Kelaniya University Alumni Association Australia (KUAA Australia) secured a comfortable win against Peradeniya University Alumni Association (PUAAVic) in the 11th annual cricket encounter held at Knox Gardens Cricket Club in Wantirna South recently.
This was a massive come back to the KUAA team after losing the previous three matches to PUAAVic. KUAA fought back in style while PUAA players struggled to put a decent score on the board. With many young players infusing new energy to the team, KUAA’s performance at both bat and ball was nothing short of brilliance.
“We’ve had some pressure to win this year’s match somehow after losing to PUAA for three consecutive years. It was just too much and we knew that we are too good a team to keep losing which helped us to reflect on our weaknesses and come back stronger this year. It is rather refreshing to know that the trophy is ours after all,” said Chandana Ranaweera, the Captain of KUAA Team.
The Australia Day Cricket match has enabled many Sri Lankans living in Victoria to celebrate the strong passion that both Australia and Sri Lanka has for this beautiful game. Cricket has always been an important part of the way of life for both nations and it is part of our national psyches and firmly entrenched in both cultures.
Being the main summer sport in Australia, the annual encounter between KUAA and PUAA has served as a valuable platform for Sri Lankans living in Melbourne to come together, rejoice, celebrate and foster friendships and togetherness. Strengthening and protecting this spirit has been crucial for both university associations. Unwilling to break this tradition, the two groups worked hard to put together a grand event despite challenges imposed by Covid-19.
KUAA and PUAAVic are registered community organisations in Australia. Both organisations serve as platforms of solidarity for a large number of Sri Lankan Australians. Over the years, the two organizations have contributed to the effective integration, assimilation and cultural enrichment of the Sri Lankan community living in Australia.
