Sports

Maheesh Theekshana: from rags to riches

Published

4 years ago

2021/09/9

by Rex Clementine

This year, we have seen the remarkable rise of two young players, who overcame poverty and several hardships to become household names of the game of cricket. Pathum Nissanka became the first Sri Lankan to make a hundred on debut overseas while Praveen Jayawickrama was quite a sensation picking up 11 wickets on his debut.

Maheesh Theekshana is the latest sensation having picked up a wicket on his first ball in international cricket and ending with four wickets as Sri Lanka beat South Africa on Tuesday to complete a rare series win. It is the first time in seven years that Sri Lanka have beaten a team ranked top five. Like Praveen and Pathum, Maheesh too has overcome many obstacles in life and he is ever thankful for the mentoring, support and the guidance he has received during his formative years.

Maheesh grew up with his grandmother and hailed from the little heard Siddhartha Vidyalaya, Sedawatta. Two old boys of St. Benedict’s College, who are actively involved with school’s cricket; Shanthilal Silva and Vivian Saverymuthapulle, approached Maheesha’s guardian to make the shift to Kotahena where he could play cricket at a very competitive level. St. Benedict’s with a lot of goodwill and support from the old boys have the capability to look after promising sportsmen and students.

Once the recommendation was made by St. Benedict’s Cricket Wing to Sports Coordinator Rev. Br. Pravin Vaz (FSC), he approached the school’s Director Rev. Br. Janaka Fonseka (FSC) to recruit the player to St. Benedict’s, one of the leading cricket-playing schools in the country. Being top sports enthusiasts, the brothers needed little convincing to bring Maheesha to Kotahena.

The Cricket Wing of St. Benedict’s looked after his expenses for the first two years and then the College offered him a full scholarship. It was a smart move. St. Benedict’s had not produced a Sri Lanka cricketer since 1979 and the drought ended with Maheesh making his debut having joined Bens at under-15 level.

Maheesh won the All-Island Best All-Rounder award in his final year at school. Then he joined Sri Lanka Army to play cricket. There he was lucky to come under the wings of two former Sri Lanka captains; Dinesh Chandimal and Thisara Perera, two guys who are ideal for mentoring young players.

When the first Lanka Premier League (LPL) came around, Maheesh wasn’t among the players in the draft. He was in a supplementary category which made him ineligible to play. But then Thisara told Jaffna Stallions about this guy with a unique ability. His specialty was being able to bowl like Ajantha Mendis. Jaffna owners listened to their captain and requested SLC to shift him from Supplementary to Emerging category. Then, they bid him for US$ 10,000.

That Jaffna deal changed Maheesh’s career. We have often seen players with too much of talent ruining things for themselves once they get a bit of fame and money.

But as for Maheesh, he has a good head above his shoulder. The first thing he did with the money he received from Jaffna is to inform St. Benedict’s current sports in-charge Rev. Br. Dilshan Vimukthi (FSC) that he will be giving a portion of his contract fee from the LPL to St. Benedict’s to help up and coming young cricketers. Players who do not forget their past should prosper.

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Sports

St. Benedict’s, Devapathiraja record victories

Published

1 hour ago

2025/12/22

Thilina Walpola

St. Benedict’s registered innings and two runs win over Sri Dharmaloka College Kelaniya as Mevan Dissanayake excelled with impressive all round performances for the home team in the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘B’ Cricket encounter at Kotahena.

‎It was a baptism of fire for the team from Kelaniya as they faced a well established school in the Tier ‘B’ two-day tournament for the first time after being promoted to the top Division of the premier schools cricket tournament.

‎They faced St. Joseph Vaz’s College earlier but their opponents were making their return to the top division. They managed to draw the first encounter.

‎At Kotahena they were dismissed for 188 and 105. Dissanayake bagged eight wickets including a five wicket haul in the second innngs to follow up his knock of 91 which set the stage for victory.

‎‎Meanwhile in another Tier B encounter Devapathiraja bounced back to pull off one wicket victory over St. Anthony’s Wattala.

‎The boys from Wattala did well to restrict Devapathiraja to 95 runs and take a lead of 29 runs. But Pijith Wathsuka, Gimhan Rasanjana, Sandaru Malshan and Yasiru Lakshan teamed up well to pull off a stunning win

‎‎‎Bens in innings win at Kotahena

‎‎Scores

‎‎St. Benedict’s 295 for 9 decl. in 56.4 overs (Mevan Dissanayake 91, Vihanga Rathnayake 42, Yohan Edirisinghe 31, Ayesh Gajanayake 49; Sathindu Praboda 4/98, Tharusha Mihiranga 2/66)

‎Sri Dharmaloka

188 all out in 56.3 overs (Senuka Pehesara 53, Kaveen Deneth 79; Ayesh Gajanayake 2/31, Mewan Dissanayake 3/55, Vihanga Rathnayke 4/19) and 105 all out in 35.4 overs (Vipun Sasanka 21, Tharush Mihiranga 32; Mewan Dissanayake 5/29, Vihanga Rathnayake 2/36, Lithika Jayasundara 3/34)

‎‎Devapathiraja in exciting one wicket win at Wattala

‎‎Scores

‎St. Anthony’s 124 all out in 30.4 overs (Shehara Dewthilina 51, Sandil Chathuranga 21, Rima Bashika 21n.o.; Sandaru Malshan 2/23, Puljith Wathsuka 4/19, Gimhan Rasanjana 3/13) and 100 all out in 43 overs (Hithesh Ruwanda 42n.o., ; Sandaru Malshan 5/40, Gimhan Rasanjana 2/37)

‎Devapathiraja

95 all out in 33.2 overs (Gimhan Rasanjana 24n.o., Ridma Bashika2/36, Vishmitha Saroj 2/22, Kavindu Senadi 4/33) and 131 for 9 in 26.3 overs (Yasiru Lakshan 26, Pulgith Wathsuka 28, Gimhan Rasanjana 42; Rima Bashika 2/18, Kavindu Senadi 4/48, Wishmitha Saroj 2/43)

by Reemus Fernando ✍️

Latest News

Rodrigues fifty leads India’s chase after bowlers set up victory against Sri Lanka

Published

7 hours ago

2025/12/21

Priyan

Jemimah Rodrigues got off to a brisk start [BCCI]

There was a little bit of rustiness as India returned to action 50 days after becoming ODI world champions, but not so much to prevent them from registering a dominant win in the first T20I against Sri Lanka in Visakhapatnam.

Despite dew being a constant presence on a cool evening, India’s spinners rallied to keep Sri Lanka’s top order in check – even if they did not pick up wickets in a heap – thus restricting them to 121 for 6. It was a below-par total given that the dew was only going to increase as the temperatures reduced – something Harmanpreet Kaur had alluded to while choosing to chase at the toss. India made easy work of it to get home with eight wickets and 32 balls to spare, starting their road to the T20 World Cup 2026 in June on the right note.

Jemimah Rodrigues, batting for the 100th time in T20Is, struck a 14th half-century in the format to help the hosts canter. There was a mild intrigue around India’s No. 3, with Harleen Deol batting at that spot for two games in England, and Harmanpreet signaling her intent to be India’s one drop at the last T20 World Cup. But Rodrigues’ 69 not out from 44 balls should dispel any doubts India would have had.

This was India’s sixth win in ten games since being knocked out in the league stage of the 2024 iteration.

Brief scores:
India Women 122 for 2 in 14.4 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 69*, Smriti Mandhana 25, Harmanpreet Kaur 15*; Kawya Kavindi 1-20, Inoka Ranaweera 1-17) beat Sri Lanka Women 121 for 6 in 20 overs (Vishmi Gunaratne 39, Chamari Athapaththu 15, Hasini Perera 20, Harshita Samarawickrama 21; Deepti Sharma 1-20, Kranti Gaud 1-23, Shree Charani 1-30) by eight wickets

[Cricinfo]

Latest News

Sameer Minhas 172 powers Pakistan to Under-19 Asia Cup title

Published

8 hours ago

2025/12/21

Priyan

Sameer Minhas made the highest score by a Pakistan batter in Youth ODIs [Cricinfo]

Opener Sameer Minhas blitzed his way to 172 off 113 balls, setting up Pakistan’s demolition of India in thDeepeshe Under-19 Asia Cup final in Dubai. In response to Pakistan’s 347 for 8, India folded for 156 in 26.2 overs.

Minhas’ knock was the highest individual score for Pakistan, and also, the highest individual score by any batter in a final in Youth ODIs. He hit 17 fours and nine sixes during his stay, and fell in the 43rd over, finishing with a strike rate of 152.21.

In response, Vaibhav Suriyawvanshi – having scored 5, 50, 9 and 26 in tournament since his 171 against UAE – made an explosive start to India’s chase. He smashed three sixes and a four, but Ali Raza had him nicking off for 26 off 10 balls. India had reached their fifty in the fifth over and by the end of the powerplay, they were 68 for 5.

Pakistan came into the final having bowled out each of their opposing batting line-ups in the tournament. This contest was no different – four Pakistan bowlers shared wickets among them, with Raza prising out three more wickets to finish with match figures of 4 for 42.

India were reduced to 120 for 9, but Deepesh Devendran offered some late resistance with 36 off 16 balls, including six fours and two sixes. No other India batter passed 30 in the chase. India’s innings ended when Raza had Devendran holing out in the 27th over.

Earlier in the day, Devendran had copped punishment from the Pakistan batters, conceding 83 runs in his ten overs though he took three wickets at the death.

Minhas was well-supported by Ahmed Hussain – the only other batter to cross fifty in the innings. Hussain made 56 off 72 balls and added 137 for the third wicket along with Minhas.

Pakistan faced a slight slowdown in the death overs, especially once Minhas was dismissed – they only managed 71 runs in the final ten for the loss of five wickets. Devendran took three of those wickets, but his death bowling was a footnote by the time he swung for the hills in India’s chase, and was eventually caught at point.

Pakistan wrapped up a 191-run win and tuned up nicely for the upcoming Under-19 World Cup.

Brief scores:
Pakistan Under 19s 347 for 8 in 50 overs (Sameer Minhas 172, Ahmed Hussain 56, Usman Khan 35; Henil Patel 2-62, Deepesh Devendran 3-83, Khilan Patel 2-44 ) beat India Under 19s 156 in 26.2 overs (Deepesh Devendran 36, Vaibhav Suryawanshi 26; Ali Raza 4-42, Mohammed Sayyam 2-38, Huzaif Ahsan 2-12) by 191 runs

[Cricinfo]