India calls for IPL cricket delay !!!

India's home minister has said he wants the Indian Premier League cricket tournament to be postponed because it clashes with general elections.
Chidambaram said that he wished to avoid a clash with the vote because of fears over the security burden.
The tournament is scheduled to be held from 10 April to 24 May at nine venues across India.
As home minister Mr Chidambaram is responsible for the security of the multi-million dollar tournament.
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Source:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7921784.stm

Eight dead, Five cricketers hurt in Pakistan attack

Update
President Mahinda Rajapaksa today instructed Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama to immediately rush to Pakistan, hours after the terrorist attack on Sri Lankan cricket team which left six cricketers injured.
Bogollagama, who is in Nepal, has been instructed to leave for Pakistan immediately following the attack, a statement released by President's office here said.
Instructions also have been given to the Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Islamabad to facilitate the arrangements with Pakistani authorities on medical attention to the players in hospital, and their safe return home.
The cricketers were injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire when they were on their way to the Gaddafi stadium for the third day of the second Test.
The injured cricketers include Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis and Thilan Samaraweera.
The President has instructed immediate action to bring back all members of the team and ensure their safety and security.
Source:http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/sri-lankan-foreign-minister-to-rush-to-pakistan/14/22/56025/on

Indian Bollywood star Preity Zinta (C) speaks to the media about the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan during the first of five one-day cricket matches between India and New Zealand in Napier March 3, 2009. Five members of the Sri Lankan cricket team were wounded when around a dozen gunmen attacked their bus as it drove under police escort on Tuesday to a stadium in the Pakistani city of Lahore, officials

Five players were injured,
"Thilan Samaraweera,
Ajantha Mendis,
Tharanga Paranavitana,
Kumar Sangakkara
Thilan Thushara. "
Two players, including Samaraweera, who was shot in the thigh, have been treated in hospital.



Updated CNN Footage




Pakistani officials say unknown gunmen have opened fire on a bus carrying the Sri Lankan cricket team, killing at least five police officers and wounding six Sri Lankan players.Lahore police chief Habibur Rehman said at least 12 gunmen attacked the convoy near Lahore's Gaddafi stadium Tuesday with rockets, hand grenades and automatic weapons. He called it a terrorist attack. Pakistan TV showed footage of gunmen running through the streets and firing on vehicles.Sri Lanka's sports minister say at least five players and an assistant coach received minor injuries in the attack, including Kumar Sangakkara, Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavithana.Security concerns have plagued Pakistan for many years, and some foreign sports teams have refused to play in the country.

Source:http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-03-03-voa7.cfm
Related Link:Pakistan Suicide Bomber Kills 5 at Girls’ School in Southwest

Celebs attend airline’s celebration event@ Sri Lanka

Recently an airline company from Sri Lanka celebrated its success party in Mumbai. A host of celebrities were seen for this event like Tanushree Dutta, Divya Palat, Mini Mathur, Kishen Mulchandani,...
Recently an airline company from Sri Lanka celebrated its success party in Mumbai. A host of celebrities were seen for this event like Tanushree Dutta, Divya Palat, Mini Mathur, Kishen Mulchandani, Mahima Chaudhry, Gauri Pradhan, Hiten Tejwani, Shweta Salve and Vikas Kalantri.

This party was also attended by the Indian cricketer Azharuddin and former Sri Lankan captain, Arjuna Ranatunga. This party also had some authentic Sri Lankan cuisine.837SriLankanAirlineCelebs.

Tamil Tigers kill 51 soldiers

Photo Source AP

Tamil Tigers killed 51 Sri Lankan soldiers in fierce fighting in the island's north, a pro-rebel Website reported yesterday (18 Jan 2009).
The military denied dozens of troops died and said 20 insurgents were killed.
About 150 soldiers were also wounded in clashes near Dharmapuram village in the Tamil-dominated north after the military launched an offensive Friday, TamilNet quoted the rebels' media unit as saying.
However, military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said 20 rebels and seven soldiers were killed in the clashes.
It was not possible to verify the battle details and the two sides are known to exaggerate casualties suffered by each other while downplaying their own losses.
Meanwhile, some 170 people have fled rebel-controlled areas in northern Sri Lanka as fresh fighting erupted across several fronts, the military said yesterday.
It said the 170 men, women and children had sought shelter in government-controlled areas in the north on Friday.
The International Committee of the Red Cross on Friday warned of a "massive displacement" of civilians, many of whom had already been forced to move numerous times.
"Tens of thousands of displaced civilians are concentrated in an area so small that there are serious concerns for their physical safety and living conditions, in particular in terms of hygiene," ICRC said.
Troops backed by helicopter gunships targeted rebels positions in the northern area of Dharmapuram on Friday, inflicting heavy casualties on the Tamil Tigers, the army said. It said a few soldiers were injured.
Government troops recently captured the capital of the rebels' de facto state and a northern peninsula the cultural centre of the country's ethnic minority Tamils perceived as the heart of the insurgents' 25-year separatist campaign.
Facing intense pressure from advancing government troops, the rebels are now squeezed into a dwindling territory in the northeast.
Authorities say they will crush the rebels and retake their remaining territory in months.
Tamil Tiger rebels have fought since 1983 to create an independent homeland for the country's ethnic minority Tamils, who have suffered marginalisation by successive governments controlled by majority ethnic Sinhalese.
More than 70,000 people have been killed in the violence.
For more details Click the following link:
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=71830

Bangladesh won by 5 wkts against Sri Lanka

Bangladesh won by 5 wkts against Sri Lanka
Ban: 151/5 (23.5 Ovs)
SL: 147 (30.3 Ovs)

Runs - Bangladesh
Shakib Al Hasan * 92
Mohammad Ashraful (c) 26
Wickets
Rubel Hossain 4
Mashrafe Mortaza 3

Fall Of Wickets
1/0 (Tamim Iqbal, 1 ov.), 2/10 (Mushfiqur Rahim, 3.1 ov.), 3/11 (Junaid Siddique, 3.5 ov.), 4/102 (Mohammad Ashraful, 18.5 ov.), 5/126 (Raqibul Hasan, 21.3 ov.)



Runs - Sri Lanka
Sanath Jayasuriya 54
Mahela Jayawardene (c)28

Wickets
Thilan Thushara 1
Ajantha Mendis 1

Fall Of Wickets
1/0 (Upul Tharanga, 0.3 ov.), 2/4 (Kumar Sangakkara, 2.2 ov.), 3/75 (Mahela Jayawardene, 17.3 ov.), 4/95 (Sanath Jayasuriya, 20.5 ov.), 5/123 (Jehan Mubarak, 25.3 ov.), 6/128 (Angelo Mathews, 26.6 ov.), 7/130 (Chamara Kapugedera, 27.3 ov.), 8/135 (Nuwan Kulasekara, 28.4 ov.), 9/141 (Thilan Thushara, 28.6 ov.), 10/147 (Ajantha Mendis, 30.3 ov.)

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Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh Tri series 3 ODI presentation