Imran Bisthamin, a star who could not continue rugby due to a serious injury
Bistha, as he’s fondly known amongst his bequests, was a champion cricketer and an athlete who brought glory to his alma mater, St. Anthony’s College, Kandy. He represented his school at national level with distinction.
Towards the end of his school’s career, he gave up everything else and devoted himself to his beloved game Rugby. He was a member of the squad that won the Milo School Rugby league in 2001 under Tikiri Dissanayake After some stellar performances with the senior team, he emerged as the Captain of the 2004 Anthonian Rugby 1st XV. He led his team admirably well by leading them to victory against a formidable Royal team at Nittawela.
One would never forget his famous skip pass to the far wing enabling a last minute match winning try. The people at the stand were absolutely shell shocked seeing how Bisthamin created a try out of nowhere. Just out of school, Bisthamin simply walked into the champion Kandy SC team aged just 19 years. He played as a third row forward initially in the shadow of greats like Fazil Marija,Sean Wijesinghe, Kapila Silva, Sajith Mallikarachchi, Sanjeewa Jayasinghe and the Weerarathne brothers. He emerged as the next big thing in Lankan rugby becoming a marauding forward virtually unstoppable when in full flight. He made his debut for Sri Lanka in 2007. On a fatal night in 2008, at the age of just 23, he suffered a career ending injury when he fell of a ledge of a building while dining with his team mates at a restaurant in Kandy. This incident tragically damaged his spine and ended what promised to be a legendary story in the annals of Sri Lankan rugby.
All of the rugby loving public was in an absolute state of shock when the news broke out & people started storming the ICU of the Kandy General Hospital to wish him well. After several surgeries and years of rehabilitation, Imran got back to his feet though not one hundred percent.
The rugby loving public will always remember what Imran did for St. Anthony’s College, Kandy SC and Sri Lanka.
It’s a pity that his career ended so soon, just as he was hitting a purple patch and a much promised career. It’s wonderful to learn that Bistha got married recently and the rugby loving public take this opportunity to wish Imran Bisthamin and his beloved wife a happy wedded life with lots of Happiness.