Sports
Killi Rajamahendran, Kerry Packer of Sri Lankan cricket
by Rex Clementine
Kerry Packer was a godsend to Australian cricket. So was Killi Rajamahendran. At a time when cricket in Sri Lanka had no money, he financed the sport, single-handedly. He passed away yesterday at the age of 78.
Killi, as he was fondly known, employed many cricketers; Duleep Mendis, Roy Dias, Arjuna Ranatunga, Ashantha de Mel, Sidath Wettimuny…. the list goes on.
Players need not turn up for work at Maharaja’s, but if they did not attend training, Killi had a bone to pick. Ask Ashantha de Mel. Killi made the sport semi-professional.
Duleep Mendis was identified by Killi when he was at school. He joined Maharaja’s at 20 and remained there for 30 years. He was heart broken by learning Killi’s death. So were the other cricketers.
Sidath Wettimuny’s older brothers had given up cricket in a bid to pursue their professional careers. Sidath wanted to go in the same path. But before doing so, he consulted Killi. And he received sound advice.
“You see Sidath,” Killi had said, “Professionals, I can hire anytime. But a good cricketer like you, that would be hard to find.”
Sidath listened. Then, Lord’s 1984 happened.
The Sri Lankan team had gone to England well in advance to acclimatise to conditions. Generously, Killi gave his London apartment for Sri Lankan players to stay as the board did not have any money to look after their accommodation before the tour got underway.
As the Test match approached, in a bid to encourage the players, Killi told them that if anyone scored a hundred, he was going to give them a gift of 1000 Pounds.
Sidath, Amal Silva and Duleep Mendis scored hundreds. Arjuna Ranatunga missed out. He was dismissed for 84. Arjuna is a tough man, but the fact that he had missed out on having his name in the Lord’s honours board got the better of him and in the dressing room, he was in tears. There was a tap on Arjuna’s shoulder. It was Killi. He too had tears in his eye. All centurions were given 1000 Pounds as promised. But Arjuna received 2000 Pounds. Killi was fond of Arjuna.
People wonder how a developing cricket nation like Sri Lanka could afford Sir Garfield Sobers as their coach in 1980s. All credit obviously goes to Gamini Dissanayake. But every good leader needs a capable second in command. Killi was Gamini’s right hand man and Vice-President of Board of Control for Cricket. It is he who made it possible that Sri Lanka could hire the services of Sir Garry spending generously.
It is a well known fact that Sri Lanka were given Test status in 1981 when Gamini was President. Not many people know that before the Lord’s meeting, the Sri Lankan board had hosted Australian Cricket Board officials taking them around the country showing them our cricket infrastructure. All financed by Killi. Australia had regularly vetoed Sri Lanka’s application for Test status. But after Killi’s hospitality and having taken a good look on the status quo, they could not turn it down again. Like Kerry Packer, Killi knew how cricket politics worked.
Once Australia was on Sri Lanka’s side, England followed suit. Test status achieved; thanks to smart moves by two men; Gamini Dissanayake and Killi Rajamahendran.
After quitting cricket, Killi built up a his media empire. Like all media bosses who love cricket, he had one golden rule; never criticize cricketers.
In 2001, when England came to Sri Lanka to play a first ever three match series, there was lot of excitement. Sri Lanka won the first Test by an innings in Galle. But then from thereon, things didn’t go their way and lost the games in Kandy and at SSC. England clinched the series 2-1. Sirasa were drawing out heavy weapons. Their target, captain Sanath Jayasuriya. Then, Killi called. “That poor boy is already going through hell. Don’t add up to his misery.” Message was loud and clear. Sanath looked up to him like a father figure. So did others from Arjuna to Nuwan Zoysa.
Canada captain Dilpreet Bajwa won the toss and asked South Africa to bat in their World Cup opener in Ahmedabad.
South Africa have opted for a pace-heavy attack. Keshav Maharaj slots in as their only spinner, alongside the speedy quartet of Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi. Tristan Stubbs also begins the tournament at the No. 6 spot – a position Jason Smith had occupied in their last T20I, while Stubbs had slid down to No. 7. Smith is in the World Cup squad but did not find a spot in South Africa’s starting eleven.
South Africa’s pace is expected to get the most out of a characteristically flat Ahmedabad black-soil pitch. But first, their batters will have a hit in a game they begin as overwhelming favourites against Canada, who are their second World Cup.
Canada’s new captain, Bajwa, will lead the side at a global tournament for the first time. He also slots in at the top of the order, alongside Yuvraj Samra, and their batting power will be key to their hopes of causing a massive upset.
Canada have lost both their warm-up games – to Italy and Nepal – but should their batters come off on a friendly pitch, South Africa will look to have the added insurance of a few more runs in the bank before dew takes over when Canada begin their chase at night.
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram (capt), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi
Canada: Dilpreet Bajwa (capt), Yuvraj Samra, Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Shreyas Movva, Harsh Thaker, Saad Bin Zafar, Jaskaran Singh, Dilon Heyliger, Kaleem Sana, Ansh Patel
(Cricinfo)
Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza decided to field first against Oman in the men’s T20 World Cup match at the SSC in Colombo. Both teams were pleased to arrive in Sri Lanka early to get themselves attuned to the conditions.
Zimbabwe have Blessing Muzarabani back in the squad after he missed the tri-series in Pakistan in November.
Oman, meanwhile, include 44-year-old Aaamir Kaleem the oldest player in the tournament – after he came into the side in place of Hasnain Shah, who was injured after the squad was named.
Zimbabwe return to the tournament after missing out on the previous edition in West Indies and the United States of America. They had made it to the Super 12s of the 2022 T20 World Cup but failed to progress through the qualifiers for the 2024 tournament. They completed qualification alongside Namibia; Brian Bennett was the tournament’s top run-scorer, while Brad Evans and Richard Ngarava were among the leading wicket-takers.
Zimbabwe are bolstered by the return of Graeme Cremer, whose November 2025 comeback marked the longest gap between T20I appearances.
Oman are one of three qualifiers from the Asia-Pacific region, alongside Nepal and the UAE. They have previously appeared in the 2016, 2021, and 2024 editions of the T20 World Cup.
Oman: Jatinder Singh (capt), Aamir Kaleem, Hammad Mirza, Wasim Ali, Karan Sonavale, Jiten Ramanandi, Vinayak Shukla (wk), Sufyan Mehmood, Nadeem Khan, Shah Faisal, Shakeel Ahmad
Zimbabwe: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Dion Myers, Brendan Taylor (wk), Sikandar Raza (capt), Ryan Burl, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani
Scotland may have suffered a blip the last time they faced Italy in a T20I but ensured they picked up the first points of their 2026 T20 World Cup campaign after a dominant performance at Eden Gardens. George Munsey’s 54-ball 84, supported by cameos from Brandon McMullen and Michael Leask, followed by Leask’s four-wicket haul helped Scotland spoil Italy’s debut in the tournament. The 73-run win gave Scotland two points after their defeat to West Indies in Kolkata two days ago.
Brief scores:
Scotland 207 for 4 in 20 overs (George Munsey 84, Michael Jones 37, Brandon McMullen 41, Richie Berrington 15, Michael Leask 22*; Ali Hasan 1-21, Grant Stewart 1-44, Thomas Draca 1-37, JJ Smuts 1-38) beat Italy 134 in 16.4 overs (Anthony Mosca 13, JJ Smutts 22, Harry Manenti 52; Michael Leask 4-17, Brad Currie 1-12, Brad Wheal 1-29, Mark Watt 2-24, Oliver Davidson 1-33 ) by 73 runs
(Cricinfo)
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