Over 70’s Cricket World Cup Cricket – Meet Team Sri Lanka

As the Over 70s World Cup approaches, the Sri Lanka squad is ready to take the field, bringing decades of cricketing experience from around the world. Many have represented Sri Lanka in previous veterans’ tournaments, while others have played club and regional cricket overseas.

The team is a mix of seasoned batsmen, bowlers, and all-rounders — some still playing competitively in their 80s, others balancing cricket with careers, coaching, or other sports. Together, they bring passion, dedication, and camaraderie to the game.

Below, we introduce the Sri Lanka Over 70s World Cup team, sharing their cricketing journeys, personal milestones, and the experiences they bring to this tournament.

Cuthbert Berenger ( Capt )

Captained SL O70 WC team in 2024.

Oldest player in the side at 81.

Went to St Josephs College, Colombo..

Left SL at 16yrs of age & settled originally in Tasmania before moving to Sydney.

Has 10,000 runs over a period of 40 yrs in Sydney Grade Cricket.

Cuthy & Robyn were also very good NSW State Badminton players.

Currently Robyn is Cuthy’s practice partner with throw downs.

Currently Cuthy plays for Port Jackson in Regional & National tournaments & plays for Sri Lanka Lions Vintage team.

Left hand top order bat & medium pace bowler.

Indran Thavendra ( Vice Capt )

Vice Captain of the SL O70 WC team in 2024.

Went to Royal College Colombo. Same school as Chief ICC Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle.

Went to England for higher studies in about 1974.

Plays a lot of O60 / O70 Vets League cricket.

Opening / Top order bat & medium pace bowler.

Currently plays for Hartfordshire in England.

Fazly Wahab

Represented SL at the 2024 O60 WC in Chennai as a wicket keeper / batsman.

Continues in the same role for SL O70 team as main wicket keeper / top order bat.

Plays regular badminton & tours with the MCC as Official umpire.

Keeps fit with regular gym work.

Vijay Sivalingam

Played in the O70 WC in 2024.

Went to St Thomas College.

Same school as Michael Tissera who was the Captain of the First Ceylon Team that played against the great West Indies team with Worrell / Wes Hall / Sobers / Kanhai etc in the 1960’s.

Reputed Athlete in Sprint events at school.

Currently used as a boundary runner due to junior athletic sprint background.

Also, better runner between the wickets.

Right hand middle order bat.

Kris Perera

Plays a lot of O60 & O70 Vets Cricket in England opening the batting.

Has been the best batsman with the highest Aggregate for his Club in 2025 with close to 1000 runs in the season.

Capable of being the anchor of the side at the top of the order.

The Sri Lanka team is hoping that Kris gives them a good / steady start.

Suresh Navaratnam

Went to St Thomas College.

Right hand opening bat who is expected to partner Kris.

Plays a lot of O60 & O70 Vets Cricket in England.

Played softball cricket in Ratmalana as a 14 yr old riding his bike a long way to find any kids playing cricket almost 60 yrs ago.

Deepal Ahangama

Went to St Thomas College.

Played in the O70 WC in 2024.

Left school at 16 in1974 & went to England for further studies.

Lived in England for 40 years & played a lot of League Cricket.

Coordinator of Over-70’s cricket in SL for Lanka Masters Cricket Association.

Seriously into exercise programs to stay fit.

Tony Goonewardena

Played for St Josephs College from 1972 to 1974 as opening bat / wicket keeper.

Played Division 1 cricket in the late1970’s before joining the Up-Country Tea Plantation Sector as an Estate Superintendent.

Played Mercantile Sector cricket.

Gamini Debahapuwa

Played First XI cricket for St Anthonys College.from 1966 to 1970

Same school as Mutthiah Muralidaran.

Later served the Country as a member of the Sri Lanka AirForce.

Played for the Sri Lanka AirForce Division 1 Cricket team for a long time.

Regarded as a highly valuable cricketer for SLAF as a left arm seamer / spinner / middle order bat & very good fielder.

With a Very good throwing arm.

Expected to cover the boundary when needed.

Asok Wickremaratne

Played school cricket for Nalanda College.

Then played for Bloomfield Cricket Club in Premier Grade.

Went to the same school as Mahela Jayawardena / Roshan Mahanama / Asanka Gurusinghe / Bandula Warnapura ( Captain of the first Sri Lanka test team in 1982 ) / Kumar Dharmasena ( ICC Elite Panel Umpire )

Middle order bat / right arm off spinner.

Good Fielder.

Dixon Gunawardana.

Only Lawyer in the side.

Captained Sri Devananda College, Ambalangoda in 1975.

Has represented the Sri Lanka Lawyers team in 5 previous World Cup Events.

Middle order bat / right arm off spinner.

Good Fielder.

John Premachandran

Played for Sri Lanka in the 2024 O70 WC.

Champion Javelin thrower at school.

Went to Jaffna Central College.

Had a bright future as an Athlete but unfortunately wasn’t picked as the final Athletics trials clashed with his school exams.

Still has a strong arm / shoulder for his bowling.

Hard hitting middle order bat / opening bowler.

Sunitha Goonetilleke

Only representative from NZ in the SL team.

Has represented Auckland & NZ previously.

Played for NZ in the 2024 O70 WC.

Playing for Sri Lanka in 2026.

Only SL player who has played O70 cricket for 2 countries.

Steady opening bowler / lower order bat.

Jude Perera

Lives in British Columbia, Canada.

Has travelled a long way to be part of the selection process & to be selected to play for Sri Lanka.

As there has been no opportunity to conduct trials in Canada, Jude has had to attend trials in Sri Lanka & Sydney.

After selection, Jude has also travelled back to Sydney to play in other tournaments in Sydney as part of his preparation for the O70 WC.

Bats left hand & bowls right arm off spin.

Good fielder who can throw & is expected to cover the boundary.

Somasunderam Sivaramakrishnan

Played in the Inaugural O70 WC in 2024.

Only Medical Dr in the team & accordingly is also the official Team Dr as well as the nominated Defibrilator operator for the team.

Dr Sivaram also has been given the task of checking / monitoring player injuries on tour.

Steady middle order bat.

Runs well between wickets.

Keeps Very fit.

Has some routine warm up exercises for the others to follow.

Macky Rajakone

Left arm seamer.

Can take the new ball if needed & can bowl with the old ball also.

Has worked very hard at the nets with the Bowling Coach Gowri to improve line & Length to minimise possible wides.

Hard hitting left hand lower order bat.

Energetic fielder.

Kovinthapillai Amirthalingam

Right Arm off spinner.

Has worked very hard at the nets with the Bowling Coach Gowri to improve line & Length to minimise possible wides.

Specialist boundary runner who is fit.

Has a good throwing arm.