Sri Lanka Soft Ball Cricket Federation’s national team concludes successful tour of UAE

By Hishan Welmilla

The national softball cricket team concluded a short but successful tour of the UAE in the first week of April where they played two matches in Sharjah/Dubai and two other matches in Abu Dhabi and emerged victorious in three games against quality opposition made up of former and present first division players from Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan.

All the matches were played at recognised Cricket venues in the UAE and with a “tape” ball.  The matches in Sharjah/Dubai were organised and coordinated by former Sri Lankan youth international Presley Polonnowita, the CEO and Head Coach of The Desert Cubs Cricket Academy – the largest such entity in the Gulf whilst the Abu Dhabi games were liaised equally professionally by Maduranga Botheju – President of the Lions Club and Dinesh Indika of Eleven Lions and their committees.  The Sri Lankan Ambassador to the UAE – S.J. Mohideen graced the proceedings during the Abu Dhabi leg of the tour. 

The Softball Federation and its office bearers led by the President Chandrapala Liyanage, Secretary Kumar Kumaranayke and Treasurer Dhammika Solaman along with the other office bearers were extremely thankful to the Minister of Sports Dayasiri Jayasekara, The Director General of Sports Ruwanchandra and the Ministry of Sports for their support , guidance and allocating funds for the issue of free air tickets , Kanrich Finance – the Principle Sponsor, Media Advisor to the Federation Nimal Weeratunge, Presley Polonnowita, Maduranga Botheju, Dinesh Indika and their teams in the UAE and Nishan Herath – the International Relations Consultant and Coordinator to the Federation who played the pivotal role in the successful conduct of the tour.

The Softball Cricket Federation looks forward to many such tours in the future with the hope and the agenda of developing and providing exposure to budding cricketers whilst also establishing a base for a feeder system to hard ball cricket and eventually to the national cricket team.