Sports
Celebrating 190 years of George Steuart
It was a night when a nation dared to dream. On a noisy March evening in 1996, Sri Lanka stunned India in the World Cup semi-final in Calcutta, booking their ticket to Lahore for a date with destiny. As firecrackers lit up the skies in Colombo and fans took to the streets in celebrations, two former schoolboy captains hatched a plan that would put their company, George Steuart, in the thick of cricket folklore.
Bernard Wijetunga of St. Peter’s and Channa Wijemanne of D.S. Senanayake — both employees of the country’s oldest mercantile establishment — drove straight to the home of their boss, S. Skandakumar, himself a Royal College cricketer. The pitch was laid: charter a flight to Lahore for the final. Skandakumar didn’t need a second invitation.
They had just 48 hours to pull it off — arrange a plane, secure 300 match tickets, tackle the tangle of logistics and crucially, sell every seat. Cricket teaches its captains that fortune favours the bold and this was a textbook case. The tickets sold like hot isso vade at Galle Face Green and fans, sensing history in the making, scrambled to be on board. Cricket had taught both Bernard and Channa that as captains they had to take risks. In professional life too they were taking calculated ones and that paid off handsomely. Forget about the revenue the company would have made but giving many fans the opportunity to see a once in the lifetime moment was truly remarkable.
George Steuart set up a temporary office at Cinnamon Lakeside while the Pakistan High Commission opened shop under the same roof to issue visas. Within 24 hours, the operation was match-fit. Fate even served up a flourish: the flight would be piloted by Sunil Wettimuny, himself a former Sri Lanka opener.
But just as they were ready to take guard, a late bouncer arrived. Sports Minister S.B. Dissanayake and his secretary decided they too would attend the final. Seats had to be found, but no one was prepared to surrender theirs. In the end, the very men who had dreamed up the plan — Bernard and Channa — took one for the team, stepping aside in true “customer-is-king” fashion.
From that Lahore triumph to the logistical mazes of future World Cups, George Steuart’s knack to think ahead of time has been a godsend. In 2003, with no South African High Commission in Sri Lanka and scarce connections, they took on many challenges and pulled it off.
Four years later in the Caribbean, they sidestepped a visa nightmare by securing a “Caribbean Community” pass, turning eight entry stamps into one. That was a tactical genius at work.
Their finest hour in recent times came during the pandemic-hit inaugural Lanka Premier League. While COVID kept borders tight, George Steuart flew in players, coaches, broadcasters and team owners from across the globe, choreographing PCR tests and quarantine as they had prior experience of doing it. The company played a big part in making that event a success.
For over 30 years, they’ve been cricket’s quiet problem-solvers, rushing players to Guyana or Queenstown despite a late-night call as injury replacements. Then, delivering visas on time with the precision of a yorker is another area of their expertise. Once they even flew a player to Europe without a visa in his passport. They maybe not able to do that to every person but if the person is Sanath Jayasuriya then that’s quite possible.
As George Steuart are celebrating the milestone of 190 years, it must be said that they have left an indelible mark not just in travel but in all walks of life. It remains one of the highly respected business entities in the country.
Oman have suffered three heavy defeats to Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, and Ireland at the 2026 T20 World Cup, and had been thumped by Australia the only other time these two teams met, at the 2024 edition. But captain Jatinder Singh says his team sees their final match of this tournament as an opportunity to surprise a wounded Australia team.
Australia have nothing to gain from the match against Oman in Pallekele on Friday, aside from preserving some pride. Perhaps the gloom around the Australia camp will give Oman an opening. In fact it might be “the best time to crush them”.
“One hundred percent this is an opportunity,” Jatinder said. “And our boys are looking forward to it. Because T20 is a game of momentum and the moments, and if you play those moments right, you can do anything on that particular day. Australia is not doing well at the moment… it is the best time to crush them.
“The boys are really positive. They are looking forward to the match against Australia to make their mark.”
On how to make Oman more competitive in the long term, Jatinder believed franchise cricket opportunities for Oman players could be one route. Oman did not have a heavy cricket schedule in 2025, playing only 15 T20Is that year in addition to eight ODIs.
“Well if I have to sum up how Oman can improve, it would be if we have the franchise cricket happening in the country or our guys get a chance to play franchise cricket elsewhere,” Jatinder said. “I think we can fill that gap and they can bring vast amount of experience for our national team.
“But if we don’t get to play competitive cricket, whereas other teams are getting to play the competitive cricket, we will need to fill that gap. There have been instances where we’ve been inviting the teams to come and play in Oman. The response has been really delayed, or we don’t get any response. So I think if we have the franchise cricket, that would really fill the gap.”
[Cricinfo]
Oman made a couple of changes in the last two fixtures without success. Shakeel Ahmed went in and out of the side in the three games, but picked three wickets against Ireland and should keep his place. Jatinder might look at giving top-order batter Karan Sonavale another go.
[Cricbuzz]
Zimbabwe marched into the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup with the swagger of a side that refuses to read the script, completing the group phase unbeaten after a polished six-wicket win over co-hosts Sri Lanka at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium on Thursday.
Ranked 11th in the world, the African side have been the tournament’s disruptors-in-chief. Having already sent former champions Australia packing last week, they now added 2014 winners Sri Lanka to their growing list of scalps, underlining that this is no flash in the pan but a team riding a serious wave of momentum.
Chasing 179 on a surface that demanded both muscle and method, Zimbabwe found themselves at crossroads when 65 were needed off the last 36 balls. Enter Sikandar Raza, sleeves rolled up and eyes locked in.
The all-rounder flipped the contest on its head in one decisive over from Dushan Hemantha, plundering 20 runs with two towering sixes and a rasping boundary. In the blink of an eye, the asking rate dipped and Sri Lanka’s shoulders sagged.
Raza and Brian Bennett stitched together a match-defining 69 off 40 deliveries for the third wicket, mixing clean ball-striking with smart running between the wickets. Zimbabwe crossed the line with three balls to spare.
While Raza provided the late fireworks with 45 off 26 balls, peppered with two fours and four sixes, opener Bennett was the glue that held the innings together. His composed 63 off 48 deliveries, studded with eight fours, ensured Zimbabwe never lost sight of the target.
Even when Raza departed with 13 still required from two overs, Sri Lanka sensed a sniff. But Tony Munyonga calmly clubbed Maheesh Theekshana’s first delivery of the final over into the stands, draining the tension from the contest. Fittingly, Bennett sealed the deal with the winning boundary. Raza was named Man of the Match.
It was Zimbabwe’s second-highest successful run chase in T20Is.
Earlier, after opting to bat, Sri Lanka were once again anchored by Pathum Nissanka. Fresh from becoming the tournament’s first centurion earlier in the week, Nissanka produced a polished 62 off 47 balls, bringing up his seventh T20 World Cup half-century, equalling Mahela Jayawardene’s record for the most by a Sri Lankan.
He and Kusal Perera gave the innings early impetus with a brisk 54 off 30 balls for the opening stand before Nissanka added a further 46 in 43 deliveries alongside Kusal Mendis.
Pavan Rathnayake provided the late thrust, clearing the ropes twice in a 44 off 25 balls as Sri Lanka posted a competitive 178.
Zimbabwe’s bowlers, however, ensured it was a chaseable target rather than a daunting one. Veteran leg-spinner Graeme Cremer led the way with 2-27, applying the squeeze in the middle overs, while the towering Blessing Muzarabani struck twice to finish with 2-38.
Sri Lanka now turn their attention to a Super Eight showdown against England in Kandy on Sunday, a contest that promises high stakes and little margin for error. Zimbabwe, brimming with belief, head to Bombay to face the West Indies on Monday, no longer the underdogs but a side that has earned its place at the top table.
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