Chamari sweeps Sri Lanka Cricket Awards 2024

Chamari Athapaththu receiving one of her six awards from Sri Lanka Cricket President Shammi Silva

Kamindu Mendis and Chamari Athapaththu took home the night’s biggest awards, being named the Men’s and Women’s Cricketers of the Year respectively, at the Home Lands Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Awards 2024 on Monday.

Kamindu’s record-breaking year also, unsurprisingly, saw him named best Test batter after he struck 1,049 runs at 74.92 over the 12-month period in consideration.

The night’s biggest winner, however, was Athapaththu bagging six awards in total, including the Women’s Cricketer of the Year award. She swept the batting, bowling and allrounder awards for T20Is in a year which saw her score 720 runs - second only to Smriti Mandhana - and pick up 21 wickets in the format. In ODIs, her 458 runs at 65.42 along with nine wickets in as many games, meant she was named the best batter and allrounder in the format. Only Kavisha Dilhari’s 17 wickets across eight ODIs - earning her the best ODI Bowler award - prevented an Athapaththu clean sweep.

Former All Ceylon great Stanley Jayasinghe admiring his Lifetime Achievement award (Pix courtesy SLC)

A total of 46 awards were presented during the ceremony, including Match Referee of the Year and Umpire of the Year, which went to Pradeep Jeyapragash and Chamara de Zoysa respectively, as well as several Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Many present and former cricketers were in attendance with Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage being the chief guest. 

(Agencies)