Stars of ’96 shine in World Cup win’s 20th anniversary encounter

President Maithripala Sirisena was the Chief Guest at the exhibition cricket match held on Saturday to mark the 20th anniversary of the Cricket World Cup victory.

The friendly cricket match, played between the 1996 World Cup-winning team members and a number of former national cricket players, was held at the CCC Grounds at Maitland Crescent in Colombo.

Sri Lanka won the Cricket World Cup in 1996 under the captaincy of Arjuna Ranatunga, the present Ports and Shipping Minister.

The friendly match featured the World Cup-winning captain leading his 1996 teammates against the Old Stars Team led by former cricket great Roy Dias. The World Cup 1996 Team won the friendly T20 match. 

All members of the 1996 World Cup-winning team except Kumar Dharmasena, who is umpiring at the ongoing ICC World T20 Championship in India, participated at the occasion organised by the Sri Lanka Cricket Association.

The proceeds earned through the match were donated to the campaign sponsored by Singer Sri Lanka to provide clean drinking water to kidney patients in the North and East. Veteran cricketer Roshan Mahanama presented the proceeds’ cheque to the President. Minister of Sports Dayasiri Jayasekara, Chairman of Singer Sri Lanka Hemaka Amarasuriya and a large number of cricket fans participated in the event.

The 1996 World Cup winning team: Arjuna Ranatunga (Captain) , Aravinda de Silva, Asanka Gurusinghe, Sanath Jayasuriya, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Marvan Atapattu, Upul Chandana, Muttiah Muralitharan, Hashan Thilakaratne, Chaminda Vaas, Pramodya Wickramasinghe, Ravindra Pushpakumara.

Old Stars Team: Roy Dias (Captain ), Kumar Sangakkara, Graham Labroy, Mahesh Gunathilaka, Thilina Kandambi, Hemantha Devapriya, Avishka Gunawardene, Charith Senanayake, Hemantha Wickramaratne, Eric Upashantha, Sajeewa de Silva, Indika de Seram, Malintha Warnapura, Halabage Premasiri , Chaminda Mendis, Gamini Perera.

Pix by Shantha Ratnayake