib added 103 runs and hinted at something bigger like the sixth-wicket stand of the first innings, but an outstanding bowl-and-catch effort from Asitha Fernando removed Liton for 52 when Bangladesh were stuttering at 156 for seven.
Shakib takes five after Sri Lanka secure lead of 141
Shakib Al Hasan once again registered a five-wicket haul in Tests taking five for 96 in the Dhaka Test against Sri Lanka on Thursday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
It was Shakib’s 19th five-wicket haul in the format. His last five-wicket haul in Test was in 2018 against West Indies in Kingston. It was Shakib’s longest period of time between two five-wicket hauls in Tests.
However, Sri Lanka managed to secure a 141-run first-innings lead riding on the centuries of Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal.
Also read: Sri Lanka continue thriving as Mathews, Chandimal hit tons
Chandimal fell for 124, but Mathews remained unbeaten for 145. For Bangladesh, Shakib bagged five and Ebadot Hossain took four.
Sri Lanka continue thriving as Mathews, Chandimal hit tons
The two most experienced batters of Sri Lanka— Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal—hit a ton each in Dhaka Test against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka continued to thrive.
At the tea of day four, Sri Lanka were batting at 459 for five with Mathews batting at 123 and Chandimal batting at 120. In the sixth wicket stand, they added 193 runs so far.
Also read:Mushfiqur, the world's best Test scorer!
At this point of the match, Sri Lanka have already secured a lead of 94 runs with five wickets in hand. With four more sessions to play in this Test, Bangladesh will have to face a stiff challenge.
It was the second ton of Mathews in this series. He had also hit a ton in the first Test in Chattogram.
The stand between Mathews and Chandimal came as a perfect reply to the 282-run sixth-wicket stand by Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh bowlers were disappointing in the morning session as they were unable to pose any notable challenge to the Lankan batters. Ebadot Hossain bowled a few deliveries at the pads without any luck, and spinners also looked helpless. Bangladesh captain Mominul rolled his hand but failed to break the stand.
Also read:Dhaka Test: Mathews, Chandimal pose strong challenge
With five more sessions to go in this Test, Bangladesh are in a challenging situation. They will now have to wrap up the Lankans in a smaller lead.
Earlier, Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat first. They posted a total of 365 with centuries from Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das. It was a tremendous effort from them after six Bangladeshi batters were unable to score anything.
Mushfiqur, the world's best Test scorer!
A recent unbeaten knock of 175 helped Mushfiqur Rahim climb a mountain. He is now the best batter in the world in terms of scoring runs in Tests at the highest average.
He has an outstanding average of 58.94 — the highest among the batters who played at least 20 innings since 2020 in Tests. Even batters like Joe Root, Babar Azam and Marnus Labuschagne are behind him.
Also read:Mushfiqur, Liton stand tall after disastrous start
Sri Lanka’s prime minister tackles thorny finances, economy
Sri Lanka’s new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has been sworn in as finance minister as this Indian Ocean island nation confronts its worst economic crisis in memory.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa named Wickremesinghe minister of Finance, Economic Stability and National Policies in an apparent bid to regain Sri Lanka’s credibility as the government negotiates a bailout package with the International Monetary Fund.
Sri Lankans have been enduring shortages of food and fuel, power outages and other privations. The country lacks the financial wherewithal to buy imported necessities and pay its debts, and the economic crisis has fueled political turmoil, with protesters demanding Rajapaksa’s resignation.
Wickremesinghe’s appointment followed a government announcement that Sri Lanka was hiring firms to restructure its $51 billion external debt. Lazard of France will provide financial advice and Clifford Chance LLP will assist with legal help in restructuring Sri Lanka’s debts to international creditors.
A five-time former prime minister, Wickremesinghe was appointed to the post two weeks ago after his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa — who is the president’s elder brother — resigned following violent attacks by his supporters on peaceful anti-government protesters.
Also read: Wickremesinghe to be appointed Sri Lankan PM: Party official
Sri Lankans for months have been forced to stand in long lines to buy scarce essentials, with many returning home empty-handed. There is a severe shortage of many goods, from food, cooking gas, medicine and fuel to toilet paper and matchsticks.
The economy has suffered under the pandemic, which has kept tourists away, and surging costs for most imports.
Nearly bankrupt, the country has suspended repayments of $7 billion in foreign loans due this year. The IMF has said any short or long-term assistance will hinge on talks with creditors on restructuring loans. Sri Lanka must repay about $25 billion in foreign loans by 2026.
The finance ministry said earlier this month that the country’s usable foreign reserves had plummeted to $25 million.
Wickremesinghe, 73, has been in Parliament for 45 years. His political party split in 2020 amid a leadership crisis and its most senior members left to form a new party, which is currently the country’s main opposition.
He said last week that petrol stocks had dwindled to a single day, but shipments of gasoline paid for by an Indian credit line started arriving over the weekend.
Also read: Sri Lanka leader vows to shed powers, appoint prime minister
Protesters have been occupying the entrance to the president’s office for more than 40 days demanding Rajapaksa’s resignation.
Attacks on peaceful protesters by government supporters triggered countrywide riots in which nine people died including a lawmaker and 200 were hurt. Homes and properties of government ministers and their supporters were burned down. The violence has nearly dismantled the Rajapaksa dynasty after Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as prime minister.
Apart from being tasked with reviving the economy, Wickremesinghe is working on a constitutional amendment to dilute presidential powers and better empower the Parliament.