Vaas slams SLC over fitness U-turn after Thushara IPL snub

Former Sri Lanka fast bowler Chaminda Vaas has criticised Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) for what he described as inconsistent fitness policies, following reports that Nuwan Thushara was denied a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) to join Royal Challengers Bengaluru for the Indian Premier League 2026.

Nuwan Thushara fails fitness test, Sri Lanka Cricket denies NOC to join RCB for IPL 2026

RCB face a major setback ahead of IPL 2026 opener as Nuwan Thushara fails Sri Lanka Cricket’s fitness test and is denied NOC. With Yash Dayal out and Josh Hazlewood uncertain, Jacob Duffy may step in. Pathirana and Hasaranga also await fitness clearance.

Sri Lanka tennis rollers waltz into semis

Sri Lanka junior tennis players continued their winning streak in the ongoing Junior Davis Cup Asia Oceania Pre-Qualifying tournament as they succeeded in chalking up their third successive win of the tournament by defeating the Pacific Oceania pair by two sets to nil in the quarter final encounter played at the SLTA tennis courts at Greenpath, Colombo yesterday.

Mahela at golf’s pinnacle

Royal Colombo Golf Club (RCGC) has appointed former Sri Lanka cricket captain Mahela Jayawardena as its Captain for the 2026–2027 term and his installation was formalised at the club’s Annual General Meeting which took place yesterday.

Women’s cyclist breaks five ribs in crash

Italian Debora Silvestri broke five ribs and sustained a micro fracture to her shoulder in a serious crash during the women’s Milan-San Remo one-day classic.

Sinner surpasses Djokovic’s Masters 1000 record

Jannik Sinner surpassed Novak Djokovic’s 10-year record for most consecutive sets won at ATP Masters 1000 events by dismantling Frenchman Corentin Moutet at the Miami Open.

Rugby’s Easter Parade, Sevens no longer an appetiser

It looks as if the recent inter-club rugby Sevens tournament will mark the curtain-closer of the 2025-26 rugby season. Interestingly, there was a time in Sri Lanka’s rugby history when the inter-club rugby Sevens tournament was considered the curtain-raiser of the season.

Schools athletics elect office bearers

Deshapriya Ratnayake, the principal of Sri Sumangala Vidyalaya, Kandy was elected president of the Sri Lanka Schools Athletic Association (SLSAA) unco ntested for the 2026–2027 term.

Colombo Kickerz launch youth football development

Colombo Kickerz Football Academy has launched a youth football development programme for the 2026–27 season under the sponsorship of leading Sri Lankan business entity Lady J.

London Marathon over two days?

London Marathon organisers are considering staging next year’s event across two days.

Italy on brink of losing World Cup slot?

When Fabio Cannavaro hoisted the World Cup trophy into the air at the Olympiastadion in July 2006, it was supposed to signal the beginning of a new era for Italian football.

Rugby’s easter parade, sevens no longer an appetiser

It looks as if the recent inter-club rugby Sevens tournament will mark the curtain-closer of the 2025-26 rugby season. Interestingly, there was a time in Sri Lanka’s rugby history when the inter-club rugby Sevens tournament was considered the curtain-raiser of the season.

Saunders and Serendib in semi-finals

Sri Lanka’s domestic football set-up gets into full gear as Saunders and Serendib SC Mawanella secured their places in the semi-finals of the FFSL Champions Cup knockout tournament with victories in their quarter-final matches played on Monday at the Racecourse Ground in Colombo.

Boxing legends honoured

A felicitation ceremony was held by the Ceylon Boxing Federation to honour Sri Lanka’s veteran boxing legends for their enduring contributions.

Ex-women’s golfer Tiru reaches out to needy players

Paradise Golf Tours (PGTC) is to support the expenses of underprivileged children, who are showing tremendous potential, to participate in the 2026 World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) tournaments.

Tennis hopefuls continue winning streak

Sri Lanka junior tennis players continued their winning streak in the ongoing Junior Davis Cup Asia Oceania Oceania Pre-Qualifying tennis tournament by chalking up their second successive win defeating Saudi Arabia 3-0 at the SLTA tennis courts at Greenpath,

Sri Lanka ends 24-year grudge battle

Sri Lanka recorded a stunning 3–2 victory over defending champions Maldives in the SAFF Under-20 football championship marking the first win over the hosts in 24 years.

Tiger Woods back after 13 months

Tiger Woods will play competitive golf for the first time in more than a year at the final night of the TGL season.

Complaint filed over “excessive ticket prices” at World Cup

The Football Supporters’ Association has filed a formal complaint against Fifa over “excessive ticket prices” at this summer’s World Cup. The FSA said football’s world governing body has “abused its monopoly position” in setting prices for the tournament, which begins on

'Illustrious' Salah to leave Liverpool at the end of the season

Mohamed Salah will leave Premier League champions Liverpool at the end of the season, the Egypt forward announced on Tuesday as he started a farewell to what the club called nine ’’illustrious’’ years at Anfield.

India-US consortium buys IPL Royal Challengers Bengaluru for $1.7bn

A consortium of investors, including US asset management giant Blackstone, on Tuesday announced the takeover of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), one of the founding clubs of Indian Premier League, for nearly $1.8 billion.

Champion wrestler executed in Iran

The International Olympic Council (IOC) has expressed its sadness at the public hanging of Iranian wrestling champion Saleh Mohammadi one week after his 19th birthday while the international media also raised pertinent questions over his executive and Olympic sports followers were in shock.

Sri Lanka begin campaign on winning note

Mayooran Kubherane and Ashlin de Silva both students of St Peter’s College gave Sri Lanka a winning start on day one of the Junior Davis Cup Asia Oceania Pre-Qualifying tennis tournament by recording a comfortable 3-0 win over Macau juniors in a first round match played at the SLTA tennis courts at Greenpath, Colombo yesterday.

Jaffna’s St. Mary’s SC and Java Lane storm into semis

St. Mary’s SC Jaffna and Java Lane SC Colombo booked their places in the semi-finals of the FFSL Champions Cup 2025–26 knockout football tournament following their quarter-final victories at the Racecourse Ground in Colombo last Sunday.

Rwandan girl (15) youngest to smash T20 century

Rwanda’s Fanny Utagushimaninde says it was like “a dream” after becoming the youngest to make a Twenty20 international century at the age of 15 years and 223 days.

126th Battle of the Blues Ruhuna World Cup stars glitter as St. Servatius end 55-year wait

A seven wicket haul by Lasindu Ramanayake and batting knocks from Nethmal Bandara and Sri Lanka Under-19 caps Viran Chamuditha and Chamarindu Nethsara helped St Servatius College Matara turn the 126th Battle of the Blues against St. Thomas’ College on its head to register a long awaited win on Sunday.

Five Nations cricket in the offing

A cricket tournament for European nations could launch as early as 2027 after Cricket Ireland officials explained plans to develop the concept.

England’s Red Roses face Canada in rematch

England will face Canada in a rematch of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup final as part of a trio of fixtures in the WXV Global Series in September. The Red Roses were crowned world champions for a third time when they beat Canada 33-13 in front of more than 80,000 people at Twickenham five months ago.

Champ Alcaraz knocked out

World number one Carlos Alcaraz was knocked out of the Miami Open in the third round after a surprise 6-3 5-7 6-4 defeat by Sebastian Korda.

Pakistan’s T20 cricket league cuts venues, crowds due to Gulf crisis

Pakistan’s Twenty20 league will be held on schedule from March 26 but without crowds and only at two venues to save resources due to the Gulf crisis, the country’s cricket chief announced Sunday.