Former aspiring Sri Lanka women’s cricketer who also played for Colts and the Colombo Cricket Club, Poojani Liyanage, met with a tragic death last Monday in Kurunegala.
The 33-year-old Liyanage was an experienced cricketer in the domestic arena and played for the Sri Lanka Development Squad and Sri Lanka A team during her career as a leg spinner and lower order batter.
She studied at Harishchandra College Anuradhapura and later joined Shakthi Sports Club Anuradhapura and captained the team in the 2004/2005 season.
But Liyanage left her home town with the dream of representing the Sri Lanka team and first enrolled at the Colombo Cricket Club and was a member of the champion team at the last Inter-Provincial women’s cricket tournament.
She retired from the sport prematurely and took to scoring as a member of the Sri Lanka Cricket Scorers Association (SLCSA )and was awarded best women’s cricket scorer at their annual colours awards ceremony in 2016.
She was very popular among the players, coaches, umpires and matches referees as well.
“You were an amazing character. Fighter, Learner, you always wanted to play for the national team as a leg spinner. Together we have played club cricket, provincial tournaments, National pool matches and MCA Academy matches for many years. More than anything else you were a very good friend, sister to all the women cricketers in Sri Lanka. We will never forget you sister,” former Sri Lanka captain Shashikala Siriwardena said in a statement published on Social media in memory of Liyanage.