10/02/2026

SPORTS TUESDAY | FEB 10, 2026

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Kamindu heroics steer Sri Lanka past Ireland

Scotland spoil Italy’s T20 WC debut

SRI LANKA’S 11th-hour call to draft in Kamindu Mendis proved a masterstroke as the all-rounder produced a match turning cameo to set up a 20-run win over Ireland in their T20 World Cup opener at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday. Kamindu’s blistering 44 off 19 balls with four fours and two sixes gave Sri Lanka the late thrust they badly needed to post 163. The spin trio of Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga and Dunith Wellalage then ran through the Irish middle order, sharing seven wickets to seal a comfortable victory. E NGLAND clung on to beat Nepal by four runs in a nerve-jangling last-ball thriller in Mumbai on Sunday and avoid one of the big gest upsets in the history of the T20 World Cup. Chasing an imposing 185, Nepal’s Lokesh Bam, who had bludgeoned a brave 39 off 19 balls to give his side a sniff of a famous win, needed a six off the final delivery bowled by Sam Curran but could only manage a single. It was a breathless and agonis ing end to a valiant run chase by the cricketing minnows, who put England’s premier bowlers Jofra Archer and Adil Rashid to the sword. Curran was the hero for England, stifling Lokesh and allowing just five runs from the final ‘death’ over. “I said to Brook ‘I’m backing six yorkers here and I’ll take the

From a promising 105 for two, Ireland lost their way and folded for 143 in 19.5 overs with Matheesha Pathirana cleaning up with two wickets in the final over. “They got 15 runs too many,” said Ireland captain Paul Sterling. “Bit sloppy in the field and we have plenty of work to do before the next game. “We were confident with plenty of wickets in hand, but Sri Lanka held their nerve. “Spin is a challenge for us. It wasn’t coming onto the bat as much as we expected. Spin I believe is going to play a big role in this tournament.” – AFP

history with hamstring injuries, limped off after his second over. Though he returned to complete his quota, he moved gingerly, raising question marks over his fitness for the rest of the campaign. Sri Lanka’s innings had been stuck in first gear until Kamindu strode in with the scoreboard reading 86 for four in the 14th over, boundaries having dried up against Ireland’s spinners. Ireland were marshalled by left arm spinner George Dockrell, who returned a miserly spell of 2-17. A 49-run stand between Lorcan Tucker and Harry Tector for the third wicket kept Ireland in the hunt.

“I just wanted to score a few boundaries and put a partnership with Kusal Mendis,” said Kamindu. “Kusal was outstanding today. He deserves a lot of credit. “We wanted someone to bat through the innings. “They played well during the run chase until the 15th over. We had to keep our calm and we knew they had to take risks and we bowled well towards the end.” Hasaranga claimed three wickets to take his World Cup tally to 40, second only to Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan, who has 50. There were anxious moments when the leg-spinner, who has a

mup series against Pakistan. Ellis has been used more as a special ist death bowler than a powerplay enforcer but conceded his role might need to change in the absence of Hazlewood. “Obviously you have to take each game, conditions as they come. But los ing one of the better white ball bowlers in the world in Hoff, things are always going to have to change,” he said. “My role will try to be adaptable as much as I can.” – Reuters DEBUTANTS Italy had a bruising introduction to cricket’s biggest stage as they suffered a crushing 73 run loss to Scotland yesterday in Kolkata. Scotland posted a hefty 207-4 with opener George Munsey top scoring with 84 and in reply Italy were bowled out for 134 in 16.4 overs. A nation better known for its foot ball, Italy are cricket minnows and the lowest-ranked side in the 20 team tournament. Chasing a mammoth 208 for vic tory, Italy suffered early blows before a valiant fourth-wicket partnership of 73 between brothers Ben and Harry Manenti kept them afloat at Eden Gardens. But Harry departed for 37 and Ben got out after his 31-ball 52 as the Italian batting collapsed from 113-3. Captain Wayne Madsen could not bat after he badly injured his shoul der while fielding. Off-spinner Michael Leask took 4 17 for Scotland, adding to his batting cameo of an unbeaten 22 off five balls. Italy won the toss and bowled in the Group C encounter, where there were a few Italian fans decked out in the country’s blue. Scotland rode on a 126-run open ing stand between Munsey and Michael Jones, who hit 37, to post the highest total in the tournament so far. Brandon McMullen with an unbeaten 18-ball 41 and Leask, who hit two fours and two sixes in the last five balls, took Scotland to their best T20 World Cup total. The left-handed Munsey started briskly with a flurry of fours to unset tle the Italy attack in the first six overs of the powerplay. Italy suffered a blow when Madsen fell awkwardly while trying to stop a boundary in the fourth over and went off the field wincing in pain with what looked like a dislocated shoulder. The captain still completed an unusual World Cup double yesterday – playing in two different sports for two separate countries. He played at the field hockey World Cup for his native South Africa, but holds an Italian passport now through his ancestry. Munsey, who was dropped on 40 by Anthony Mosca, reached his fifty in 30 balls with a six. Munsey missed out on a hundred after he holed out to long-on off pace bowler Grant Stewart. He hit 13 fours and two sixes in his 54-ball knock to lead Scotland to their first group win, after they lost their first match to the West Indies. – AFP

England survive Nepal scare Curran holds nerve in final over to secure win in T20 World Cup last-ball thriller

brought back and this time put on the brakes, conceding just six runs from his next two overs. But the Nepali batsmen took a liking to Rashid at the other end, launching the leg-spinner for 19 off his third over with Airee hitting two sixes and a four. An unusually loose display from England’s No. 1 white ball spinner saw him finish with an expensive 0-42 from three overs. “It wasn’t easy at all, thankfully we got over the line,” said England captain Brook. “They played extremely well, not many teams take Adil Rashid down the way they did. I wish them all the best for the rest of the competi tion.” Nepal captain

hit if I don’t execute,” said Curran. “I think you’ve got to think like that.” Jacob Bethell (55) and Harry Brook (53) scored quick fifties for England but it was a late cameo by Will Jacks that took them to 184-7 in the Group C match, a total that proved just enough. Jacks hoisted three spectacular sixes off the final over from Karan KC to finish 39 not out off 18 balls. Nepal ended a whisker away at 180-6, to the disappointment of nearly all the 17,000 spectators in the Wankhede stadium who had been roaring them on. “It just shows how competitive this World Cup’s going to be,” said Curran. “We knew it was going to be full of Nepal fans. I played a lot of cricket in India and I’ve never had an atmosphere quite like that.” Nepal’s players received a massive ovation as they did a lap of honour at the end. “Winning ugly is a good trait,” a relieved Jacks told reporters after England’s 11th win in their last 12 completed T20 interna tionals. “Hopefully when we get in that situation in the rest of the tourna ment – which we definitely will at some stage – we’ll be able to look back on this experience today and take that with us. “I was very nervous, my heart was thumping on the boundary.” Nepal got off to a flying start in their chase, Kushal Bhurtel crunching 29 off 17 balls before Jacks had him caught and bowled. Captain Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airee came together at 42-2 and brought up Nepal’s 100 in the 12th over. Pace man Archer, who con ceded 14 off his first over, was

England’s Jofra Archer in action during the T20 World Cup against Nepal at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai yesterday. – REUTERSPIC

Paudel said: “Result wise, it didn’t go our way, but effort-wise, I give 100 per cent on fielding, bowling and batting. “Eng l and were also strug gling with

Notices

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IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF SUPERIOR EARNINGS SDN. BHD. Registration No.: 200701013058 (771063-W) (IN MEMBERS’ VOLUNTARY WINDING UP) NOTICE OF FINAL MEETING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT pursuant to Section 459 of the Companies Act, 2016, the Final Meeting of the Members of the Company will be held at No.9,Jalan Indah 16, Taman Cheras Indah, 56100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan on Monday, 16 March 2026 at 11.00 a.m. for the purpose of: - 1.To receive and consider the Liquidator’s Statement of Accounts showing the manner in which the winding up has been conducted and the asset/property of the Company disposed of and of hearing any explanations that may be given by the Liquidator. 2.To determine pursuant to Section 518(3)(b) of the Companies Act, 2016 the manner and period in which the books,accounts and documents of the Company and of the Liquidator thereof shall be disposed of. YAP KAI WENG Liquidator Kuala Lumpur Dated this 10 February, 2026 A member entitled to attend and vote at this meeting is entitled to appoint a proxy to attend and vote in his stead. A proxy need not be a member of the Company. Proxy forms must be deposited with the Liquidator at the above address not less than 48 hours before the meeting.

death bowl ing, but Sam C u r r a n b o w l e d really well.” – AFP

Injury-hit Australia can still contend at World Cup, says Ellis INJURY-HIT Australia limp into the T20 World Cup without leading fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood but Nathan Ellis says the team’s depleted attack can still carry the nation to glory. Cummins pulled out with a back injury and Hazlewood lost a race to be fit after sustaining Achilles and hamstring injuries. With Mitchell Starc having quit the for Ellis, the default leader of a pace attack featuring Xavier Bartlett and Ben Dwarshuis, said the new trio would be able to cover for the loss of their more experienced teammates. “We’ve had 18-24 months of cricket together where the big three haven’t been playing and have had big work loads in the test arena,” he told reporters yesterday. “I actually think we work together really, really well. “We’ve all got different skill-sets and can gel together on the night in different phases of the game. “A squad without ‘Hoff’ (Hazlewood) and Cummo (Cummins) is a strong squad obviously but without them I feel like we’re just as well placed to go deep.” Ellis will go into Australia’s opener against Ireland in Colombo on Wednesday without any recent match practice, having suffered a hamstring strain bowling for the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League. In his absence, Australia were whitewashed 3-0 in a war mat, Australia will be without all three of their top quicks for the first World Cup in over a decade.