Hindu College, Colombo reigns supreme in the 15th “Battle of the Hindus”

The 15th edition of the much-anticipated “Battle of the Hindus” was unveiled at the Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu International Cricket Stadium (also known as the Colombo Oval), by displaying courage, resilience, grit and, most importantly, brotherhood. After a thrilling contest, Hindu College, Colombo emerged victorious against their northern counterparts by securing a five-wicket win in a low-scoring encounter that kept spectators on the edge of their seats until the final stage. 

The match, characterised by dominant bowling and resilient batting, began with Hindu College, Jaffna, taking to the crease after deciding to bat first. The visiting side struggled against a disciplined Colombo attack by losing both openers when the score was just for runs. Then Nesaroopan Nerujan and Ravindran Aathidiyan got together and gave some momentum for the Jaffna lads. Afterwards, Vishwanathan Yuvaraj made a vital breakthrough by removing Nerujan to end the 47-run partnership, which was the highest in the entire encounter. 

Apart from Ravindran Aathidiyan and Thinesreman Preemikan, who scored 31 and 26 runs respectively, the Jaffna batting lineup crumbled under pressure. The major damage was inflicted by Vishwanathan Yuvaraj, whose clinical bowling saw him claim 5 wickets, restricting Jaffna to a modest total of 102 runs in their first innings. 

After their clinical display with the bowling, Hindu College, Colombo looked to capitalise on their start. However, the Jaffna side had other plans as Sutharsan Subarnan delivered a sensational spell, single-handedly dismantling the Colombo batting order by taking six wickets. Despite the top-order collapse, Suresh Sarvish held the fort with a top score of 32 runs, while Vellandurai Abinesh and Muttukumar Abhishek played around him to take a slender lead after accumulating 119 runs. 

In their second innings, Hindu College, Jaffna, needed to post a significant total to put pressure on the Colombo side on a damaged pitch. Once again, the top order fell cheaply by hindering their winning chances. However, Sutharsan Subarnan continued his impressive all-round performance, scoring a valuable 36 runs to give his team a fighting chance. Nesaroopan Nerujan also scored 24 valuable runs in the context of the game. The rest of the batters failed to support them, and the team was bundled out for just 98 runs. 

This set a target of 82 runs for Hindu College, Colombo to defend the title for yet another year. While the target appeared achievable, the early signs of an interesting low-scoring chase were evident. Wickets fell at regular intervals, keeping the Jaffna side in the hunt. At one stage, the lads from Colombo struggled at 31/4, while the Northern Gladiators were roaring for wickets.  

However, opener Thivakaran Yaadhav played the role of the anchor to perfection. Displaying composure beyond his years, Yaadhav remained unbeaten on 34 runs, steering the innings through the tricky phases. His steady hand ensured that despite losing five wickets, Colombo crossed the finish line comfortably. The resilient effort from Vellandurai Abinesh (22 runs) and Ranjith Kumar Akkilesh (11 runs) should not be forgotten, as without their support, the Jaffna lads had all the chances to post an upset in Colombo. Sutharsan Subarnan and Kanagaraj Niththees took two wickets each, but a lot more was expected from the Jaffna bowlers, especially in the 4th inning on a bowling-friendly track where a lot of cracks were available. 

With this thrilling victory Hindu College, Colombo, not only won the match, but also retained the bragging rights in this prestigious 15th encounter, marking another memorable chapter in the history of the “Battle of the Hindus”. By the evening of the second and final day, the dust had settled on the P. Sara Oval Stadium, Colombo, but the spirit of camaraderie lingers long after the final action of the encounter.  

Scorecard in Brief 

Hindu College, Jaffna (1st inning) – 102 all out (39.5 Overs) 

Ravindran Aathidiyan 31, Thinesreman Preemikan 26, Thineshraman Preeththikan 17, Nesaroopan Nerujan 14 

 

Vishwanathan Yuvaraj 33/5, Ramanathan Dheskar 20/3, Thivakaran Yaadhav 19/2, 

Hindu College, Colombo (1st inning) 119 all out (37.3 Overs) 

Suresh Sarvish 32, Vellandurai Abinesh 24, Muttukumar Abhishek 22, Harsha Mithumina 12,Sutharsan Subarnan 43/6, Nesaroopan Nerujan 22/2, Srijeyanthan Harikaran 16/1, Gananakaran Laksigan 17/1,  

Hindu College, Jaffna (2nd inning) – 98 all out (38 Overs) 

Sutharsan Subarnan 34, Nesaroopan Nerujan 21,  

 

Ramanathan Dheskar 20/4, Vishwanathan Yuvaraj 44/4, Thivakaran Yaadhav 28/1, Vellandurai Abinesh 01/01 

Hindu College, Colombo (2nd inning) – 82/5 (35.5 Overs) 

Thivakaran Yaadhav 34*, Vellandurai Abinesh 22, Ranjith Kumar Akkilesh 11, Harsha Mithumina 09 

 

Sutharsan Subarnan 28/2, Kanagaraj Niththees 29/2, 

 

Hindu College, Colombo won by 5 wickets 

Special Awards 

• Best Fielder – Kanagaraj Niththees (Jaffna) 
• Best Bowler – Vishwanathan Yuvaraj (Colombo) 
• Best Batsman – Sutharsan Subarnan (Jaffna) 
• Player of the Match – Thivakaran Yaadhav (Colombo)