Harbhajan Singh mocks Sri Lanka cricket team

Veteran Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has ridiculed the visiting Sri Lankan team and said they need to revive and “get to international level”. Responding to opener Dimuth Karunaratne’s statement that the Lankans are ready to face the challenge posed by the Indian team (especially R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja), Harbhajan wrote on Twitter, “Same way how they did in recent series.. they r getting beaten by Zimbabwe.. 1st inn 200 second inn 150. Sri Lankan team at their lowest so sad to see them like this.. hope they will revive and get to international level.” However, the Turbanator deleted the tweet soon after.

Herath, Asela win big at Dialog Cricket Awards

Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath clinched the prestigious Dialog Cricketer of the Year award and the best Test bowler award at the Dialog Cricket Awards 2017 held on Tuesday at the Water’s Edge in Battaramulla.

Asela Gunaratne who has had a splendid year (June 2016-June 2017) as an all-rounder leading Sri Lanka several unlikely wins grabbed four awards -- T20I Batsman of the Year, All-rounder of the Year in both T20Is and ODIs and Most Promising Cricketer of the Year.

Pakistan beats SL to 2-0 lead

Despite Upul Tharanga’s heroics with the bat, Pakistan went 2-0 up in the five-match series after beating Sri Lanka by 32 runs in the second ODI in Abu Dhabi.

Chasing a tricky target of 220 runs, Sri Lanka’s batting line up faltered and they were reduced to 93/7 before Tharanga along with Jeffrey Vandersay stitched a stand of 76 runs for the eighth wicket.

Sri Lanka beat Pakistan in second Test, take series

Sri Lanka now trails fifth ranked Australia (97 points) by three points.

Thirteen months after lifting the prestigious ICC Test Championship mace for topping the MRF Tyres ICC Test Team Rankings, Pakistan have plummeted to seventh in the latest Test team rankings, which were updated following the conclusion of its home series against Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka not only won the series 2-0 but handed Pakistan only its second whitewash in a home series (Pakistan lost all three Tests against Australia in 2002-03).

Gunathilaka suspended for six matches

Sri Lanka Cricket has suspended opener Danushka Gunathilaka for six international matches on disciplinary grounds, Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed on Thursday.

He has also been imposed a 20% fine of his applicable annual contract fee for violations of Section 30 (a-ii ) and 30 (b) of the Constitution of Sri Lanka Cricket and of clauses 3.1.2, 3.1.9, 3.3.1, and 3.4 of his contract with Sri Lanka Cricket during the recently concluded India Series in Colombo.

Malinga dropped from Pakistan ODI squad

Malinga, who has shown indifferent form since making his comeback to the national set-up, had an ordinary series against India at home last month and as a result, has fetched the axe. Former skipper Angelo Mathews, who couldn't feature in the ongoing Test series due of a calf injury, has failed to recover in time for the ODIs.

Mathews, who has been plagued by calf and hamstring injuries in recent times, faced a fitness test on Monday (October 2). "Angelo is struggling. We thought he will be okay for the ODIs, but on Monday while running he felt the pain again and has been ruled out. It's a massive loss for us," a Sri Lanka Cricket spokesman told Cricubzz.