Morne Morkel has been appointed as the bowling coach for the Indian men’s senior cricket team, with his tenure starting on September 1, as confirmed by BCCI Secretary Jay Shah. Morkel was unable to accompany the Indian team on their recent tour of Sri Lanka due to personal reasons, leading to Sairaj Bahutule stepping in as the interim bowling coach for the six white-ball matches. However, Morkel is set to take up his coaching responsibilities in the upcoming home series against Bangladesh, beginning with the Chennai Test on September 19. The 39-year-old Morkel will join the Indian coaching setup under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir, with whom he has a history of collaboration at the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). It is believed that Gambhir, who formed a strong professional relationship with Morkel during their time at LSG, recommended him for the role of India’s bowling coach.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India dreams of hosting the Olympics in 2036 and added that preparations are already underway, during his Independence Day speech on Thursday. PM Modi congratulated all the athletes who represented India at the Paris Olympics 2024 and also extended his best wishes to those travelling for the upcoming Paralympics. During the speech, PM Modi said that India has already proven that it has the infrastructure to host a big event like the G20 Summit and the next dream for the nation is to host the Olympics in 2036. "Today, we also have with us the youth who made the Indian flag fly high in Olympics. On behalf of 140 crore countrymen, I congratulate all our athletes and players...In the next few days, a huge contingent of India will leave for Paris to participate in the Paralympics. I extend best wishes to all our Paralympians...India organising the G20 Summit on a large scale has proven that India has the capability to organise large-scale events...It is the dream of India to host 2036 Olympics, we are making preparations for that...," PM Modi said while addressing the nation from Red Fort. Earlier in the month, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya, confirmed the development in a written reply in Lok Sabha, according to a press release by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The allotment of hosting rights for the Summer Games is done by the IOC through a detailed host selection process. The IOC has a dedicated body, the Future Host Commission (FHC), which deals with this subject.

Syndey Thunder signed Sri Lankan star Chamari Athapaththu on a three-year contract, while Perth Scorchers signed Sophie Devine and are reportedly in talks with Finn Allen. Chamari Athapaththu signs three-year deal with Sydney Thunder Last year, a Facebook post from Athapththu went viral after she did not receive contracts in the Hundred, WBBL, or India's WPL despite her stellar performances for Sri Lanka. Fast-forward to now, and she has played for Oval Invincibles, UP Warriors, and Sydney Thunder. Signing as a replacement player for the Thunder in last year's WBBL, she ended up as the Player of the Tournament, registering 552 runs and nine wickets in 15 matches. Last month, Athapaththu also led Sri Lanka to a historic Women's Asia Cup triumph. On Friday, the Thunder announced the signing of Athapaththu on a three-year contract under the WBBL's new signing rules ahead of the 2024 season. These multi-year contracts now allow teams to secure one overseas player for up to three years before the player draft takes place.

Former England pacer Stuart Broad has stated that Ben Stokes will keep a close eye on the team during his brief absence from the game. The England skipper has been ruled out of the upcoming three-match Test series against Sri Lanka after tearing his hamstring while playing for the Northern Superchargers in The Men's Hundred 2024. In Stokes' absence, vice-captain Ollie Pope will lead the team as England continue to make the most of the momentum from their 3-0 whitewash over the West Indies. England is slowly climbing up the standings in the World Test Championship (WTC) points table after a difficult start, which included assignments against India and Australia. Broad said he received a text from Stokes stating that he would be overseeing some of the coaching duties instead of being idle. “He’s already texted me saying he’s going to be the coach so I don’t know what Baz (Brendon McCullum) is going to be doing," Broad told the PA News Agency.

India captain Rohit Sharma is spending quality time at home amid the five-week international break ahead of the two-match Test series against Bangladesh, which starts on September 19. The 37-year-old was recently seen driving his blue-colored Lamborghini Urus with a special number plate (ending with 0264) in his hometown of Mumbai. Rohit's 264 is the highest individual score in the ODI format. He achieved the special feat while playing against Sri Lanka in 2014. He is also the only player to score three ODI double-centuries.

Sri Lanka Women’s Cricket Team will tour Ireland during August 2024 for a white ball tour consisting of two T20I matches and three ODIs, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced. The Asian Champions will leave for the tour on the 6th of August 2024. The ODIs are part of the ICC Women’s Championship cycle of 2022 to 2025, according to the SLC.

Two more Sri Lankan fast bowlers have been ruled out of the ODIs against India, with Matheesha Pathirana suffering a shoulder complaint, and Dilshan Madushanka with a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, Dushmantha Chameera and Nuwan Thushara, who also missed T20Is, are out from the ODI series due to an illness and a fractured thumb respectively. On Tuesday (July 30), Sri Lanka Cricket Selection Committee announced the 16-member squad selected to play in the ODI series of the ongoing India Tour of Sri Lanka 2024. Charith Asalanka, who captained the team in the T20 series, was also named captain for the ODI series while Chamika Karunaratne returned to the squad.

Simone Biles reached the top of the podium yet again, cementing her legacy as the greatest American gymnast and one of the best athletes in the history of the Olympics. Biles helped the United States win the women’s team event Tuesday to secure her fifth Olympic gold medal and put the U.S. back on top of the sport after a second-place finish three years ago in Tokyo. The Americans’ total of 171.296 was well clear of Italy and Brazil. The self-described “Redemption Tour” ended with Biles and the Americans where they have almost always been since she burst onto the scene 11 years ago: atop the podium, the rest of the world looking up.

India secured a 3-0 series sweep against Sri Lanka with a Super Over victory in the inconsequential third and final T20I at Pallekele on Tuesday.

Spinner Maheesh Theekshana led Sri Lanka’s inspired bowling to restrict India to 137-9 on Tuesday as the hosts look for a consolation win in the final T20 international of their three-match series.

Pathum Nissanka, who left the team last night for the birth of his son, will rejoin the team tonight and will be available for tomorrow's T20 match. Congratulations to Pathum and his family on their new arrival!

Sri Lanka’s Ganga Seneviratne has claimed first place in the preliminary round of the Women’s 100m Backstroke swimming event at the Paris Olympics.

All four semifinalists of the Women’s Asia Cup 2024 were confirmed on Wednesday when Sri Lanka registered a thumping win over Thailand in the last group game of the tournament.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has announced that Dushmantha Chameera will not participate in the T20I series against India as he continues to recover from a bronchitis and respiratory infection.

Sri Lanka interim coach Sanath Jayasuriya has urged his players to take full advantage of the absence of India’s three mega stars in their upcoming T20 series.

Sri Lanka pacer Dushmantha Chameera has been ruled out of the upcoming T20I series against India. As per reports, the pacer has been sidelined due to an injury. The three-match T20I series is scheduled to commence from July 27.

The High Commission of Sri Lanka in the United Kingdom took part in the Bedford River Festival on July 20-21, 2024, in collaboration with the Association of Professional Sri Lankans in the UK (APSL) by hosting a Sri Lanka Stand featuring Ceylon tea and handcrafts. This is the second time the High Commission participated in the Bedford River Festival, which is held biannually and attracts over 250,000 visitors. The opening ceremony of the stand on July 20 was graced by High Commissioner Rohitha Bogollagama as the Chief Guest, and Mrs Deepthi Bogollagama and other distinguished guests, including Vice Lord-Lieutenant Christopher Sharwood-Smith MBE and High Sheriff for Bedford, Mr. Bav Shah, and members of the APSL, Sri Lankan Society Bedfordshire, Sri Lanka Leukaemia Foundation and Sri Lanka Medical and Dentists Association in the UK.

The organising committee of Paris 2024 has vowed to make it the greenest Games in Olympic history, with half the carbon footprint of London 2012 and Rio 2016.

Andy Murray has announced he will retire from tennis after the 2024 Paris Olympics.