Friday Sep 05, 2025
Friday Sep 05, 2025
Monday, 1 September 2025 02:37 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Text and pictures by P.D. De Silva
Singer Sri Lanka ‘B’ defeated Expolanka Holdings by five runs in a nail-biting finish to emerge champions of the Link Natural MCA Premier League Cricket Tournament final, played at the MCA Ground on Saturday.
Electing to bat first, Singer Sri Lanka posted 265/8 in their allotted 50 overs. Nipuna Gallage top scored with 79 off 101 balls (1 six, 4 fours), while Kavindu Nirmana’s unbeaten 51 off 33 balls, Rashmika Madhushanka’s 42 off 40 balls, and Danuja Induwara’s 46 off 80 balls propped the score. Dilshan de Zoysa was the pick of the bowlers, picking up 2/35.
In the chase, Expolanka Holdings were 59/4 but a back-to-the-wall knock of 85 (7 fours, 1 six) by Manasa de Silva and a run a ball 54 by Lakshan Sandaken took them within reach of victory. Needing 14 runs to win the final over, Kavindu Nirmana only conceded two boundaries to help his team emerge champions.
Four teams—Singer Sri Lanka ‘B,’ Expolanka Holdings, Nawaloka Hospitals, and DFCC Bank—entered the MCA Premier League Cricket Tournament sponsored by Link Natural Products this year.
In the League stage, Expolanka Holdings topped the points table after having won all their matches, while Singer Sri Lanka were at the bottom of the table having lost all three of their first round games. In Qualifier One, Expolanka Holdings defeated DFCC Bank by 84 runs to enter the finals, while Singer Sri Lanka edged out Nawaloka Hospitals by 99 runs in the Eliminator and DFCC Bank by 50 runs in Qualifier Two to reach the final.
Special awards:
Brief scores:
Singer Sri Lanka 265/8 (50) (Dhanuja Induwara 46, Hiruna Gallage 79, Rashmika Madhushanka 42, Kavindu Nrmana 51, Dishan de Zoysa 2-35).
Expolanka Holdings 260/9 (50) (Dishan de Zoysa 21, Manasa de Silva 85, Nimesha Gunasinghe 21, Malsha Tharupathi 27, Lakshan Sandaken 54; Dhanosh de Silva 3-44, Pasindu Dilshan 2-48).
