Nipun Sumanasinghe reaches 1,000 run mark in U19 school cricket season 2016/17

Stylish left handed No. 3 batsman Nipun Sumanasinghe of St. Joseph’s College, Colombo, surpassed the 1,000 run mark this under 19 school cricket season. He reached this landmark by scoring 114 runs against St. Benedict’s College on 18 February. He is the first schoolboy to do so this season and the first Joe in eight years.

Born in January 1999, at just a few days over 18 years the batsman reached the milestone in his 18th match of the season. He scored 03 centuries (122 against Joseph Vaz College, 158 against Trinity College and 114 against St. Benedict’s College) and five half centuries in the process. He has scored at a strike rate of 68.25 with an average of 46.50 runs per inning.

His highest score in the season was 158 off 186 balls (20 fours and 01 six at a run rate of 84.95) against Trinity College. Nipun will have two important matches left this season against Ananda and the ‘Big Match’ against St. Peter’s.

Playing in his third year for St. Joseph’s 1st XI he scored a half century in last year’s Big Match. Also during this season, bowling right arm off spin he has captured 31 wickets including 5 for 35 against Joseph Vaz and 4 for 32 against St. Benedict’s College. He achieved rare double by scoring 100 runs and taking 5 wickets against Joseph Vaz College.

Nipun represented the college under 13 team when he was nine years old. He captained the college under 13 and under 15 teams and was the vice-captain of the under 17 team last year. He represented the western province north under 19 cricket team in the inter-provincial cricket tournament in 2016. In 2014 he was a member of the Western Province North under 15 cricket team which won the inter-provincial Prema Cup Tournament – 2014.

In 2016 he was in the Sri Lankan under 19 squad of 25 players from which the final selection was made for South Africa (home series), England (away), Asia Cup (home) and South Africa (away) series.

Nipun’s season achievements are winning the Man of the Match award in the Murali Cup T-20 Tournament 2016, Gilmour Jayasuriya Memorial Trophy for the Best Batsman in the S. Thomas’ vs St. Joseph’s encounter.

This elegant left-handed batsman Nipun Sumanasinghe’s aim is to represent the country in the near future.