Herath is Dialog Cricketer of the Year 2016
Colombo, 1st November 2017
Sri Lanka Cricket’s annual awards night, The Dialog Sri Lanka Cricket Awards 2017, which honours the performances and achievements of players in both the national and international arena from the period June 2016 – June 2017, was held at the Water’s Edge, Battaramulla last evening.
Awards were presented to 58 men’s and women’s cricketers who have excelled in their respective specialist areas over the period June 2016 to June 2017. The adjudicatory panel, which consisted of the Sri Lanka National Selectors – Mr. Graeme Labrooy, Mr. Gamini Wickramasinghe, Mr. Jerryl Wouterz, Mr. Sajith Fernando, Mr. Asanka Gurusinha, the National Women’s Selectors – Ms. Rasanjalee de Alwis, Ms. Thilaka Nilmini and Ms. Indika and the Awards Committee – Mr. Chryshantha Kapuwatte, Mr. Samantha Dodanwela and Mr. Priyantha Zoysa together with Mr. Ashley de Silva, have taken into consideration the performances of each team and player on the domestic (national) and international arena, considering both statistics as well as contribution.
The ‘Dialog Cricketer of the Year 2016’ award was won by veteran spin master, Rangana Herath who recently became the first ever Left Arm Spinner to take 400 Test Wickets, whilst the Dialog Women’s Cricketer of the Year 2016 was won by Chamari Atapattu.
The “Emerging Cricketer of the Year” which this year will lauded both National and International level were carried away by Ron Chamdragupta and Niroshan Dickwella respectively, whilst a new category entrant “Most Promising Cricketer of 2016”, was carried away by Wanindu Hasaranga (National) and Asela Gunaratne (International).
Speaking at the Award Ceremony, Wisden’s “Indian Cricketer of the Century 2002” and ICC hall of fame inductee, Guest of Honour Mr. Kapil Dev, spoke of talent and belief encouraging the young cricketer’s to believe in themselves and the inherent talent they possess, – reminding our young cricketers that the pride of our nation rests upon their capable shoulders and that the power to conquer lies within them.
The 2017 Award ceremony, also saw one of Sri Lanka’s most iconic administrators of the game for over 50 years, Mr. Neil Perera, honoured with the “Sri Lanka Cricket Lifetime Achievement Award 2016”. Mr. Perera, who served as the Secretary of SLC (then the BCCSL) in 1996, is credited with being a driving force behind the establishment of the ‘PILCOM’, which brought the 19996 ICC Cricket World Cup to the Subcontinent.
Chief Guest for the evening, Minister of Sport, Hon, Dayasiri Jayasekera congratulated the nominees and award winners on their achievements reminding them to have faith in themselves, play to their full potential and continue to give the motherland all that they have to offer wearing the National flag with pride. The ceremony was attended by over 150 past and present players as well as officials, administrators, stakeholders, commercial partners, media partners and well-wishers, and was interspersed with entertainment acts which were crafted to uplift and inspire, including the Chitral Somapala and Kelum Srimal’s collaboration – “Sinha Lokaye Sinhaya” and a surprise song act from 6 players namely – Nuwan Kulasekera, Dushmantha Chameera, Sacithra Senanayaka, Niroshan Dickwella, Milinda Siriwardena and T.M Dilshan.
Following are the Award winners of this year’s Dialog Sri Lanka Cricket Awards –
Women’s Cricket (Division I – T20 – 2016) – BEST BATSWOMAN
Prasadini Weerakkody – Navy Sports Club
Women’s Cricket (Division I – T20 – 2016) – BEST BOWLER
Janakanthi Mala – Colombo Colts Cricket Club
Women’s Cricket (Division I – T20 – 2016) – BEST ALL ROUNDER
Chamari Atapatthu – Air Force Sports Club
Women’s Cricket (Division I – T20) – RUNNERS UP (2016)
Army Sports Club
Women’s Cricket (Division I – T20) – WINNER (2016)
Air Force Sports Club
Women’s Cricket (Division I – 50 Over – 2016) – BEST BATSWOMAN
Lasanthi Madushani – Navy Sports Club
Women’s Cricket (Division I – 50 Over – 2016) – BEST BOWLER
Inoka Ranaweera – Navy Sports Club
Women’s Cricket (Division I – 50 Over – 2016) – BEST ALL ROUNDER
Chamari Atapatthu – Air Force Sports Club
Women’s Cricket (Division I – 50 Over) – RUNNERS UP (2016)
Army Sports Club
Women’s Cricket (Division I – 50 Over) – WINNER (2016)
Air Force Sports Club
Under 23 (Division I – T20 – 2016) – BEST BATSMAN Lahiru Udara – Nondescript Sports Club
Under 23 (Division I – T20 – 2016) – BEST BOWLER Ramesh Mendis – Sinhalese Sports Club
Under 23 (Division I – T20 – 2016) – BEST ALL ROUNDER Ramesh Mendis – Sinhalese Sports Club
Under 23 (Division I – T20 – 2016) – RUNNERS UP Sinhalese Sports Club
Under 23 (Division I – T20 – 2016) – WINNER Army Sports Club
Under 23 (Division I – 2016) – BEST BATSMAN Krishan Sanjula – Sinhalese Sports Club
Under 23 (Division I – 2016) – BEST BOWLER – Chalana de Silva – Chilaw Marians Cricket Club
Under 23 (Division I – 2016) – BEST ALL ROUNDER Kasun Vidura Adikari – Chilaw Marians Cricket Club
Under 23 (Division I – 2016) – RUNNERS UP Army Sports Club
Under 23 (Division I – 2016) – WINNER Chillaw Marians Cricket Club
Premier League Tier B (2016) – BEST BATSMAN – Harshana Prabath – Kurunegala Youth Cricket Club
Premier League Tier B (2016) – BEST BOWLER – Chamikara Edirisingha – Sri Lanka Ports Authority Cricket Club
Premier League Tier B (2016) – BEST ALLROUNDER – Rejive Weerasinghe – Lankan Cricket Club
Premier League Tier B (2016) – RUNNERS UP Panadura Sports Club Premier League
Tier B (2016) – WINNER Sri Lanka Ports Authority Cricket Club
Inter-District Limited Overs (2016) – BEST BATSMAN Harsha Cooray – Killinochchi District
Inter-District Limted Overs (2016) – BEST BOWLER Sanjika Ridma – Badulla District
Inter-District Limited Overs (2016) – BEST ALLROUNDER Ashan Priyanjana – Colombo District
Inter-District Limited Overs (2016) – RUNNERS UP Kegalle District
Inter-District Limited Overs (2016) – WINNER Colombo District
Premier League Tier A (2016) – BEST BATSMAN Sadeera Samarawickrama – Colombo Colts Cricket Club
Premier League Tier A (2016) – BEST BOWLER Malinda Pushpakumara – Chillaw Marians Cricket Club
Premier League Tier A (2016) – BEST ALLROUNDER Chathuranga de Silva – Nondescript Cricket Club
Premier League Tier A (2016) – RUNNERS UP Chillaw Marians Cricket Club
Premier League Tier A (2016) – WINNER Sinhalese Sports Club Domestic
Umpire of the Year 2016 Ranmore Martinez
Domestic Match Referee of the Year 2016 Wendell Labrooy
Journalist of the Year 2016 – Champika Fernando – Daily Mirror/Sunday Times
International Umpire of the Year 2016 Kumar Darmasena
Lifetime Achievement Award Neil Perera
T20I BATSWOMAN OF THE YEAR 2016 Chamari Atapatthu
T20I WOMEN’S BOWLER OF THE YEAR 2016 Sugandika Kumari
ODI BATSWOMAN OF THE YEAR 2016 Chamari Atapatthu
ODI WOMEN’S BOWLER OF THE YEAR 2016 Inoka Ranaweera
T20I BATSMAN OF THE YEAR 2016 Asela Gunaratna
T20I BOWLER OF THE YEAR 2016 Lasith Malinga
T20I ALL-ROUNDER OF THE YEAR 2016 Asela Gunaratna
ODI BATSMAN OF THE YEAR 2016 Kusal Mendis
ODI BOWLER OF THE YEAR 2016 Suranga Lakmal
ODI ALL-ROUNDER OF THE YEAR 2016 Asela Gunaratna
TEST BATSMAN OF THE YEAR 2016 Dhanajaya De Silva
TEST BOWLER OF THE YEAR 2016 Rangana Herath
TEST ALL-ROUNDER OF THE YEAR Dilruwan Perera
EMERGING CRICKETER OF THE YEAR 2016 (DOMESTIC) Ron Chandragupta
MOST PROMISING CRICKETER 2016 (DOMESTIC) Wanindu Hasaranga
DIALOG WOMEN’S CRICKETER OF THE YEAR Chamari Atapatthu
MOST PROMISING CRICKETER 2016 Asela Gunaratna
EMERGING CRICKETER OF THE YEAR 2016 Niroshan Dickwella
DIALOG CRICKETER OF THE YEAR Rangana Herath
