A Sri Lankan star is born in South Africa!
Sri Lanka arrived in South Africa recently weeks ago in total shambles. Back to back tours of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa meant that they were going to stay away from home for four months. There was no momentum behind them. They had failed to win a game in New Zealand across all three formats and in Australia the defeats in two Tests were by big margins. At the end of the Australian leg captain Dinesh Chandimal was axed and the Test captaincy was handed to Dimuth Karunaratne.
There aren’t many stars in Sri Lankan cricket these days. Angelo Mathews is the only one and even he was out of the tours of Australia and South Africa with injury. Their three leading fast bowlers were injured too. Going into the opening Test in Durban against world’s number one ranked fast bowler in Kagiso Rabada and the best fast bowler of this generation in Dale Steyn, none gave them a chance to win a game leave alone the series. But this has been incredible two weeks for Sri Lankan cricket. The game of uncertainties has seen one of the greatest upsets in the history of the sport.
The man known as KJP played perhaps the greatest innings ever played by a Sri Lankan. Kusal Janith Perera set up a teasing onewicket win in the first Test in Durban and if people thought that this was a flash in the pan, the tourists sealed South Africa’s fate with a comprehensive eightwicket win in Port Elizabeth. The recent happenings are barely believable as Sri Lanka became only the third country after Australia and England to win a series in South Africa.
Bu hikaye Sportstar dergisinin March 23, 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Sportstar dergisinin March 23, 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Tokyo Marathon Cancelled For Amateurs On Coronavirus Fears
Organisers in Japan cancelled the amateur portion of the Tokyo marathon, affecting around 38,000 runners, on fears about the spread of the new coronavirus in Japan.
Right Criteria To Pick The Tennis GOAT
What should the criteria be? What weight should be attached to each criterion? And what should not be considered as valid criteria?
The making of a batting behemoth
If Steve Smith dominated the Ashes in England in a dramatic, blockbuster fashion then his like for like a replacement, Marnus Labuschagne, is the Next Big Thing after an exciting summer of run-glut.
WHEN ACES WERE REWARDED...
It was an evening of nostalgia and celebration when the Sportstar Aces awards were given away in Mumbai.
A question of recognition
After a week of awards, one wonders if it’s only a departed player that one will be named after.
Thinking straight, thinking right!
“A lot depends on when I am bowling and what is required from me. That’s something I do when I play for India and I try to follow the same thing in the domestic circuit,” says Yuzvendra Chahal.
The Big Three and the Next Gen
Though the Big Three are very unlikely to retire during the same year, Judy Murray, mother of Andy, echoed the sentiments of many fans worried about the impact of their departures.
WAKING UP TO MENTAL HEALTH
Sport at large and cricket specifically has taken an inordinately long time to address the elephant in the room — the dark abyss of depression.
Like sunshine in a gloomy dressing room
Bangladesh quick Abu Jayed Rahi is new in the red-ball arena, but his swing brings back old memories — of James Anderson on green tops.
The league of the masses
With traditional clubs locking horns with the hard-working nurseries of the game, the I-League will continue to keep the beating heart of Indian football alive despite official apathy.
