(NIDAHASA News) Sri Lanka became the cricket world champion after 18 years yesterday by defeating India in the World Twenty20 final in Dhaka on Sunday (06).

Sri Lanka won 50-over World Cup crown in 1996, but was facing continues misfortune of losing the final in major events including two 50-over world cups and many T20 cups.

Kumar Sangakkara's memorable half-century helped Sri Lanka to case 131-run target in 17.5 overs.

It was a fitting farewell for Sangakkara as well as Mahela Jayawardene as both of them have pulled the curtains on their T20 careers with this victory.

“It's been a long time coming, (we've) waited five finals,” said Sangakkara.

“I am pretty happy that I was able to do something for the team. It means a lot to all of us. We are very humbled by this.” he added.

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni praised Sri Lanka saying “It was a perfect game for” Sri Lanka.

Being World Cup and Champions Trophy winners India hoped to become the first team to hold all three limited-overs trophies; but their quest was undermined by a to weak batting performance.

“In the middle overs our batsmen tried our best, but we couldn't convert the good start,” Dhoni said.

(NIDAHASA News) Sri Lankan boxer Manju Wanniarachchi was stripped of his Commonwealth Games gold medal today (08) after he tested positive for the anabolic steroids after his victory in New Delhi.

After a protracted legal process, the Commonwealth Games Federations (CGF) Federation's court, meeting in Kuala Lumpur, ruled that Wanniarachchi has been disqualified from the 2010 Commonwealth Games and his competition results at the Delhi Games be nullified.

“The Court has ruled that the medal awarded to him be forfeited and returned to the CGF,” a statement issued by governing body said. “The gold medal in the bantamweight 56 kilo weight division will be awarded to Sean McGoldrick from Wales,” it said further.

According to statement Wanniarachchi's urine sample was found to contain 19-Norandrosterone, a banned performance-enhancing substance.

However Wanniarachchi lawyers have vowed to carry on his fight to try to keep his Commonwealth Games gold medal claming that the boxer may have unknowingly taken the banned steroid when he consulted a physician.

(NIDAHASA News) Sri Lankan cricketer Mahela Jayawardene quit as vice-captain and a three-member selection committee also handed over their letters of resignation today (06), following ICC World Cup defeat.

“We would like to offer to step down immediately from the jobs of National Selectors, so that the group of selectors you may wish to appoint, could be given an opportunity to make short and long term plans, in the way they think it is best for our cricket.” National selection committee head and former captain Aravinda de Silva said.

“Mahela had taken up the vice captaincy duty only till the end of the World Cup. This morning, he handed in a letter stating that he did not like continuing as the vice-captain of the team.” Sri Lanka Cricket secretary, Nishantha Ranatunge said.

Kumar Sangakkara also stepped down yesterday (05) as one-day and Twenty20 captain. He also said his decision was taken three weeks before the World Cup.

The spate of resignations has taken the country with surprise and some local media speculated that the loss to India wasn’t the only reason for the resignations. Some websites claimed that political pressure caused players and committee to resign posts while some other sites hinting about a match fixing.