Shevon and Vishmi take spotlight
Future national cricketing stars Shevon Daniel of St. Joseph’s College and Vishmi Gunaratne of Ratnavali Balika Vidyalaya, Gampaha received the major honours at the Under-19 Schools Cricket Awards 2023 held at the BMICH on Tuesday evening.
Former Sri Lanka Youth skipper and St. Joseph’s all-rounder, Shevon Daniel, was adjudged the Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2023, while Sri Lanka women’s opener and Ratnavali BV’s top contributor Vishmi Gunarathne was aptly named the Schoolgirl Cricketer of the Year 2023, at the gala event organised by the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association in collaboration with Sri Lanka Cricket.
Daniel, a left-hand batter and right-arm off-spinner was an integral part of
St. Joseph’s before he went onto show his prowess, representing the Sri Lanka Under-19 team at the ICC Men’s U-19 World Cup in 2022, while also leading the side in a Tri-Nation Series which also involved Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
Daniel, who also won the Best Batter of the Boy’s Under-19 Schools category, represented Sri Lanka at the recently concluded Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, was also part of the Sri Lanka Emerging One Day squad for the series against Bangladesh.
Vishmi Gunaratne, who also won the Best Batter of the Girls’ U-19 Schools category, led Sri Lanka at the ICC Women’s U-19 World Cup, while also becoming the senior national team’s permanent opening batter.
In addition, Dinura Kalupahana of Mahinda College won the Best Bowler and the Best All-Rounder awards, as Vishwa Lahiru of Sri Sumangala College, Panadura was adjudged the Best Fielder. Among the notable winners, was Dewmi Vihanga, also of Ratnavali BV, who went on to bag the award for the Best Bowler and Best All-rounder, as Sumudu Nisansala of Devapathiraja College, Rathgama claimed the award for the Best Fielder.
A total of 102 awards were presented on the day of the ceremony, where former Sri Lanka ace spinner and record holder for the highest number of Test wickets, Muttiah Muralitharan, graced the occasion as Chief Guest. Gwen Herath, former Sri Lanka women’s cricketer, was recognised ‘for the valuable contribution for the development of women’s cricket in the country’.