School cricket crowning ceremony today at BMICH
All roads would lead to the BMICH in Colombo today when it hosts the 44th Observer SLT-Mobitel School Cricketers of the Year ceremony commencing at 5.15 p.m. 
Adding the colourful evening show as the chief guest will be the man who made a spectacular century when Sri Lanka won the 1996 World Cup final against Australia, Aravinda de Silva.
Sri Lanka’s newest find to the national team – Dunith Wellalage of St. Joseph’s College, Colombo will be crowned as the Observer SLT-Mobitel Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2022. That is not going to be the sole title for the Sri Lanka under-19 Captain who is in line for several other glamorous awards.
Rusanda Gamage of St. Peter’s College, Colombo will carry away the runner-up title of the Observer SLT-Mobitel Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2022.
The Observer SLT-Mobitel Most Popular Schoolgirl Cricketer of 2022 will go to Chushadi Kaushalya of Darmapala Vidyalaya while Manudi Nanayakkara of Princes of Wales College, Moratuwa will be the runner up.
It will be an honour to have Aravinda de Silva as the chief guest as he is the first and only cricketer in the world’s 143-year-old Test history to score an unbeaten centuries in each innings of a Test match.
The guests of honour will be Minister of Transport, Highways and Media, Dr. Bandula Gunawardena and Minister of Sports Roshan Ranasinghe.
Prior to the commencement of the official program, the super giant screen erected at the BMICH centre will screen the highlights of the 2022 Asia Cup final between Sri Lanka and Pakistan that was won by the Lions. Another song has been mixed with the 1996 World Cup theme song in honour of Sri Lanka’s World Cup-winning vice captain Aravinda de Silva.
Today’s Mega Night is packed with some eye-catching entertainment provided by leading vocalists Dinesh Gamage, Jacqualine Hettiarachchi and Roy Jackson. There will be many super dance acts by Chandana Wickremasinghe Dance Troupe in the 150-minute action-packed show handled by Funtime of Imran Saibo.
Once again, evergreen Clifford Richards and charming Sonali Perera will compere the show.
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic threatening to disrupt all events worldwide for almost two years, the Sunday Observer and its principal sponsor SLT-Mobitel were extremely lucky to beat all overwhelming odds to host both the shows. Hence, the SLT-Mobitel gave its financial backing for the 15th successive year and the Sunday Observer continues its SLT-Mobitel School Cricketers of the Year uninterrupted. Sri Lanka Telecom, headed by its Group Chairman Rohan Fernando, former Vice President of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOC) and ex-President of the Rowing Association of Sri Lanka has always given the fullest backing for the event. The CEO of Mobitel Chandika Vitharana and his Team Mobitel have always supported the Mega Event to become a big success.
The Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA) and the Sri Lanka Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association have joined hands with the Sunday Observer and SLT-Mobitel to ensure nothing is left out. Especially the SLSCA President, Thilak Wathuhewa and Secretary General, J.A.K.S. Indrajith have been in the forefront in making this a resounding success.
Chairman and Managing Director of the ANCL, Anusha Palpita has been a tower of strength to move forward with the Mega Show while ANCL’s Board of Directors – Sisira Paranathantri (Editorial), Janaka Ranatunga (Legal and Administration), Manjula Makumbura (Operations) and Prof. Harendra Kariyawasam (Finance) have been behind the Sunday Observer in this huge operation.
The Sunday Observer found the necessity of recognising the raw talents of schoolboy cricketers way back in the 1970s when the school cricket national body had not even thought of a schools tournament.
When the success story of the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year is spoken about, one cannot forget the lavish contribution made by SLT-Mobitel since 2008, especially its role to keep the Mega Show uninterrupted during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Though the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer officially began in 1979, the Sunday Observer awards show had originally commenced in 1975 with Nalanda Cricketer, Anura Ranasinghe, the controversial 12th man in Sri Lanka’s inaugural Test squad, being picked the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year in 1975.
Although the show was not held in 1977, Ranjan Madugalle was adjudged the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year when the awards show resumed in 1978. Madugalle won the title once more in 1979, the first formal year of the competition.