The Sri Lanka Junior (under -15) Baseball Team, led by Kingswood College’s Oneth Dumindu Basnayake, left the island last night to take part in the BFA XII U-15 Baseball Asian Championship, scheduled to take place in Tainan, Chinese Taipei, from August 17 to 23.
The champions and the runners-up of the tournament will qualify for the prestigious WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup which is scheduled to be held in the next year (In Italy).
In this highly competitive event Sri Lankan youth talents will be in the fray against some of Asia’s strongest teams, like Japan, the Philippines, and Hong Kong, who are in the same group in the preliminary round. Definitely, the Lankans will face a huge task against Japan, who are the defending U-15 World Champions. They defeated Puerto Rico in the final to win the title in 2024 in Colombia. In the other group the national youth outfits from Pakistan, South Korea, Thailand, and Chinese Taipei will feature for the glory.
The 18-member team’s vice captain is T. A. P. Mihiranga, a student from Ananda College Colombo. The Sri Lankan youth side has trained under the watchful eyes of Vihanga de Silva, who is the head coach, while Kaushala Prabudhdha is included in the touring squad as the assistant coach. Sri Lanka is scheduled to headline the curtain-raiser match against the Philippines on August 17th, and it will be followed by the games against Japan and Hong Kong, China, on the 18th & 19th of August, respectively.
ThePapare media team wishes our young lions all the very best to carry the Lions flag high on the international stage.
The Touring Sri Lanka Youth Squad
- M. Oneth Dumindu Basnayake (Captain – Kingswood College)
- A. Pawan Mihiranga (Vice Captain – Ananda College)
Chenuka Basura Jayasinghe (Kingswood College)
- T. Thenuja Dinsara (D. S. Senanayake College)
- P. Sathisha Dinal Kujana (Royal College)
- M. S, Vihanga Vishwa Kumara (Medirigiriya National College)
- M. Dewnuda Amaneth Mannapperuma (Sampathnuwara National School, Welioya)
- P. Dasun Himasha Perera (Nalanda College)
- M. Damith Induwara Rathnayake (Lumbini Royal College, Kandy)
Hasandu Dulneth Senaviratne (Maliyadeva College, Kurunegala)
- M. Hirun Lindula Adhikari (Royal College)
- A Akith Enuwara (Senaeath Paranawitharana College)
- K. Chamidu Damsara Thilakaratne (Richmond College, Galle)
- M. Sadew Sathsara (Medirigiriya National College)
- A. Denuwan Lakindu Chamathkara (D. S. Senanayake College)
- M. Avishka Sandun Lakshan (Aliwanguwa Maha Vidyalaya, Anuradhapura)
- Hansika Vikum (Royal College)
- A. Nethun Insanda Thennakoon (Mahinda Rajapaksha College)
Seated (Left to Right): Chenuka Basura, Oneth Basnayake (Captain), Vihanga De Silva (Head Coach), Ruwan Ransinghe (Team Manager), Sampath Weragoda (Head of Delegation, President, Sri Lanka Schools Baseball Association /Principal, D. S. Senanayake College), Lasantha Rajapaksha (Team Coordinator), Kaushala Prabudhdha (Assistant Coach), Pawan Mihiranga (Vice Captain), Thenuja Dinsara
Standing (Left to Right): Sathisha Dinal, Vishwa Kumara, Dewnuda Amaneth, Dasun Himasha, Damith Induwara, Hasandu Dulneth, Hirun Lindula, Akith Enuwara, Chamidu Damsara, Sadew Sathsara, Denuwan Lakindu, Avishka Sandun, Hansika Vikum, Nethun Insanda
Other Officials who render their invaluable service for the tour
- Mrs. Nilmini Pradeepika (Secretary, School baseball association) assisted the entire process of this tour
- Mrs. Asha Nipuni (tournament secretary, School Baseball Association )
- Mr. Mark Fonseka (Former Secretary ,Sri Lanka Baseball Association )
- Sports Minister Hon. Sunil Kumara Gamage for providing air tickets to the team
 Baseball Team, led by Kingswood College’s Oneth Dumindu Basnayake, left the island last night to take part in the BFA XII U-15 Baseball Asian Championship, scheduled to take place in Tainan, Chinese Taipei, from August 17 to 23. ){kind=link}