KUALA LUMPUR: Thirty years after Sri Lanka’s fairytale triumph at the 1996 Cricket World Cup, several heroes of that historic campaign will reunite in Kuala Lumpur on May 15 and 16 for a celebration of cricket, charity and youth development.
Among the stars confirmed for the event are former middle-order stalwart Roshan Mahanama and World Cup final hero Asanka Gurusinha, both eager to work with the next generation through special coaching clinics during the two-day programme.
Hosted at the Royal Selangor Club, the celebrations will begin with a gala dinner on May 15, followed by an exhibition match at the Bukit Kiara ground the next day, where the Sri Lankan legends will face a Rest of the World side.
The programme will also feature coaching clinics for young cricketers, community activities, food booths, a Partners Bazaar and EV test drives.
As part of the initiative, 20 Orang Asli cricketers from interior communities will have the opportunity to train with the Sri Lankan greats and gain rare exposure to high-level cricket environments.
Organiser R. Devindran said he hopes the anniversary celebrations will inspire young players by showing what underdog teams can achieve.
“The Orang Asli kids have good potential, and I want them to receive coaching and tips from the former world champions,” said Devindran, a former national player.
“I try to organise charity events like this from time to time because I want to give back to the sport that helped nurture me and made me the person I am today.
“The 30-year anniversary event will create memorable moments for many people, especially the young cricketers.”
Mahanama, who played a crucial role in Sri Lanka’s victorious 1996 campaign, including scoring a vital half-century against India in the semifinal at Eden Gardens, said he was particularly looking forward to mentoring aspiring players.
“This is going to be one of the biggest events outside Sri Lanka, where we will come together to celebrate the game of cricket,” said Mahanama.
“What I am especially looking forward to is meeting young players who may go on to build successful careers, and seeing how we can support them by sharing some of the knowledge and experience we have gained over the years.”
Gurusinha, who scored 65 in the World Cup final against Australia and shared a decisive 125-run partnership with Aravinda de Silva, also stressed the importance of passing on knowledge to younger players.
“We are especially looking forward to those sessions because it is very important to teach young players the right way to play cricket and to pass on our experience and knowledge,” he said.
The reunion is also expected to feature several other members of Sri Lanka’s iconic 1996 squad, including captain Arjuna Ranatunga and batting maestro Aravinda de Silva, whose unbeaten century and three wickets in the final sealed one of cricket’s greatest World Cup victories.
For more information on the event, click here.
Image: Sri Lanka Cricket World Cup 1996 – 30th Anniversary Celebrations in KL / Facebook
