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4 days ago | 
thepapare.com | Rex Clementine
If Sri Lanka’s 2023 World Cup campaign in India had a headline, it would read: “Dropped Catches, Dropped Hopes.” Their fielding, or lack thereof, was the Achilles’ heel. Take the clash against Pakistan, for instance. After posting a formidable 344 on the board – a total that should’ve put the game to bed – they somehow managed to lose. Butterfingers in the outfield and sluggishness on the turf cost them dearly. The same script unfolded against Afghanistan.
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4 days ago | 
island.lk | Thilina Walpola |Rex Clementine
When Sanath Jayasuriya walked into his first media briefing as Head Coach, he didn’t waste time playing it safe. He went straight to the point — fielding was going to be a game-changer. And true to his word, what the team has pulled off over the last 12 months is nothing short of a stunning comeback. Here was a side that had just been bundled out of the ICC Cricket World Cup with a wooden spoon finish — ninth place — and failed to qualify for the Champions Trophy.
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5 days ago | 
island.lk | Thilina Walpola |Rex Clementine
Nearly half a century has passed since the Catholic Church last had an Italian Pope. In the hallowed corridors of the Vatican, as the Conclave began deliberations to elect a successor to Pope Francis, several Italian names were whispered with increasing frequency. Chief among them was Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, a seasoned diplomat, and well-known among the electors. Others, like Cardinals Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Matteo Zuppi, also had their share of admirers.
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1 week ago | 
island.lk | Sahan Weerasooriya |Rex Clementine
The ancient ritual to choose the 267th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church commenced yesterday within the hallowed, frescoed walls of the Sistine Chapel. One hundred and thirty-three Cardinals, representing 70 countries, are now cloistered in prayer and contemplation, tasked with selecting a successor to Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88. According to Canon Law, any baptised Catholic male is technically eligible to be elected Pope.
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1 week ago | 
island.lk | Sahan Weerasooriya |Rex Clementine
The College of Cardinals will gather beneath Michelangelo’s frescoed ceiling at the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday, tasked with the solemn duty of choosing a successor to Pope Francis, who passed away a fortnight ago. While papal conclaves can stretch over days, recent history suggests the white smoke may rise swiftly – possibly before the bells ring across Colombo for the Sunday mass.
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1 week ago | 
island.lk | Thilina Walpola |Rex Clementine
Sri Lanka’s First-Class cricket has long cried out for reform, and finally, some bold strokes are being played. The playing field has been trimmed down in recent seasons – deadwood cleared to raise the stakes. But the googly of the season was the axing of SSC, the grand old club with a trophy cabinet full of stars. It raised eyebrows, but the message from the top was loud and clear – no room for reputation alone. The long-term plan?
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2 weeks ago | 
thepapare.com | Rex Clementine
The National Super League will come to a head this week after the grand finale with Dambulla locking horns with Galle at SSC. These two heavyweights were the pick of the bunch during the group stages, with Dambulla chalking up two wins from their four outings. Kandy and Colombo finished third and fourth respectively, but it was a case of blowing hot and cold for Colombo — they showed flashes of brilliance but ultimately lacked the staying power. The real damp squib, however, was Jaffna.
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2 weeks ago | 
island.lk | Thilina Walpola |Rex Clementine
In 1978, when Pope John Paul II had a swimming pool installed at the Vatican, it made more than just a ripple. A few Cardinals raised eyebrows at the cost—after all, it wasn’t exactly a drop in the holy bucket. But when word reached the Pope, he waved away the murmurs with a smile and said, “Cheaper than a conclave.” For a man who lived and breathed his daily laps, it was a matter of staying afloat – literally and spiritually.
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3 weeks ago | 
island.lk | Sahan Weerasooriya |Rex Clementine
Catholics across the globe are mourning the passing of Pope Francis at the age of 88. Widely regarded as the “Pope of the People,” Francis broke with tradition and breathed new life into the papacy with his humility and compassion. From the moment of his election, Pope Francis made it clear that his pontificate would be defined not by opulence but by service. Eschewing the grandeur of the Apostolic Palace, he chose to live in a modest room at the Vatican guesthouse.
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3 weeks ago | 
island.lk | Thilina Walpola |Rex Clementine
There was a time when Sri Lankan parents drummed into their kids that the only ticket out of the rat race was a university degree. Unless you were born with a silver spoon, it was books over bats. But those equations have been rewritten. These days, if you can land the ball on a sixpence and send stumps cartwheeling, the world’s your oyster. Just ask Kasun Rajitha — the latest poster boy for how far cricket can take you.
