The final day of the inaugural Lanka T10 league matches at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on Tuesday provided plenty of action for the fans.

Kandy Bolts qualified as the fourth team in the playoffs, Hambantota Bangla Tigers joined Jaffna Titans in Qualifier 1, Kasun Rajitha performed the second hat-trick of the tournament and Kusal Mendis scored the second fastest fifty.

The line-up for today’s playoffs:

Qualifier 1 – Jaffna Titans vs Hambantota Bangla Tigers started play at 2.30pm.

Eliminator – Galle Marvels vs Kandy Bolts will follow at 4:45pm

Qualifier 2 – Runner-up of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Eliminator at 7pm.

These three matches will be screened live on Ariana Television. 

Tuesday’s match however, saw pace setters Jaffna Titans come up with a complete team performance to outplay Colombo Jaguars by nine wickets and consolidate their position at the top of the table with 12 points from 7 matches (5 wins) and keep their unbeaten record in the tournament intact. 

It was a make-or-break game for Colombo who came off second best against a Jaffna outfit that was formidable in every department of the game.

Invited to bat first, Colombo struggled against some quality bowling and could muster only 99-8. 

In a crucial knockout match that went to the wire, Kandy Bolts edged out Nuwara Eliya Kings by 5 runs to fill the fourth and last slot of the play-offs.   

Nuwara Eliya Kings fast bowler Kasun Rajitha’s second hat-trick of the tournament failed to help as Kandy Captain Thisara Perera outshone him to take his team into the next round. 

In a low scoring third game for the day Hambantota Bangla Tigers beat Galle Marvels by 5 wickets to grab the second spot and make it to Qualifier 1 pushing Galle to third spot to play in the Eliminator. 

The world’s best players, coaches and fans for 2024 – as well as the best goals – will be revealed during a gala dinner at the renowned Aspire Academy in Doha on Tuesday, December 17, FIFA has confirmed.

According to a press release issued on Monday, the Best FIFA Football Awards 2024 will be broadcast live on FIFA.com and takes place on the eve of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup Qatar 202 final between Real Madrid C.F. and CF Pachuca.

It also coincides with the second anniversary of the FIFA World Cup final in Qatar. 

The dinner will be attended by dignitaries including the FIFA President, FIFA Council members, FIFA Legends and other local and regional ambassadors and trailblazers of the game.

The categories this year are The Best FIFA Men’s Player; The Best FIFA Women’s Player; The Best FIFA Men’s Coach; The Best FIFA Women’s Coach; The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper; and The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper. 

There is also the new FIFA Marta Award and the FIFA Puskás Award – for the best goals in women’s and men’s football.

The Best FIFA Men’s Player nominees

Dani Carvajal, Spain and Real Madrid

Erling Haaland, Norway and Manchester City

Federico Valverde, Uruguay and Real Madrid

Florian Wirtz, Germany and Bayer Leverkusen

Jude Bellingham, England and Real Madrid

Kylian Mbappé, France and Paris Saint-Germain/Real Madrid

Lamine Yamal, Spain and Barcelona

Lionel Messi, Argentina and Inter Miami

Rodri, Spain and Manchester City

Toni Kroos, Germany and Real Madrid (now retired)

Vinícius Jr, Brazil and Real Madrid

The Best FIFA Men’s Coach nominees

Carlo Ancelotti (ITA), Real Madrid

Lionel Scaloni (ARG), Argentina

Luis de la Fuente (ESP), Spain

Pep Guardiola (ESP), Manchester City

Xabi Alonso (ESP), Bayer Leverkusen

The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper nominees

Andriy Lunin, Ukraine and Real Madrid

David Raya, Spain and Arsenal

Ederson, Brazil and Manchester City

Emiliano Martínez, Argentina and Aston Villa

Gianluigi Donnarumma, Italy and Paris Saint-Germain

Mike Maignan, France and AC Milan

Unai Simón, Spain and Athletic Club

FIFA Puskás Award nominees

Hassan Al Haydos (QAT), Qatar v. China PR

Terry Antonis (AUS), Melbourne City v. Western Sydney Wanderers

Yassine Benzia (ALG), Algeria v. South Africa

Walter Bou (ARG), Lanús v. Tigre

Michaell Chirinos (HON), Costa Rica v. Honduras

Federico Dimarco (ITA), Inter Milan v. Frosinone

Alejandro Garnacho (ARG), Everton v. Manchester United

Mohammed Kudus (GHA), West Ham United v. Freiburg

Denis Omedi (UGA), KCCA v. Kitara

Paul Onuachu (NGA), Trabzonspor v. Konyaspor

Jaden Philogene (ENG), Rotherham United v. Hull City

The Best FIFA Women’s Player nominees

Aitana Bonmatí, Spain and Barcelona

Barbra Banda, Zambia and Shanghai Shengli/Orlando Pride

Caroline Graham Hansen, Norway and Barcelona

Keira Walsh, England and Barcelona

Khadija Shaw, Jamaica and Manchester City

Lauren Hemp, England and Manchester City

Lindsey Horan, USA and Olympique Lyonnais

Lucy Bronze, England and Barcelona/Chelsea

Mallory Swanson, USA and Chicago Red Stars

Mariona Caldentey, Spain and Barcelona/Arsenal

Naomi Girma, USA and San Diego Wave

Ona Batlle, Spain and Barcelona

Salma Paralluelo, Spain and Barcelona

Sophia Smith, USA and Portland Thorns

Tabitha Chawinga, Malawi and Paris Saint-Germain/Olympique Lyonnais

Trinity Rodman, USA and Washington Spirit

The Best FIFA Women’s Coach nominees

Arthur Elias (BRA), Brazil

Elena Sadiku (SWE), Celtic

Emma Hayes (ENG), Chelsea/USA

Futoshi Ikeda (JPN), Japan

Gareth Taylor (ENG), Manchester City

Jonatan Giráldez (ESP), Barcelona/Washington Spirit

Sandrine Soubeyrand (FRA), Paris FC

Sonia Bompastor (FRA), Olympique Lyonnais/Chelsea

The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper nominees

Alyssa Naeher, USA and Chicago Red Stars

Ann-Katrin Berger, Germany and Chelsea/NJ/NY Gotham

Ayaka Yamashita, Japan and INAC Kobe Leonessa/Manchester City

Cata Coll, Spain and Barcelona

Mary Earps, England and Manchester United/Paris Saint-Germain

FIFA Marta Award nominees

Delphine Cascarino (FRA), Olympique Lyonnais v. Benfica

Marina Hegering (GER), Essen v. Wolfsburg

Sakina Karchaoui (FRA), France v. Sweden

Paulina Krumbiegel (GER), Duisburg v. Hoffenheim

Marta (BRA), Brazil v. Jamaica

Nina Matejić (SRB), Serbia U-19 Women v. England U-19 Women

Beth Mead (ENG), Arsenal v. West Ham United

Giuseppina Moraca (ITA), Lazio v. Bologna

Asisat Oshoala (NGA), Barcelona v. Benfica

Mayra Pelayo (MEX), Mexico v. USA

Trinity Rodman (USA), USA v. Japan

FIFA Fan Award nominees

José Armando (MEX)

Craig Ferguson (SCO)

Guilherme Gandra Moura (BRA)

MORE FOOTBALL

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been football’s biggest stars for nearly two decades and have won 13 Ballon d’Or titles between them; Messi eight and Ronaldo five.

While the two superstars dominated the sport and set records that may never be broken, Transfermarkt this week analyzed the market values of each player over the years.

Both players are now in their late 30s; Ronaldo is 39 and Messi is 37. Despite their ages however both players remain key players in global football.

Messi currently plays for MLS club Inter Miami, and Ronaldo for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.

But their market values have seen significant drops.

According to Transfermarkt, Messi’s current value is €20 million ($21 million), while Ronaldo’s has fallen to €12 million ($12.6 million).

The player valuation tracker reported this week that Ronaldo’s rise came earlier than Messi’s, as he is two years older.

Back in 2006, both players had similar values at around €20 million, according to Transfermarkt.

Ronaldor surged to €60 million in 2008 after winning his first Ballon d’Or. Messi however, quickly caught up and by 2011 had surpassed Ronaldo.

Between 2012 and 2018, Messi’s market value remained at a steady €120 million, while Ronaldo had some ups and downs. He hit his peak at €120 million in 2018 during his final season at Real Madrid.

That year, Messi, who was regarded as the best player in the world, reached his record-high valuation of €180 million.

But both players have seen their values drop with age. Ronaldo saw this when he moved to Juventus and then again when he returned to Manchester United.

Messi’s value has however been higher than Ronaldo’s for the past ten seasons.

Both Messi and Ronaldo remain valuable players despite being near the end of their careers - Ronaldo being a goal machine for Al-Nassr, and Messi defying the odds for MLS.