The Sri Lanka Cricket Board has made it obligatory for their cricketers to pass the fitness test before participating in domestic league games. According to cricket web-site, the board has introduced a stringent policy to promote a fitness culture, mandating that domestic tournament players pass the fitness test. Out of 23 players participating in the National Super League, 19 have failed the fitness test, with a deadline of April 19 set for them to pass. Sri Lanka cricket team captain Dasun Shanaka has appealed to his government to take special measures after being ruled out of the 2026 T20 World Cup. The board has decided that players who fail the test will be eligible to play but will not receive match fees. This move comes after only 24 out of 45 central contract players signed by Sri Lanka have passed the fitness test, with six players failing and 15 still pending.
Prominent players like Wanindu Hasaranga and Mathisha Pathirana, who failed to pass the fitness test, have been barred from participating in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Hasaranga, who suffered an injury, is unlikely to regain his fitness, while Pathirana was struggling with a leg injury during the World Cup. In a separate development, Pakistan Super League (PSL) player Sharjeel Khan has expressed his determination to become a strong backup batsman for his team, Hyderabad Kings XI, and has worked tirelessly to improve his fitness and skills over the past two years.
In a different incident, Australian cricketer David Warner was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. Former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi has criticized the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for not following the home-and-away format, resulting in an estimated $240 million loss in revenue. A video of Pakistani boxer Samir Khan removing the Indian flag from the ground has gone viral. England cricket team’s former captain Kevin Pietersen has revealed that his international cricket career was cut short due to the controversy surrounding the Indian Premier League (IPL). Pietersen has appealed to the people of Bangladesh for their support and love. In another incident, Spanish driver from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Lahore Qalandars, Usman Mir, expressed his team’s determination to perform well in their matches in Karachi, including the championship to be held from April 9 to 19 at the Nasirabad Hockey Stadium in Islamabad.
