T20 World Cup co-hosts Sri Lanka made last-minute changes to their 15-man squad for the first showpiece event of the year. The former winners dropped their Test captain Dhananjaya de Silva from the final 15, replacing him with batter Kamindu Mendis. All-rounder Dasun Shanaka will lead Sri Lanka in the 20-team tournament starting February 7.<h3>Sri Lanka T20 World Cup squad -</h3>Dasun Shanaka (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana, Eshan Malinga&nbsp;Meanwhile, De Silva was recalled for a three-match T20 international series against Pakistan early last month after an 18-month absence and played the opening game against England in an ongoing series. But the hosts dropped him from the second T20, while the final match is scheduled for Tuesday (Feb 3).&nbsp;Since his recall, the right-hander has only scored 43 runs in three innings and taken one wicket with his off-spin. Against England at Pallekele last week, Dhananjaya laboured to 11 off 12 balls before being dismissed by Adil Rashid.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistan-team-departs-for-2026-t20-world-cup-no-formal-word-from-pcb-on-india-match-boycott-1770039879525">Pakistan team departs for T20 World Cup; no formal word from PCB on India match boycott</a>&nbsp;On the other hand, seam bowler Eshan Malinga has been named in the 15-man squad despite suffering a shoulder injury against England on Sunday.<h2>Showtime in the subcontinent!</h2>Sri Lanka is co-hosting with India the 2026 T20 World Cup, which starts on Saturday, and faces Ireland in their opening game in Colombo on Sunday (Feb 8). The Island Nation will also play Australia, Oman and Zimbabwe in Group B, with the top two teams to qualify for the Super 8 stage.&nbsp;Team India, placed in Group A, has opponents in arch-rivals Pakistan, against whom their scheduled match is facing a boycott threat, the USA, Namibia and the Netherlands.&nbsp;&nbsp;(With inputs from AFP)

Sri Lanka is currently involved in a bilateral T20I series against England at home, and will next co-host the ICC Men's T20 World Cup alongside India. 

T20 World Cup co-hosts Sri Lanka made last-minute changes to their 15-man squad for the first showpiece event of the year. The former winners dropped their Test captain Dhananjaya de Silva from the final 15, replacing him with batter Kamindu Mendis. All-rounder Dasun Shanaka will lead Sri Lanka in the 20-team tournament starting February 7. Sri Lanka T20 World Cup squad - Dasun Shanaka (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana, Eshan Malinga Meanwhile, De Silva was recalled for a three-match T20 international series against Pakistan early last month after an 18-month absence and played the opening game against England in an ongoing series. But the hosts dropped him from the second T20, while the final match is scheduled for Tuesday (Feb 3). Since his recall, the right-hander has only scored 43 runs in three innings and taken one wicket with his off-spin. Against England at Pallekele last week, Dhananjaya laboured to 11 off 12 balls before being dismissed by Adil Rashid. Also read | Pakistan team departs for T20 World Cup; no formal word from PCB on India match boycott On the other hand, seam bowler Eshan Malinga has been named in the 15-man squad despite suffering a shoulder injury against England on Sunday. Showtime in the subcontinent! Sri Lanka is co-hosting with India the 2026 T20 World Cup, which starts on Saturday, and faces Ireland in their opening game in Colombo on Sunday (Feb 8). The Island Nation will also play Australia, Oman and Zimbabwe in Group B, with the top two teams to qualify for the Super 8 stage. Team India, placed in Group A, has opponents in arch-rivals Pakistan, against whom their scheduled match is facing a boycott threat, the USA, Namibia and the Netherlands. (With inputs from AFP)

Sri Lanka is currently involved in a bilateral T20I series against England at home, and will next co-host the ICC Men's T20 World Cup alongside India.&nbsp;

Sri Lanka 15-man T20 World Cup squad: Test captain dropped as key changes confirmed

Dhananjaya de Silva and debutant fast bowler Milan Rathnayake both made fine fifties as Sri Lanka recovered from a dramatic top-order collapse on the opening day of the first Test against England at Old Trafford Wednesday.

Sri Lanka were in dire straits at 6-3 after skipper De Silva won the toss, losing their first three wickets for no runs in 10 balls.

Yet they recovered to 236 all out, De Silva top-scoring with 74 and tailender Rathnayake, with only his third first-class fifty, close behind in making 72.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/focus-has-moved-to-india-assistant-coach-ryan-ten-doeschate-reveals-reason-behind-failure-against-spin-752023">'Focus has moved to...,' India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate reveals reason behind failure against spin</a>

The pair checked England's progress during an eighth-wicket partnership of 63, with no other Sri Lanka batsman making more than Kusal Mendis's 24.

Chris Woakes struck twice in an over on his way to 3-32 in 11 overs. &nbsp;

De Silva's impressive innings ended when he turned a quicker ball from off-spinner Shoaib Bashir straight to Dan Lawrence at leg slip, with the 20-year-old taking 3-55 in 23 overs.

Ben Duckett and Lawrence, recalled in place of the injured Zak Crawley, guided England to 22-0 before bad light ended play for the day at 5:52 pm (1652 GMT).

Sri Lanka's initial collapse ensured a dream start for stand-in England captain Ollie Pope, leading his country for the first time after Ben Stokes was ruled out with a torn hamstring.

The tourists came into their first Test in England in eight years on the back of just a solitary warm-up fixture -- a defeat by the second-string England Lions -- with De Silva insisting Tuesday that Sri Lanka had wanted at least one more game before the series started.

"The conditions are quite different to Asian countries," he said. "We wanted to play a few matches, but that's what we get."

<h2>Stunning slump</h2>

Sri Lanka's collapse began in the sixth over when Dimuth Karunaratne top-edged a hook off fast bowler Gus Atkinson to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.

Woakes then took two wickets in the next over, with Nishan Madushka, the other opening batsman, driving loosely at an outswinger and edging to Joe Root at first slip as he fell for four.

Five balls later, Angelo Mathews was plumb lbw for a duck, playing no shot to a Woakes delivery that nipped back off the pitch.

Mendis was undone by express fast bowler Mark Wood, with Mendis gloving a superb 93 mph (150 km/h) delivery that reared up from short of a length to second slip.

De Silva, however, pulled Atkinson for a commanding four and completed an impressively quick fifty off just 56 balls.

He was reprieved on 65, when Smith missed a difficult stumping chance off Bashir, but was out shortly afterwards to leave Sri Lanka 176-8.

But the 28-year-old Rathnayake, undaunted by the loss of his skipper, went on to score a 96-ball fifty in style when the left-handed batsman drove Bashir for a straight six that also took Sri Lanka past 200.

With the floodlights piercing increasingly gloomy skies, Pope turned to part-time spinner Root in a bid to snatch a wicket at a time when deploying the fast bowlers might have seen the umpires halt play for bad light.

Rathnayake, however, responded by launching Root for six over long-off. He also drove Bashir through extra cover before hitting him to Woakes at mid-on.&nbsp;

Before play started, there was a minute's applause in honour of Graham Thorpe, the former England batsman and assistant coach, with both teams, as well as the match officials, wearing black armbands in his honour.

Thorpe died, aged 55, earlier this month after being hit by a train. His wife, Amanda, confirmed he had taken his own life after suffering from depression for several years.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Dhananjaya de Silva and debutant fast bowler Milan Rathnayake both made fine fifties as Sri Lanka recovered from a dramatic top-order collapse on the opening day of the first Test against England at Old Trafford Wednesday.

Dhananjaya de Silva and debutant fast bowler Milan Rathnayake both made fine fifties as Sri Lanka recovered from a dramatic top-order collapse on the opening day of the first Test against England at Old Trafford Wednesday. Sri Lanka were in dire straits at 6-3 after skipper De Silva won the toss, losing their first three wickets for no runs in 10 balls. Yet they recovered to 236 all out, De Silva top-scoring with 74 and tailender Rathnayake, with only his third first-class fifty, close behind in making 72. Also Read: 'Focus has moved to...,' India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate reveals reason behind failure against spin The pair checked England's progress during an eighth-wicket partnership of 63, with no other Sri Lanka batsman making more than Kusal Mendis's 24. Chris Woakes struck twice in an over on his way to 3-32 in 11 overs. De Silva's impressive innings ended when he turned a quicker ball from off-spinner Shoaib Bashir straight to Dan Lawrence at leg slip, with the 20-year-old taking 3-55 in 23 overs. Ben Duckett and Lawrence, recalled in place of the injured Zak Crawley, guided England to 22-0 before bad light ended play for the day at 5:52 pm (1652 GMT). Sri Lanka's initial collapse ensured a dream start for stand-in England captain Ollie Pope, leading his country for the first time after Ben Stokes was ruled out with a torn hamstring. The tourists came into their first Test in England in eight years on the back of just a solitary warm-up fixture -- a defeat by the second-string England Lions -- with De Silva insisting Tuesday that Sri Lanka had wanted at least one more game before the series started. "The conditions are quite different to Asian countries," he said. "We wanted to play a few matches, but that's what we get." Stunning slump Sri Lanka's collapse began in the sixth over when Dimuth Karunaratne top-edged a hook off fast bowler Gus Atkinson to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith. Woakes then took two wickets in the next over, with Nishan Madushka, the other opening batsman, driving loosely at an outswinger and edging to Joe Root at first slip as he fell for four. Five balls later, Angelo Mathews was plumb lbw for a duck, playing no shot to a Woakes delivery that nipped back off the pitch. Mendis was undone by express fast bowler Mark Wood, with Mendis gloving a superb 93 mph (150 km/h) delivery that reared up from short of a length to second slip. De Silva, however, pulled Atkinson for a commanding four and completed an impressively quick fifty off just 56 balls. He was reprieved on 65, when Smith missed a difficult stumping chance off Bashir, but was out shortly afterwards to leave Sri Lanka 176-8. But the 28-year-old Rathnayake, undaunted by the loss of his skipper, went on to score a 96-ball fifty in style when the left-handed batsman drove Bashir for a straight six that also took Sri Lanka past 200. With the floodlights piercing increasingly gloomy skies, Pope turned to part-time spinner Root in a bid to snatch a wicket at a time when deploying the fast bowlers might have seen the umpires halt play for bad light. Rathnayake, however, responded by launching Root for six over long-off. He also drove Bashir through extra cover before hitting him to Woakes at mid-on. Before play started, there was a minute's applause in honour of Graham Thorpe, the former England batsman and assistant coach, with both teams, as well as the match officials, wearing black armbands in his honour. Thorpe died, aged 55, earlier this month after being hit by a train. His wife, Amanda, confirmed he had taken his own life after suffering from depression for several years. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

ENG vs SL, 1st Test: Dhananjaya de Silva, Milan Rathnayake revive Sri Lanka after batting collapse

Following a torrid end to 2023 with their cricket in shambles, Sri Lanka has something to feel delighted about, as newly-appointed chief selector Upul Tharanga has named a new Test captain in Dhananjaya de Silva. De Silva will replace the seasoned campaigner and opener Dimuth Karunaratne, becoming the 18th player to lead the Island Nation in Tests.

This announcement comes shortly after&nbsp;Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) named two separate captains in the white-ball formats, with batter Kusal Mendis to lead the ODI team and star player Wanindu Hasaranga named the T20I captain. De Silva’s first assignment will be the one-off Test against Afghanistan, starting February 6.

De Silva replaced Karunaratne, who captained Sri Lanka in 30 Tests, winning 12, losing as many and drawing six. Right after he got appointed as the Test skipper in early 2019, Karunaratne guided Sri Lanka to perhaps their most famous Test series win in South Africa, becoming the first Asian team to do so and third ever in history.

Meanwhile, during the troublesome time in Sri Lankan Cricket, Karunaratne took over the Test captaincy, bringing a sense of stability and calmness to the dressing room.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sa-v-ind-never-seen-a-pitch-that-quick-on-day-1-ashwell-prince-elgar-surprised-by-newlands-wicket-676433">SA v IND: ‘Never seen a pitch that quick on day 1’ – Ashwell Prince, Elgar ‘surprised’ by Newlands wicket</a>

Although Sri Lanka didn’t get the desired results during his tenure, his numbers as a batter improved drastically. In comparison to his overall Test average of 40.93, the left-handed opener averaged 49.86 as the captain and even topped the batting charts in this format. ICC also named him in the Test Team of the Year in 2018 and 2021.

Tharanga said he would have liked the same captain in all three formats, but because of limitations, he had to pick three separate skippers.

"I would have preferred to have the same captain for all three formats," said chief selector Upul Tharanga, "but we are unable to do that at the moment with the players we have."

De Silva is also an experienced player, having featured in 51 Tests for Sri Lanka, scoring ten centuries and with 13 fifties to his name.

Following a torrid end to 2023 with their cricket in shambles, Sri Lanka has something to feel delighted about, as newly-appointed chief selector Upul Tharanga has named a new Test captain in Dhananjaya de Silva.

Following a torrid end to 2023 with their cricket in shambles, Sri Lanka has something to feel delighted about, as newly-appointed chief selector Upul Tharanga has named a new Test captain in Dhananjaya de Silva. De Silva will replace the seasoned campaigner and opener Dimuth Karunaratne, becoming the 18th player to lead the Island Nation in Tests. This announcement comes shortly after Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) named two separate captains in the white-ball formats, with batter Kusal Mendis to lead the ODI team and star player Wanindu Hasaranga named the T20I captain. De Silva’s first assignment will be the one-off Test against Afghanistan, starting February 6. De Silva replaced Karunaratne, who captained Sri Lanka in 30 Tests, winning 12, losing as many and drawing six. Right after he got appointed as the Test skipper in early 2019, Karunaratne guided Sri Lanka to perhaps their most famous Test series win in South Africa, becoming the first Asian team to do so and third ever in history. Meanwhile, during the troublesome time in Sri Lankan Cricket, Karunaratne took over the Test captaincy, bringing a sense of stability and calmness to the dressing room. ALSO READ: SA v IND: ‘Never seen a pitch that quick on day 1’ – Ashwell Prince, Elgar ‘surprised’ by Newlands wicket Although Sri Lanka didn’t get the desired results during his tenure, his numbers as a batter improved drastically. In comparison to his overall Test average of 40.93, the left-handed opener averaged 49.86 as the captain and even topped the batting charts in this format. ICC also named him in the Test Team of the Year in 2018 and 2021. Tharanga said he would have liked the same captain in all three formats, but because of limitations, he had to pick three separate skippers. "I would have preferred to have the same captain for all three formats," said chief selector Upul Tharanga, "but we are unable to do that at the moment with the players we have." De Silva is also an experienced player, having featured in 51 Tests for Sri Lanka, scoring ten centuries and with 13 fifties to his name.

Dhananjaya de Silva replaces Dimuth Karunaratne as Sri Lanka's new Test captain

Afghanistan locked horns with Sri Lanka in a crucial Super 12 clash in Group A in the Men's T20 World Cup 2022 on Tuesday (November 01). Playing at The Gabba, Brisbane, the two Asian teams were in need of a win to keep their semi-final hopes alive but Dasun Shanaka-led Asian champions beat the Mohommad Nabi-led Afghan line-up by six wickets, with nine balls to spare.

Opting to bat first, the Afghan batters got starts but none of them stayed till the end or anchored the innings to take the team total beyond the 160-run mark. The likes of&nbsp;Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Usman Ghani, Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, and Gulbadin Naib got starts but none of them looked threatening enough. Captain Nabi tried to up the ante in the end overs and returned with an 8-ball 13 to take Afghanistan to a modest 144 for 8 in 20 overs.&nbsp;

From SL's perspective, spin-bowling all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga shined and returned with 3 for 13 whereas&nbsp;Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara ended with two wickets apiece. With a fine performance with the ball, Hasaranga is now at the top for most wickets in the ongoing edition (13).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/we-are-not-here-to-win-the-world-cup-will-try-to-upset-favourites-india-bangladesh-skipper-shakib-al-hasan-530118">We are not here to win the World Cup, will try to upset 'favourites' India: Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan</a>

In reply, the Lankan openers couldn't put up an impressive&nbsp;first-wicket stand as Pathum Nissanka fell early (10). Kusal Mendis (25) also followed suit as Afghanistan was alive in the contest with SL being 46 for 2 in 7.5 overs. Apart from the Afghan spinners Rashid (2 for 31) and Mujeeb Ur Rahman (2 for 24), none of the other bowlers chipped in with wickets as Dhananjaya de Silva batted with ease and helped the Islanders bring down the required run rate with a brisk 42-ball 66, at 157.14.&nbsp;

De Silva's fluent knock ensured no further hiccups for SL with Charith Asalanka and Bhanuka Rajapaksa getting starts as well. Eventually, SL eased past Afghanistan by chasing down the score in 18.3 overs with six wickets in hand.

With this loss, Afghanistan are out of the competition -- with two of their games being washed out. On the other hand, SL remain alive in the race for the semi-finals; adding pressure on England and Australia.

Afghanistan locked horns with Sri Lanka in a crucial Super 12 clash in Group A in the Men's T20 World Cup 2022 on Tuesday (November 01). Playing at The Gabba, Brisbane, the two Asian teams were in need of a win to keep their semi-final hopes alive but Dasun Shanaka-led Asian champions beat the Mohommad Nabi-led Afghan line-up by six wickets, with nine balls to spare.

Afghanistan locked horns with Sri Lanka in a crucial Super 12 clash in Group A in the Men's T20 World Cup 2022 on Tuesday (November 01). Playing at The Gabba, Brisbane, the two Asian teams were in need of a win to keep their semi-final hopes alive but Dasun Shanaka-led Asian champions beat the Mohommad Nabi-led Afghan line-up by six wickets, with nine balls to spare. Opting to bat first, the Afghan batters got starts but none of them stayed till the end or anchored the innings to take the team total beyond the 160-run mark. The likes of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Usman Ghani, Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, and Gulbadin Naib got starts but none of them looked threatening enough. Captain Nabi tried to up the ante in the end overs and returned with an 8-ball 13 to take Afghanistan to a modest 144 for 8 in 20 overs. From SL's perspective, spin-bowling all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga shined and returned with 3 for 13 whereas Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara ended with two wickets apiece. With a fine performance with the ball, Hasaranga is now at the top for most wickets in the ongoing edition (13). ALSO READ | We are not here to win the World Cup, will try to upset 'favourites' India: Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan In reply, the Lankan openers couldn't put up an impressive first-wicket stand as Pathum Nissanka fell early (10). Kusal Mendis (25) also followed suit as Afghanistan was alive in the contest with SL being 46 for 2 in 7.5 overs. Apart from the Afghan spinners Rashid (2 for 31) and Mujeeb Ur Rahman (2 for 24), none of the other bowlers chipped in with wickets as Dhananjaya de Silva batted with ease and helped the Islanders bring down the required run rate with a brisk 42-ball 66, at 157.14. De Silva's fluent knock ensured no further hiccups for SL with Charith Asalanka and Bhanuka Rajapaksa getting starts as well. Eventually, SL eased past Afghanistan by chasing down the score in 18.3 overs with six wickets in hand. With this loss, Afghanistan are out of the competition -- with two of their games being washed out. On the other hand, SL remain alive in the race for the semi-finals; adding pressure on England and Australia.

T20 WC: Hasaranga, De Silva help Sri Lanka oust Afghanistan to remain alive in race for semi-finals

Virat Kohli's wait for his 71st international century extended yet again on Saturday (March 12) after the Indian batter was dismissed on 23 runs on Day 1 of the ongoing second Test between India and Sri Lanka at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Kohli was once again dismissed by a spinner as his struggles against spin continued in the second Test.

India and Sri Lanka locked horns in the second and final Test of the two-match series in Bengaluru on Saturday. India won the toss and opted to bat first in the pink-ball game and the hosts got off to a poor start as they lost their openers Mayank Agarwal (4) and Rohit Sharma (15) cheaply.&nbsp;

Kohli, who came out to bat at number 4, posted a 47-run stand for the third wicket with Hanuma Vihari (31) before the latter was dismissed in the 27th over to leave India reeling on 76/3. Kohli was cautious in his approach and was looking to play a big knock but ended up getting trapped lbw by De Silva on 23 off 48 balls.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virats-bad-patch-has-gone-for-too-long-ex-pakistan-captain-backs-kohli-to-end-his-century-drought-soon-461571">'Virat's bad patch has gone for too long': Ex-Pakistan captain backs Kohli to end his century drought soon</a>

The former Indian skipper had no answer to De Silva's excellent delivery which was almost unplayable as it kept low after hitting the ground. Kohli was left in disbelief after being stunned by the spinner and his reaction soon went viral on social media.

Watch video:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/KGdnKaijZx">pic.twitter.com/KGdnKaijZx</a>
— Rishobpuant (@rishobpuant) <a href="https://twitter.com/rishobpuant/status/1502592854765432836?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/are-you-in-jail-indian-fans-troll-pcb-as-marnus-labuschagne-shares-pic-of-his-daal-and-roti-meal-461639">'Are you in jail?': Indian fans troll PCB as Marnus Labuschagne shares pic of his 'daal and roti' meal</a>

India's top-order crumbled on Day 1 as the spin assisted spinners. Shreyas Iyer was the lone fighter for India as he notched up his half-century to take the team's total beyond the 250-run mark after the likes of Kohli (23), Rohit (15), Agarwal (4) and Rishabh Pant (39) failed to make an impact.

Iyer missed out on a deserved hundred by just 8 runs as he notched up a brilliant knock of 92 runs to help India post 252 runs on the board in their first innings. The onus will now be on the Indian bowlers to bundle out Sri Lanka cheaply in their first innings to keep the hosts in the game.

Virat Kohli's wait for his 71st international century extended yet again on Saturday (March 12) after the Indian batter was dismissed on 23 runs on Day 1 of the ongoing second Test between India and Sri Lanka at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Virat Kohli's wait for his 71st international century extended yet again on Saturday (March 12) after the Indian batter was dismissed on 23 runs on Day 1 of the ongoing second Test between India and Sri Lanka at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Kohli was once again dismissed by a spinner as his struggles against spin continued in the second Test. India and Sri Lanka locked horns in the second and final Test of the two-match series in Bengaluru on Saturday. India won the toss and opted to bat first in the pink-ball game and the hosts got off to a poor start as they lost their openers Mayank Agarwal (4) and Rohit Sharma (15) cheaply. Kohli, who came out to bat at number 4, posted a 47-run stand for the third wicket with Hanuma Vihari (31) before the latter was dismissed in the 27th over to leave India reeling on 76/3. Kohli was cautious in his approach and was looking to play a big knock but ended up getting trapped lbw by De Silva on 23 off 48 balls. Also Read: 'Virat's bad patch has gone for too long': Ex-Pakistan captain backs Kohli to end his century drought soon The former Indian skipper had no answer to De Silva's excellent delivery which was almost unplayable as it kept low after hitting the ground. Kohli was left in disbelief after being stunned by the spinner and his reaction soon went viral on social media. Watch video: pic.twitter.com/KGdnKaijZx — Rishobpuant (@rishobpuant) March 12, 2022 × Also Read: 'Are you in jail?': Indian fans troll PCB as Marnus Labuschagne shares pic of his 'daal and roti' meal India's top-order crumbled on Day 1 as the spin assisted spinners. Shreyas Iyer was the lone fighter for India as he notched up his half-century to take the team's total beyond the 250-run mark after the likes of Kohli (23), Rohit (15), Agarwal (4) and Rishabh Pant (39) failed to make an impact. Iyer missed out on a deserved hundred by just 8 runs as he notched up a brilliant knock of 92 runs to help India post 252 runs on the board in their first innings. The onus will now be on the Indian bowlers to bundle out Sri Lanka cheaply in their first innings to keep the hosts in the game.

WATCH: Virat Kohli in disbelief as Dhananjaya de Silva stuns Indian star with unplayable delivery in 2nd Test

Sri Lanka's top cricketers, including Test captain Dimuth Karunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews, have refused to sign central contracts offered by the country's cricket board citing a lack of transparency in the manner in which categories of the contract have been allocated.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-felt-somewhere-that-my-name-might-pop-up-yuzvendra-chahal-on-indias-squad-for-england-tour-386672" hreflang="en">Cricket- 'Felt somewhere that my name might&nbsp;pop up': Yuzvendra Chahal on India's squad for England tour</a>

According to Sri Lanka Cricket, they offered 24 of its leading players contracts under four categories and that they had been given a deadline until June 3 to sign. As per these categories, six players come in the highest Category A, where they receive an annual pay ranging between $70,000 and $100,000. In this category, Dhananjaya de Silva will receive the highest pay ($100,000), whereas, other players will receive $70,000-80,000 each.

Sri Lankan players issued a joint statement and said that they were “shocked and dismayed” by the SLC’s decision to go public with the specific payment details of players. “These disclosures amount to a grave security concern to each and every player,” they said in the statement.

The chairman of the Cricket Advisory Committee of the SLC, Aravinda de Silva, told reporters that the cricket board was forced to make this tough decision based on the performances of the players. “We wanted to have key performance indicators for the players so that we could evaluate them,” de Silva said, adding that the new pay scheme was incentive-based.

However, the players have refused to take the entire blame for the poor performance in the game in recent years and said that the administrators and local structure were contributing factors to the country’s decline in the international rankings.

According to a Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) report, a statement from the attorney representing nearly all the top Sri Lankan players said the remuneration proposed is one-third of what some other cricket-playing countries offer to their players.&nbsp;

The controversy ahead of the India vs Sri Lanka series puts the tour in jeopardy.&nbsp;

Sri Lanka's top cricketers, including Test captain Dimuth Karunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews, have refused to sign central contracts offered by the country's cricket board citing a lack of transparency in the manner in which categories of the contract have been allocated.

Sri Lanka's top cricketers, including Test captain Dimuth Karunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews, have refused to sign central contracts offered by the country's cricket board citing a lack of transparency in the manner in which categories of the contract have been allocated. ALSO READ: Cricket- 'Felt somewhere that my name might pop up': Yuzvendra Chahal on India's squad for England tour According to Sri Lanka Cricket, they offered 24 of its leading players contracts under four categories and that they had been given a deadline until June 3 to sign. As per these categories, six players come in the highest Category A, where they receive an annual pay ranging between $70,000 and $100,000. In this category, Dhananjaya de Silva will receive the highest pay ($100,000), whereas, other players will receive $70,000-80,000 each. Sri Lankan players issued a joint statement and said that they were “shocked and dismayed” by the SLC’s decision to go public with the specific payment details of players. “These disclosures amount to a grave security concern to each and every player,” they said in the statement. The chairman of the Cricket Advisory Committee of the SLC, Aravinda de Silva, told reporters that the cricket board was forced to make this tough decision based on the performances of the players. “We wanted to have key performance indicators for the players so that we could evaluate them,” de Silva said, adding that the new pay scheme was incentive-based. However, the players have refused to take the entire blame for the poor performance in the game in recent years and said that the administrators and local structure were contributing factors to the country’s decline in the international rankings. According to a Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) report, a statement from the attorney representing nearly all the top Sri Lankan players said the remuneration proposed is one-third of what some other cricket-playing countries offer to their players. The controversy ahead of the India vs Sri Lanka series puts the tour in jeopardy.

'Shocked and dismayed': Top Sri Lankan players lock horns with cricket board over contracts

Sri Lankan cricketer Dhananjaya de Silva has been ruled out of the series against South Africa after sustaining grade two thigh strain, team officials confirmed on Sunday.

De Silva was retired hurt during the first innings on the Day 1 of the first test at Centurion Park on Saturday.

Silva's absence would leave a huge void in Lanka's batting and bowling line-up. He was batting on 79 as he cruised through for a comfortable single, immediately falling to the ground after completing the run.&nbsp;

The 29-year-old is expected to be out of the game for two weeks and the Lankans will hope to have him fit for the home series against England that starts in Galle on January 14.

Sri Lanka closed the opening day on 340 for six, a strong position on a wicket that is providing plenty of assistance to the bowlers.

(Reuters inputs)

Sri Lankan cricketer Dhananjaya de Silva has been ruled out of the series against South Africa after sustaining grade two thigh strain, team officials confirmed on Sunday.

Sri Lankan cricketer Dhananjaya de Silva has been ruled out of the series against South Africa after sustaining grade two thigh strain, team officials confirmed on Sunday. De Silva was retired hurt during the first innings on the Day 1 of the first test at Centurion Park on Saturday. Silva's absence would leave a huge void in Lanka's batting and bowling line-up. He was batting on 79 as he cruised through for a comfortable single, immediately falling to the ground after completing the run. The 29-year-old is expected to be out of the game for two weeks and the Lankans will hope to have him fit for the home series against England that starts in Galle on January 14. Sri Lanka closed the opening day on 340 for six, a strong position on a wicket that is providing plenty of assistance to the bowlers. (Reuters inputs)

Sri Lanka's Dhananjaya de Silva ruled out of South Africa series

A combination of rain and bad light played spoilsport on the second day of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/first-test-pak-pacers-make-merry-as-lankan-batsmen-falter-on-day-1-267736">historic Rawalpindi Test</a> between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on Thursday.

The visitors had battled their way to 202 for 5 on an already truncated day 1, however, only 16.2 more overs of play was possible today.

Dhananjaya de Silva reached his sixth Test fifty and added 20 runs to the team score with his overnight partner Niroshan Dickwella until the first rain interruption that washed out the entire second session.

Play resumed at 1:45pm local time and De Silva and Dickwella's partnership swelled to 67 runs but Shaheen Shah Afridi provided the breakthrough by having Dickwella caught at gully for 33.

De Silva though had taken his tally to 72 and was at the crease with Dilruwan Perera (85.3) when bad light forced the players off again at 2:30pm and play was abandoned for the day an hour later.

At the close Sri Lanka were 263-6 with Dhananjaya de Silva unbeaten on 72 and Dilruwan Perera not out on two.

The Rawalpindi Test is taking place in Pakistan for the first time after Lahore terror strike in 2009 which led to Pakistan's isolation as countries refused to tour, however, with the current Test interest has once again generated in the country, but fans were left frustrated as showers on the first day, then downpour on Thursday led to large-scale disruption disappointing those gathered to watch the day's play.

The second Test starts in Karachi from December 19.

A combination of rain and bad light played spoilsport on the second day of the historic Rawalpindi Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on Thursday. The visitors had battled their way to 202 for 5 on an already truncated day 1, however, only 16.

A combination of rain and bad light played spoilsport on the second day of the historic Rawalpindi Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on Thursday. The visitors had battled their way to 202 for 5 on an already truncated day 1, however, only 16.2 more overs of play was possible today. Dhananjaya de Silva reached his sixth Test fifty and added 20 runs to the team score with his overnight partner Niroshan Dickwella until the first rain interruption that washed out the entire second session. Play resumed at 1:45pm local time and De Silva and Dickwella's partnership swelled to 67 runs but Shaheen Shah Afridi provided the breakthrough by having Dickwella caught at gully for 33. De Silva though had taken his tally to 72 and was at the crease with Dilruwan Perera (85.3) when bad light forced the players off again at 2:30pm and play was abandoned for the day an hour later. At the close Sri Lanka were 263-6 with Dhananjaya de Silva unbeaten on 72 and Dilruwan Perera not out on two. The Rawalpindi Test is taking place in Pakistan for the first time after Lahore terror strike in 2009 which led to Pakistan's isolation as countries refused to tour, however, with the current Test interest has once again generated in the country, but fans were left frustrated as showers on the first day, then downpour on Thursday led to large-scale disruption disappointing those gathered to watch the day's play. The second Test starts in Karachi from December 19.

Rawalpindi Test: Rain, bad light plays spoilsport as Sri Lanka defy Pakistan on day-2

Sri Lanka spinner Dhananjaya de Silva has revealed that they like slow pitches and can beat any team in the world on such pitches after they managed to vanquish England in the World Cup by 20 runs.

"This was the slowest pitch we have had in England so far. We like these pitches and on them, we can beat any team in the world. We are looking forward to the good weather," Sport24.co.za quoted De Silva, as saying.

Sri Lanka on Friday managed to defend a modest target of 233 runs after they bundled off England's batting line-up on just 212 runs.

De Silva played a crucial part in Sri Lanka's win as he took three wickets while giving away just 32 runs in his eight overs.

Apart from De Silva, it was pacer Lasith Malinga who thwarted England to score runs as he sent four of their batsmen back to the pavilion.

De Silva hailed Malinga as he said that if his team manage to rack up a total of 300-plus runs, then their 'main weapon'&nbsp;Malinga can get them over the line.

"If we get 300 plus runs in every match, Lasith will do the job for us. He is our main weapon. If it is his day, we know that Sri Lanka can win matches and if I can dedicate something with runs or wickets for the team it is a very good feeling," he said.

Moreover, De Silva feels that it was the dot balls which helped them overpower the hosts England as it put them under immense pressure.

"Dot ball pressure was the main thing through the innings. We did that very well and generally didn't give them boundaries," De Silva said.

Sri Lanka will now face South Africa on June 28.

Sri Lanka spinner Dhananjaya de Silva has revealed that they like slow pitches and can beat any team in the world on such pitches after they managed to vanquish England in the World Cup by 20 runs.

Sri Lanka spinner Dhananjaya de Silva has revealed that they like slow pitches and can beat any team in the world on such pitches after they managed to vanquish England in the World Cup by 20 runs. "This was the slowest pitch we have had in England so far. We like these pitches and on them, we can beat any team in the world. We are looking forward to the good weather," Sport24.co.za quoted De Silva, as saying. Sri Lanka on Friday managed to defend a modest target of 233 runs after they bundled off England's batting line-up on just 212 runs. De Silva played a crucial part in Sri Lanka's win as he took three wickets while giving away just 32 runs in his eight overs. Apart from De Silva, it was pacer Lasith Malinga who thwarted England to score runs as he sent four of their batsmen back to the pavilion. De Silva hailed Malinga as he said that if his team manage to rack up a total of 300-plus runs, then their 'main weapon' Malinga can get them over the line. "If we get 300 plus runs in every match, Lasith will do the job for us. He is our main weapon. If it is his day, we know that Sri Lanka can win matches and if I can dedicate something with runs or wickets for the team it is a very good feeling," he said. Moreover, De Silva feels that it was the dot balls which helped them overpower the hosts England as it put them under immense pressure. "Dot ball pressure was the main thing through the innings. We did that very well and generally didn't give them boundaries," De Silva said. Sri Lanka will now face South Africa on June 28.

World Cup: Dhananjaya de Silva feels Sri Lanka are unbeatable on slow pitches

Father of Sri Lankan all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva was shot dead by unidentified assailants, last week.&nbsp

The shooting took place on the day when the team had to leave for West Indies.&nbsp

De Silva's father was a local politician and was gunned down in Ratmalana, a suburb of the capital Colombo, as per reports. &nbsp

An investigation is underway to ascertain the reason behind the act.

Meanwhile, the 26-year-old cricketer withdrew from the Windies tour that involves three Test matches.&nbsp

There is no official word from the cricket board on who will replace de Silva.

Sri Lanka will also miss opener Dimuth Karunaratne who fractured a finger while batting in the nets earlier this month.&nbsp

The shooting took place on the day when the team had to leave for West Indies.

Father of Sri Lankan all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva was shot dead by unidentified assailants, last week. The shooting took place on the day when the team had to leave for West Indies. De Silva's father was a local politician and was gunned down in Ratmalana, a suburb of the capital Colombo, as per reports. An investigation is underway to ascertain the reason behind the act. Meanwhile, the 26-year-old cricketer withdrew from the Windies tour that involves three Test matches. There is no official word from the cricket board on who will replace de Silva. Sri Lanka will also miss opener Dimuth Karunaratne who fractured a finger while batting in the nets earlier this month.

Sri Lanka cricketer Dhananjaya de Silva quits Windies tour after father's murder

Sri Lanka&#39;s unheralded youngsters, led by Dhananjaya De Silva, cashed in on the ineffectiveness of Indian spinners, holding on for a draw in the third Test even as the home team collected its ninth successive series victory here today.

While the win in Nagpur ensured a 1-0 series win for India, it will certainly be a moral victory for a beleaguered Sri Lankan team, which also had to endure physical discomfort due to pollution in the national capital.

Sri Lanka were never going to chase 410 but did well enough to bat as many as 103 overs in the second innings, finishing at 299 for five. The captains decided to shake hands after the end of seven mandatory overs.

En route his third Test hundred, De Silva battled severe muscle stiffness before retiring hurt on 119, but he instilled the self-belief in debutant Roshen Silva (74 not out) and the maverick Niroshan Dickwella (44 not out), who displayed enormous determination while playing out the final session of the match.

The Roshen-Dickwella pair added invaluable 94 runs for the unbroken sixth-wicket stand as India did not get a single wicket in the final session.

Wriddhiman Saha bungled an easy stumping chance of Dickwella off Ravindra Jadeja (3/81 in 38 overs) in the final session and that, effectively, was the end of India&#39;s hopes to win the Test match. 
In the past, only England and Australia have managed to win nine series on the trot.

The Test match once again proved that Indian spinners especially Ravichandran Ashwin (1/126 in 35 overs), is not the same bowler when there isn&#39;t much help in the wicket. The Kotla track didn&#39;t show any wear and tear throughout the five days, rendering Ashwin ineffective in the second innings.

He tried a lot of doosras, carom balls and altered the speed of his deliveries, but they were of no use. The trio of De Silva and Dickwella used Ashwin&#39;s pace picked up runs easily. His stock delivery, which is the conventional off-break, never came into use save once when he had bowled rival captain Dinesh Chandimal.

If not getting turn was Ashwin&#39;s bane, Jadeja was at his restrictive best but again the &#39;x-factor&#39; in his bowling, when there is some turn and grip on the surface, was missing. He was quicker through the air, hardly flighted the ball, depending on deliveries that straightened as batsmen played for turn.

De Silva, who had a problem using his feet during the later stages due to a muscle pull, was easily able to play him inside the crease. During the final hour of the day, a frustrated Jadeja at times was seen kicking the dust as breakthroughs were hard to come by.

This is the first time in six Tests this year that the Islanders managed to stretch Virat Kohli&#39;s men to the last session of a match, deservingly earning a favourable result after all the mauling in the past few months.

De Silva&#39;s innings was the highlight of the first two sessions as he was hardly troubled by the Indian bowlers en route his third Test hundred. Towards the end, he started hobbling due to the cramps, having played 219 balls.

His innings was studded with 15 boundaries and a six off Ashwin.

The range of his strokes was impressive as he cut and pulled with ease whenever the spinners dropped anything short. Anything pitched up was driven with disdain. 
With the pitch offering little help, Ashwin didn&#39;t look as effective although he dismissed Chandimal (36).

Jadeja, who completed most of his overs within 90 seconds, bowled quick and flat with the occasional delivery turning sharply.

Among the Indian quartet, he looked the most effective, keeping the batsmen pegged on the backfoot.

During the first session, Jadeja endured mixed luck with a couple of no-balls. The first one accounted for Angelo Mathews (1), with the umpires missing it altogether, while the second was a brilliant delivery to clean up Chandimal but the umpires were more cautious and promptly called him for overstepping.

First-innings centurion Mathews was dismissed when he edged one off Jadeja to the slips. But the left-arm spinner was lucky as he was not called for a no-ball even as replays showed that no part of his foot was behind the popping crease.

However, Jadeja was not so lucky when he bowled a classic left-armer&#39;s delivery that had Chandimal beaten all ends up. This time umpire Joel Wilson checked for the no-ball and the Sri Lanka captain got a reprieve.

It was a day when the Feroz Shah Kotla was bathed in bright sunshine, cutting through the haze that had forced the visiting players to don anti-pollution masks till yesterday.

The pitch was as flat as it could have been, which made strokeplay easier, as De Silva and Chandimal added 105 runs in 33 overs for the fifth wicket.&nbsp;

Sri Lankan players played well enough to bat as many as 103 overs in the second innings, finishing at 299 for five

Sri Lanka's unheralded youngsters, led by Dhananjaya De Silva, cashed in on the ineffectiveness of Indian spinners, holding on for a draw in the third Test even as the home team collected its ninth successive series victory here today. While the win in Nagpur ensured a 1-0 series win for India, it will certainly be a moral victory for a beleaguered Sri Lankan team, which also had to endure physical discomfort due to pollution in the national capital. Sri Lanka were never going to chase 410 but did well enough to bat as many as 103 overs in the second innings, finishing at 299 for five. The captains decided to shake hands after the end of seven mandatory overs. En route his third Test hundred, De Silva battled severe muscle stiffness before retiring hurt on 119, but he instilled the self-belief in debutant Roshen Silva (74 not out) and the maverick Niroshan Dickwella (44 not out), who displayed enormous determination while playing out the final session of the match. The Roshen-Dickwella pair added invaluable 94 runs for the unbroken sixth-wicket stand as India did not get a single wicket in the final session. Wriddhiman Saha bungled an easy stumping chance of Dickwella off Ravindra Jadeja (3/81 in 38 overs) in the final session and that, effectively, was the end of India's hopes to win the Test match. In the past, only England and Australia have managed to win nine series on the trot. The Test match once again proved that Indian spinners especially Ravichandran Ashwin (1/126 in 35 overs), is not the same bowler when there isn't much help in the wicket. The Kotla track didn't show any wear and tear throughout the five days, rendering Ashwin ineffective in the second innings. He tried a lot of doosras, carom balls and altered the speed of his deliveries, but they were of no use. The trio of De Silva and Dickwella used Ashwin's pace picked up runs easily. His stock delivery, which is the conventional off-break, never came into use save once when he had bowled rival captain Dinesh Chandimal. If not getting turn was Ashwin's bane, Jadeja was at his restrictive best but again the 'x-factor' in his bowling, when there is some turn and grip on the surface, was missing. He was quicker through the air, hardly flighted the ball, depending on deliveries that straightened as batsmen played for turn. De Silva, who had a problem using his feet during the later stages due to a muscle pull, was easily able to play him inside the crease. During the final hour of the day, a frustrated Jadeja at times was seen kicking the dust as breakthroughs were hard to come by. This is the first time in six Tests this year that the Islanders managed to stretch Virat Kohli's men to the last session of a match, deservingly earning a favourable result after all the mauling in the past few months. De Silva's innings was the highlight of the first two sessions as he was hardly troubled by the Indian bowlers en route his third Test hundred. Towards the end, he started hobbling due to the cramps, having played 219 balls. His innings was studded with 15 boundaries and a six off Ashwin. The range of his strokes was impressive as he cut and pulled with ease whenever the spinners dropped anything short. Anything pitched up was driven with disdain. With the pitch offering little help, Ashwin didn't look as effective although he dismissed Chandimal (36). Jadeja, who completed most of his overs within 90 seconds, bowled quick and flat with the occasional delivery turning sharply. Among the Indian quartet, he looked the most effective, keeping the batsmen pegged on the backfoot. During the first session, Jadeja endured mixed luck with a couple of no-balls. The first one accounted for Angelo Mathews (1), with the umpires missing it altogether, while the second was a brilliant delivery to clean up Chandimal but the umpires were more cautious and promptly called him for overstepping. First-innings centurion Mathews was dismissed when he edged one off Jadeja to the slips. But the left-arm spinner was lucky as he was not called for a no-ball even as replays showed that no part of his foot was behind the popping crease. However, Jadeja was not so lucky when he bowled a classic left-armer's delivery that had Chandimal beaten all ends up. This time umpire Joel Wilson checked for the no-ball and the Sri Lanka captain got a reprieve. It was a day when the Feroz Shah Kotla was bathed in bright sunshine, cutting through the haze that had forced the visiting players to don anti-pollution masks till yesterday. The pitch was as flat as it could have been, which made strokeplay easier, as De Silva and Chandimal added 105 runs in 33 overs for the fifth wicket.

Delhi Test ends in a draw, India clinch series against Lanka

Australia&#39;s bowlers ripped through Sri Lanka&#39;s brittle batting lineup to dismiss the home side for 117 early in the middle session on the first day of the opening test at Pallekele today. 
 
Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood and off-spinner Nathan Lyon shared six wickets, while Mitchell Starc and Steve O&#39;Keefe picked up two apiece as the hosts were shot out shortly after lunch. 
 
Debutant all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva (24) was the top scorer for Sri Lanka, who have lost their last two test series in New Zealand and England. 
 
Earlier, Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews had won the toss and had no hesitation in opting to bat on a dry pitch in the first match of the three-test series. 
 
Any hopes Mathews had of enjoying a strong start were soon shattered, however, after Australia pace duo Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc ensured the tourists took full control with the new ball by reducing the hosts to 18-3 inside 10 overs. 
 
Left-armer Starc, making his comeback after a long injury layoff, sent back Dimuth Karunaratne, with the opening batsman failing to get the umpire&#39;s leg before wicket verdict overturned on review. 
 
The 25-year-old Hazlewood, bowling an impeccable line and length, then dismissed Kusal Mendis and Kaushal Silva and returned for another spell before lunch to lure Dinesh Chandimal into an edge behind to wicketkeeper Peter Nevill. 
 
Left-arm spinner Steve O&#39;Keefe, who was included alongside Lyon, was brought on in the ninth over by Australia captain Steve Smith and he was rewarded when he dismissed Mathews. 
 
Lyon found a lot of turn from the surface and picked up his three wickets from just seven deliveries after the lunch interval as Sri Lanka&#39;s batsman appeared keen to return to the pavilion as quickly as they departed it. 
 
Rangana Herath became Starc&#39;s second victim and Australia&#39;s ninth after Smith successfully overturned the umpire&#39;s &#39;not out&#39; decision for leg before on review. 
 
O&#39;Keefe finished off proceedings when he captured his second wicket of the innings with the removal of Nuwan Pradeep. 
 
Injury-ravaged Sri Lanka, ranked seventh in the world, also handed a debut to left-arm slow bowler Lakshan Sandakan against the world&#39;s top-ranked test side, who have won just one out of their last 15 tests in Asia. 
 
(Reuters)

Debutant all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva was the top scorer for Sri Lanka

Australia's bowlers ripped through Sri Lanka's brittle batting lineup to dismiss the home side for 117 early in the middle session on the first day of the opening test at Pallekele today. Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood and off-spinner Nathan Lyon shared six wickets, while Mitchell Starc and Steve O'Keefe picked up two apiece as the hosts were shot out shortly after lunch. Debutant all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva (24) was the top scorer for Sri Lanka, who have lost their last two test series in New Zealand and England. Earlier, Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews had won the toss and had no hesitation in opting to bat on a dry pitch in the first match of the three-test series. Any hopes Mathews had of enjoying a strong start were soon shattered, however, after Australia pace duo Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc ensured the tourists took full control with the new ball by reducing the hosts to 18-3 inside 10 overs. Left-armer Starc, making his comeback after a long injury layoff, sent back Dimuth Karunaratne, with the opening batsman failing to get the umpire's leg before wicket verdict overturned on review. The 25-year-old Hazlewood, bowling an impeccable line and length, then dismissed Kusal Mendis and Kaushal Silva and returned for another spell before lunch to lure Dinesh Chandimal into an edge behind to wicketkeeper Peter Nevill. Left-arm spinner Steve O'Keefe, who was included alongside Lyon, was brought on in the ninth over by Australia captain Steve Smith and he was rewarded when he dismissed Mathews. Lyon found a lot of turn from the surface and picked up his three wickets from just seven deliveries after the lunch interval as Sri Lanka's batsman appeared keen to return to the pavilion as quickly as they departed it. Rangana Herath became Starc's second victim and Australia's ninth after Smith successfully overturned the umpire's 'not out' decision for leg before on review. O'Keefe finished off proceedings when he captured his second wicket of the innings with the removal of Nuwan Pradeep. Injury-ravaged Sri Lanka, ranked seventh in the world, also handed a debut to left-arm slow bowler Lakshan Sandakan against the world's top-ranked test side, who have won just one out of their last 15 tests in Asia. (Reuters)

Australia dismiss Sri Lanka for 117 in opener

Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews won the toss and opted to bat on a dry pitch in the first test of the three-match series against Australia at Pallekele today. 
 
The injury-ravaged hosts, ranked seventh in the world, handed debuts to all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva and left-arm slow bowler Lakshan Sandakan. 
 
Mathews side, who lost their last two test series in New Zealand and England, are missing pacemen Dhammika Prasad and Dushmantha Chameera while Suranga Lakmal was also ruled out from the match due to an ankle complaint. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s obvious, we&#39;ll have a bat,&quot; Mathews said after his counterpart Steve Smith called wrongly at the toss. 
 
&quot;Pitch looks pretty good but it can turn, probably around day two. We would like to put the runs on the board.&nbsp;We&#39;ve got a good set of young players you can look forward to.&quot; 
 
Australia captain Smith had earlier informed that the world&#39;s top-ranked test side, who have won just one out of their last 15 tests in Asia, will go into the match with two slow bowlers in off-spinner Nathan Lyon and left-armer Steve O&#39;Keefe. 
 
Left-arm quick Mitchell Starc was back after a long injury layoff to lead Australia&#39;s pace attack. 
 
Smith, who is yet to lose a test when leading the side, said he would also have batted first had he won the toss. 
 
&quot;Looks like a pretty dry wicket and they&#39;re playing about four spinners so would have had the bat,&quot; said Smith, who is ranked number one among test batsmen in the world.&nbsp;&quot;(Opener David Warner)&#39;s back, which is pretty exciting for us, he is in great form so hopefully he&#39;s got some runs in this match.&nbsp;It&#39;s been a great prep and the boys are ready to go.&quot; 
 
Teams: 
 
Australia: David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (captain), Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill, Steve O&#39;Keefe, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon 
 
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews (captain), Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Perera, Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera, Nuwan Pradeep, Lakshan Sandakan 
 
(Reuters)

All-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva and left-arm slow bowler Lakshan Sandakan make their debuts with this match

Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews won the toss and opted to bat on a dry pitch in the first test of the three-match series against Australia at Pallekele today. The injury-ravaged hosts, ranked seventh in the world, handed debuts to all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva and left-arm slow bowler Lakshan Sandakan. Mathews side, who lost their last two test series in New Zealand and England, are missing pacemen Dhammika Prasad and Dushmantha Chameera while Suranga Lakmal was also ruled out from the match due to an ankle complaint. "It's obvious, we'll have a bat," Mathews said after his counterpart Steve Smith called wrongly at the toss. "Pitch looks pretty good but it can turn, probably around day two. We would like to put the runs on the board. We've got a good set of young players you can look forward to." Australia captain Smith had earlier informed that the world's top-ranked test side, who have won just one out of their last 15 tests in Asia, will go into the match with two slow bowlers in off-spinner Nathan Lyon and left-armer Steve O'Keefe. Left-arm quick Mitchell Starc was back after a long injury layoff to lead Australia's pace attack. Smith, who is yet to lose a test when leading the side, said he would also have batted first had he won the toss. "Looks like a pretty dry wicket and they're playing about four spinners so would have had the bat," said Smith, who is ranked number one among test batsmen in the world. "(Opener David Warner)'s back, which is pretty exciting for us, he is in great form so hopefully he's got some runs in this match. It's been a great prep and the boys are ready to go." Teams: Australia: David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (captain), Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill, Steve O'Keefe, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews (captain), Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Perera, Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera, Nuwan Pradeep, Lakshan Sandakan (Reuters)

Sri Lanka opt to bat against Australia in first test

dhananjaya-de-silva

Dhananjaya De Silva, News on Dhananjaya De Silva, stories on Dhananjaya De Silva, articles on Dhananjaya De Silva, Dhananjaya De Silva stories at Wion, Dhananjaya De Silva news, Dhananjaya De Silva latest news

dhananjaya de-silva