Mr. Neil Perera passes away at 95

A stalwart who played a pivotal role in shaping Sri Lanka’s cricketing fortunes both before and after the country gained Test status, Mr. Neil Perera passed away yesterday at the age of 95, following a brief illness.

An engineer by profession at the Ceylon Electricity Board, Mr. Perera’s heart always beat for cricket. He donned the whites for Panadura Sports Club before swiftly transitioning into cricket administration, where he made an indelible mark. He managed several Sri Lankan teams, both in the pre-Test era and after the nation stepped onto the grand stage of Test cricket. Notably, he was at the helm as Team Manager when Sri Lanka registered their maiden overseas Test victory in Napier in 1995 – an achievement that put Sri Lanka on the cricketing map.

Mr. Perera also served as Secretary and Vice President of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), but his crowning glory came when he orchestrated a masterstroke – bringing India and Pakistan together to submit a joint Asian bid for the 1996 Cricket World Cup. Up against stiff competition from England, the Asian bloc, with Mr. Perera’s astute diplomacy, clinched the rights to host what is widely regarded as one of the finest World Cups in history.

The late Jagmohan Dalmiya, the influential Indian cricket supremo, once penned a heartfelt letter to SLC, stating, “If not for Neil’s timely intervention, the World Cup wouldn’t have come to the sub-continent.”

Although Mr. Perera had lost the cricket board election in 1995 and had initially planned to give the tournament a miss, Mr. Dalmiya extended a special invitation for him to witness the semi-final in Calcutta and the grand finale in Lahore. There, he watched Sri Lanka create history, lifting the coveted trophy and etching their name in cricketing folklore.

Mr. Perera’s final rites will be held at the Borella Cemetery (old crematorium) on Sunday (26th January) at 4:00pm. His remains will lie at Jayaratne Respect from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm on Saturday (25th January) and from 9:00 am to 3:30pm on Sunday until the funeral proceedings.

Sri Lanka has lost a true cricketing visionary – one who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, ensuring the country’s rise to prominence in the international arena.