The heroes who lit up the Tier B one-day arena
ThePapareNews article
The 2026 Tier B Limited Over one-day cricket tournament organised by Sri Lanka Cricket concluded recently at the Bloomfield Cricket Ground in Colombo, with Army SC claiming the title.
Galle CC finished as runners-up in the tournament, which featured 12 teams split into two groups. Both of those sides were placed in the same group this season, and it was notable that the Army SC cricketers sealed the title while remaining unbeaten throughout the tournament.
Here is a note on the standout milestones of a tournament in which 14356 runs were scored across 33 matches, with 4 centuries and 49 half-centuries, and 466 wickets fell.
Hero of the final – Asela Gunaratne (Army SC)
Asela Gunaratne of Army SC was named the hero of this season's final. In that match he faced 84 balls and struck 8 fours and 4 sixes on his way to an unbeaten 99. That was also the highest score he registered in the tournament.
With that innings he went on to make 227 runs in 5 matches in the tournament, maintaining an average of 75.67. In addition to the innings mentioned above, those runs included 53 off 37 balls with 8 fours against Kandy Customs SC.
With the ball, he also added 6 wickets to his tally.
Now 40 years old, Asela Gunaratne is regarded as a talented all-rounder. Having shown his skills in Test, ODI and T20 international cricket for Sri Lanka, he has to date played 101 first-class matches, scoring 6649 runs with 15 centuries and 34 half-centuries along with 68 wickets; 3113 runs with a century and 15 half-centuries plus 91 wickets in 138 List A matches; and 1683 runs with 11 half-centuries plus 62 wickets in 92 T20 matches.
Best batter of the tournament – Yuthika de Silva (Galle CC)
Runners-up Galle CC's Yuthika de Silva won the award for the best batter of the tournament. He ended the tournament with 360 runs, including 4 half-centuries, from 6 innings in 7 matches.
His best innings was the 96 he made against United Southern CC off 111 balls with 9 fours and a six.
In addition, he made 86 off 64 balls with 13 fours and 2 sixes against Moratuwa SC, 81 off 75 balls with 8 fours and 2 sixes against Kandy Customs SC, and 58 off 55 balls with 6 fours and a six against Sebastianites C & AC.
He was also the leading half-century maker of the tournament as well as the batter who struck the most fours. The number of fours he hit was 41.
The top 5 run-scorers of the tournament
- Player · Team · M · Ins · NO · Runs · HS · Ave · 100 · 50
- 1 · Yuthika de Silva · Galle CC · 7 · 6 · 0 · 360 · 96 · 60.00 · 0 · 4
- 2 · Dilshan Kolluré · Kurunegala SC · 6 · 6 · 0 · 259 · 71 · 43.17 · 0 · 2
- 3 · Pathum Dilshan · Army SC · 7 · 7 · 0 · 240 · 67 · 34.29 · 0 · 2
- 4 · Ashan Sudarshana · Army SC · 7 · 7 · 0 · 238 · 53 · 34.00 · 0 · 2
- 5 · Manushka Samith · Army SC · 7 · 7 · 0 · 235 · 42 · 33.57 · 0 · 0
115 : The highest individual innings of the tournament came from United Southern CC's Pesandu Sanjana. He achieved this against Galle CC at the Suriyawewa International Cricket Stadium.
9x6s : Army SC's Thisara Perera and Kurunegala SC's Sanuja Nidduwara are listed as the players who struck the most sixes in the tournament.
41x4s : Galle CC's Yuthika de Silva was the batter who struck the most fours in the tournament.
4 x50s : Galle CC's Yuthika de Silva was the player who recorded the most half-centuries in the tournament.
30 balls : Army SC's Pathum Dilshan recorded the fastest half-century of the tournament. He achieved this against United Southern CC at the Panadura Public Grounds.
121 balls : Kurunegala SC's Kaveen Bandara recorded the fastest century of the tournament. He achieved this against Ragama CC at the Welagedara Stadium in Kurunegala.
Best bowler of the tournament – Dilanka Awardt (Navy SC)
Left-arm spinner Dilanka Awardt, representing Navy SC, was named the best bowler of the tournament. The 36-year-old impressed with 15 wickets in 5 matches this season.
His best bowling effort was the 5 for 50 he claimed against Leo CC at the Welisara Navy Grounds.
A bowler who has performed in second-tier cricket for many years, Dilanka Awardt has taken 105 wickets in 33 first-class matches, 46 wickets in 45 List A matches and 31 wickets in 25 T20 matches.
The leading wicket-takers of the tournament
- Player · Team · M · Over · Md · Runs · Wkts · Best · 4w+
- 1 · Ruchira Silva · Kurunegala SC · 6 · 52.3 · 2 · 224 · 18 · 5/37 · 3
- 2 · Lilan Rangana · Army SC · 7 · 62.0 · 5 · 282 · 16 · 4/41 · 1
- 3 · Dilanka Awardt · Navy SC · 5 · 44.0 · 4 · 185 · 15 · 5/50 · 1
- 4 · Hansaja Hiruna · Negombo CC · 4 · 31.1 · 5 · 119 · 13 · 6/47 · 1
- 5 · Madushanka Premaratne · Moratuwa SC · 5 · 34.1 · 1 · 168 · 11 · 4/56 · 1
- Chanaka Devinda · Galle CC · 7 · 63.0 · 11 · 210 · 11 · 3/42 · 0
- Kavindu Nirmana · Galle CC · 7 · 41.4 · 4 · 217 · 11 · 4/33 · 1
6/47 : The best bowling figures in an innings in the tournament belong to Negombo CC's Hansaja Hiruna. He achieved this against Kurunegala SC.
Most valuable player of the tournament – Ruchira Silva (Kurunegala SC)
Left-arm spinner Ruchira Silva, representing Kurunegala SC, won the award for the most valuable player of the tournament. He earned the honour with a haul of 18 wickets in 6 matches this season.
His best bowling effort was the 5 for 37 he claimed against Ragama CC. In addition, he took 4 for 24 against Moratuwa SC and 4 for 45 against Navy SC.
315/6 : The honour of recording the highest team total of the tournament belongs to Kurunegala SC. They achieved this against Ragama CC at the Welagedara Stadium in Kurunegala.
67 : Kandy Customs SC were the team dismissed for the lowest total of the tournament. They recorded this unfortunate innings against Army SC at the Panagoda Army Grounds.
194 Runs : Army SC recorded the biggest winning margin by runs in the tournament. They achieved this against Kandy Customs SC at the Panagoda Army Grounds.
545 : The highest aggregate of runs by two teams in a match in the tournament was this total made by Army SC and Galle CC together at the Bloomfield cricket ground in Colombo.
In that match Army SC made 284 for 9 while Galle CC were all out for 261.
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Based on ThePapare reporting