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  Image :X Vaibhav Tripathi, Colombo With everything on the line at a high-scoring, Wanuja Sahan rose to the occasion with a match-winning spell of 2 for 8 in his four over spell that further strengthened his reputation as one of Sri Lanka’s most exciting young spinners. Earlier, Ben McDermott’s explosive 71 off just 39 deliveries rescued Colombo Kaps from a precarious 58/3 and powered them to a formidable 203 in the Eliminator of LPL 2026. That total ultimately proved more than enough as Colombo sealed a commanding 68-run victory. While McDermott laid the foundation, it was Wanuja who finished the job, weaving a web of spin around the Kandy Royals batting line-up to send Colombo into Qualifier 2 and earn the Player of the Match award. Colombo did not make the best of starts, losing both openers, Rubin Hermann and Sadeera Samarawickrama, in quick succession within the first six overs. Captain Kamindu Mendis tried to put the pressure back on the opposition with a fl...

Team India players in Women’s Hundred 2026 (PC: Manchester Super Giants, Hundred, and Dave Vokes) Another round of matches has concluded in the ongoing Women’s Hundred. But apart from Deepti Sharma ending her wicketless drought, none of the Indian players managed a match-winning performance for their respective teams. First, on August 3, Jemimah Rodrigues was in action for Southern Brave against Welsh Fire in Cardiff. She scored 25 off 21 balls, looking fluent during her stay, but failed to convert her start into a significant knock. Her 49-run partnership with Laura Wolvaardt proved crucial in rebuilding the innings after two early wickets, helping Southern Brave post 121/5. However, that total was not enough as they failed to defend it, suffering their first defeat of the season. On August 4, veteran all-rounder Deepti featured for Sunrisers Leeds against London Spirit in Leeds. Playing against her former team, the biggest positive was that she finally returned among the wick...

Image :RevSportz Vaibhav Tripathi, Colombo The numbers alone told the story. Three specialist spinners from the squad. Four net bowlers. Five or six local slow bowlers. Together, they formed the centrepiece of India’s first practice session at the NCC Grounds in Colombo, with every batter spending extended periods against spin in what was easily the busiest net of the day. It was evident that the team’s primary focus was on playing spin. What stood out even more was the profile of the batters using that net. It was not confined to the frontline batters. Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain also padded up against the spinners, a sign that the team want everyone, regardless of their primary role, to spend time against slow bowling. It reflected a preparation strategy built around repetition, with India looking to maximise their exposure to the conditions they expect to encounter in Sri Lanka. India’s vulnerability against spin has become increasingly difficul...

Sophia Dunkley and Nat Sciver-Brunt, Women’s Hundred 2026 (PC: Hundred) Four wins in a row for Trent Rockets in the ongoing Women’s Hundred with star opener Sophia Dunkley continuing her sensational form by claiming her third consecutive Player of the Match award. Dunkley smashed 65 off 37 balls – her third successive half-century – as Trent Rockets chased down 123 against Birmingham Phoenix with six wickets and 16 balls to spare in Nottingham on August 5. Earlier, Kim Garth’s four-wicket haul helped Rockets restrict Phoenix to 122/7 before Dunkley once again ensured the Rockets maintained their winning momentum. Heading into the tournament, Dunkley had featured in only three matches at the Women’s T20 World Cup for England. However, she made the most of her opportunities, scoring 120 runs at an average of 60 and a strike rate of 139.53, including a half-century. She carried that confidence into the Hundred, beginning the campaign with an unbeaten...

Zaheer Khan in MI Jersey (PC: X) Anchor Sports AB, a Stockholm-based sports ownership group co-owned by former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan and businessman Nagendra Siddoutam, has recently acquired Lanka Premier League (LPL) franchise Jaffna Kings. The team will now be rebranded as Anchor Jaffna Kings. The move restores stability and ensures security after the franchise had been under the emergency regulatory control of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and LPL rights holders Innovation Production Group (IPG) since July 23, following the termination of its previous ownership. As stated in an IPG media release, “The acquisition further strengthens Anchor Sports’ growing international portfolio, which already includes the Antwerp Anchors in the European T20 Premier League (Belgium) and the Vancouver Anchors men’s and women’s teams competing in Canada’s Super60 league.” The previous owners of Jaffna, Sports Commune — co-owned by Manjot Kalra (former India Under-19 cricketer) and Mayank Goel — ...

Sai Sudharsan (PC: X) India’s number three, Sai Sudharsan, is expected to sit out the impending practice match against a Sri Lanka XI in Colombo on Friday, it is understood. The talented southpaw is currently stationed at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, where he is rehabilitating from a toe injury sustained during the first unofficial Test between India A and Sri Lanka A. Although Sudharsan has shown encouraging progress recently and resumed light batting drills in the nets, lingering discomfort persists. The medical team will closely monitor his intensity over the coming days. While there remains cautious optimism regarding his availability for the crucial first Test in Galle on August 15, his participation is currently a touch-and-go scenario. Should he fail to prove his match fitness, Devdutt Padikkal is likely to take the number three spot. Sudharsan’s potential absence represents a massive blow to India’s precarious World Test Championship (WTC) campaign....