Sports
Let’s learn from Sanga
by Rex Clementine
We tend to place the blame on the doorstep of the administration, selectors and coaches for the setbacks our cricket has suffered in recent times. Our chances of making it to the semi-finals of the sport’s showpiece event are fading away fast. True, the administration needs to accept part of the blame. But, what about the players themselves? They too are responsible for our downfall.
A decade and half ago, when we literally reached the finals of every ICC event, the administration was probably worse than this. But thankfully we had players like Kumar Sangakkara, who always punched above their weight. Sanga’s extraordinary success as a batsman and captain was due to the fact that he worked extremely hard and left no stone unturned.
In mid 1990s, in school cricket the name of Kumar Sangakkara was unheard of. It was his contemporaries that everyone was talking of so highly such as Mahela Jayawardene from Nalanda, Avishka Gunawardene and Thilan Samaraweera from Ananda and Upekha Fernando from S. Thomas’.
Yet, Sanga not only outperformed all of them but ended up as Sri Lanka’s highest run getter in Test and ODI cricket. How was that possible?
We adore Roy Dias’ batting, but we do not give enough credit to what he has achieved as a coach. One day he was working with the Sri Lanka under-19 team at NCC and spotted a left-handed batsman playing some drives in the nets. Roy was quick to spot the class in those drives and realized it was Sanga who had turned up on his own for the nets.
There was no Paul Farbrace or Trevor Bayliss to do the throw downs. No other coach from SLC had been asked to come to NCC either. Sanga’s driver was doing the throw-downs and our man kept going until the point the driver’s arm started paining and he said enough. That was Sanga. Steve Waugh may have written the book titled ‘Out of my comfort zone’ but the guy who really went out of his comfort zone in search of excellence was Sanga.
Let’s not miss the point here. What amazed Roy Dias was not a Sri Lankan cricketer getting his driver to do the throw-downs. What impressed him was that Sanga had arrived in Colombo only that morning having finished a Test match in Bangladesh where he had scored a triple hundred in the first innings and a hundred in the second innings. Roy told the under-19 kids to make Sanga their role model. There was Charith Asalanka, Pathum Nissanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Asitha Fernando and many others in that under-19 side and they were in awe of the great man.
Sanga’s insatiable appetite for excellence stood the national cricket team in good stead.
First innings failure for Sanga in a Test match invariably meant more work for the coaching staff as he would spend hours trying to figure out what error he had made to be dismissed and how he could avoid a repeat.
Former opening batsman Brendon Kuruppu doesn’t get the credit that he deserves for identifying rare talents. It was he who wanted Sanga to be fast tracked into the senior side. Sidath Wettmiuny, the Chairman of Selectors, agreed to give him a go and Sanga never looked back.
Sanga was indeed a sloppy keeper when he came into the side. Whether it is legend Ian Healey or contemporary Prasanna Jayawardene, Sanga was quick to chat to them on keeping and by the time he retired, his keeping was at a different level.
But it was as a batsman that he set the benchmark. He wasn’t merely pleased with the drives and pulls and cuts, but was always exploring and having spent many hours with Graham Ford, he executed the paddle sweep and ramp shot too in white ball cricket to everyone’s surprise towards the tail-end of his career.
Sanga’s success as a batsman was not due to raw talent, mental toughness, luck or anything else. It was pure hard work and hours of training. As captain, he would smartly leave out the ones who were seeking easy way outs, especially if they were younger ones. His captaincy for the press was a nightmare for he never turned up on time for media briefings. However, none of us were complaining as he was busy fine tuning his skills going beyond the training schedules. It was a maniac schedule indeed. Everyone is in awe of Virat Kohli’s training methods. Sanga’s were equally insane, but very effective and brought out the best of him.
We have been extremely fortunate to see two of the finest batsmen produced by our nation. Aravinda de Silva of course was pure talent. Kumar Sangakkara was the complete opposite. His mantra for success was work, work and more work.
Arjuna Ranatunga often says that we will not see another player like Aravinda for the next 50 years.
But you tend to think that you don’t have to wait for 50 years to see another Sanga because with a work ethic like his anybody can get there.
Sadeera Samarawickrama has got that work ethic of Sanga. But he’s a bit too late at the age of 28. Pity that we didn’t have selectors like Guy de Alwis, Michael Tissera and Ashantha de Mel, who are able to read what a player can offer by simply looking at the way he trains.The current selectors have had a three year stint. It’s been a disastrous one and they need to pack their bags as soon as the World Cup is over.
Sri Lanka will begin their three match T20I series against Pakistan in Rawalpindi on Friday with an opportunity for several youngsters to stake their claims, although the absence of Pathum Nissanka leaves a sizeable hole at the top of the order.
Nissanka, Sri Lanka’s highest-ranked batter in the ICC T20I rankings, has been one of the side’s most consistent performers in recent years and his absence deprives the tourists of a proven match-winner against a Pakistan attack that will still carry plenty of firepower despite resting several senior players.
The three T20Is will be played in Rawalpindi on October 9, 11 and 13 before attention switches to the seven match ODI tri-series involving hosts Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England.
While Sri Lanka will miss Nissanka, his absence opens the door for highly rated Sineth Jayawardene, who has been earmarked as one for the future. The former Sri Lanka Under-19 captain now has an opportunity to show that he can make the considerable jump from domestic and age group cricket to the international stage. Sineth skippered Royal College, Colombo with distinction.
There will also be considerable interest in leg-spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, another player Sri Lanka have invested in with an eye on the future. With Wanindu Hasaranga out of the equation, Viyaskanth has an opportunity to make a strong case for a regular berth rather than remain on the fringes.
Sri Lanka will be encouraged by the fact that Pakistan too have opted to look beyond some of their established names for the T20I leg of the tour.
Sahibzada Farhan will captain Pakistan after leading them at the recently concluded Asian Games in Japan, taking over from Salman Ali Agha, who has been left out of the T20I squad. Salman remains part of Pakistan’s ODI plans.
Pakistan have also rested Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi for the T20Is, although both return for the ODI tri-series, where Shaheen will continue as captain.
The hosts have named uncapped all-rounders Razaullah and Mohammad Imran Randhawa in their 15-member T20I squad, while Maaz Sadaqat and Hasan Nawaz have been rewarded for impressive performances at the Asian Games.
Hasan finished the tournament as Pakistan’s leading run scorer with 123 runs, including a blistering 96 off 51 balls against India in the final, although Pakistan had to settle for silver.
Fast bowler Naseem Shah returns to Pakistan’s T20I squad having last played the format against Sri Lanka in February, while Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub and Abrar Ahmed provide experience.
For Sri Lanka, while Nissanka’s runs will be sorely missed his absence means someone else has the chance to put his hand up. Sri Lanka will hope one or two of their young guns grab that opportunity with both hands.
The ODI tri-series will follow the T20Is, with the first three matches being played in Rawalpindi before the tournament moves to Lahore for the remaining league games and the final.
Pakistan have retained a more experienced core for the 50-over competition, with Babar, Salman, Haris Rauf and Faheem Ashraf among those included.
Former Pakistan Under-19 captain Saad Baig has earned his maiden ODI call-up after scoring more than 1,000 runs in the 2025-26 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, while left-arm wrist-spinner Sufiyan Moqim is another notable inclusion.
Pakistan have also strengthened their backroom staff, bringing back former Australian fast bowler Shaun Tait as bowling consultant. Tait previously served as Pakistan’s bowling coach in 2022-23 and replaces Ashley Noffke, who left after the Asian Games to take over as Netherlands head coach.
ATF Under-16 Colombo Week 1 Tennis
Sri Lanka’s junior players delivered a series of impressive performances on Wednesday, with the girls claiming all four semi-final places at the ATF Under-16 Colombo 2026 Week 1 tournament, held at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association courts.
Damsath Peiris
Methuli Naotunne led the charge with a notable quarter-final win over India’s Yashmitha Santhosh, recovering from a set loss to prevail 4-6, 7-5, 6-1. Kiara Jayamanne also came from behind to beat India’s Ahnavi Shaw 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.
Risindi
Hewawasam
In an all-Sri Lankan quarter-final, Risindi Hewawasam overcame Desandi Peiris 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, while Disini Samaraweera defeated Sayli Basnayake 3-6, 6-2, 6-0.
The Sri Lankan boys also impressed. Damsath Peiris beat Buvindu Jayawardhana 8-2, 7-6, and Yonal Dankumbura battled to a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory over Jayan Sebastian.
The visiting players, however, proved tough to beat. The Philippines’ Anthony Castigador defeated Sri Lanka’s Dehan Wickramasinghe 6-2, 6-4, and India’s Gurshaan Chahal fought back to overcome Udeera Gunasinghe 2-6, 7-5, 7-5.
(RF)
Mosvold Sixes 2026 concluded on Sunday at the Colombo Malay Cricket Club with Travel Trends Leisure crowned champions after a closely fought final against last year’s winners, Connaissance De Ceylan Sri Lanka, who finished as runners-up. Transco Travels were second runners-up.
Twenty three destination management companies took part in the six-a-side softball cricket tournament, organised by Mosvold Sri Lanka.
The Mosvold Martinus Challenge Trophy 2026 was presented to the champions by Nilanka Martinus, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Mosvold Boutique Hotels. Chief Guest Farveez Maharoof, the former Sri Lanka all-rounder, presented the runners-up award to Connaissance De Ceylan Sri Lanka.
This year’s twenty three competing DMCs were Tangerine Tours, Sri Lanka Tailormade, Olanka Travels, Antiquity Sri Lanka, Travel Trends Leisure, House of Travels & Tourism, NKAR Travels & Tours, Jetwing Travels, Walkers Tours, Connaissance De Ceylan Sri Lanka, Delux Holidays, Ceylon Roots, Spiceland Holidays, Infinity Vacations, Tropiculture, Serene Travels, Authenticities, Red Apple Travel & Holidays Lanka, DTH Travel Lanka, Hayleys Travels, We stay Ceylon, Transco Travels and Ceylon Tours.
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