Mahamaya Club Cricket team with the Captain Udeshika Madhumali (Standing 7th from left) with Teachers-in-charge, Bagya Devapirya, Chethana Amarasuriya and Coach-E.M.U.Chandrathilak ( Pictures. by Upananda Jayasundera-Kandy Sports Spl.Corr
Mahamaya Girls’ College, Kandy started playing Cricket in the year 1985 when Nita Pilapitiya was the Principal of the School. She encouraged the Students to take part in sports activities as well as studies and they had to select a sport they preferred. First the Girls started with Softball Cricket and they had friendly fixtures with other schools. In time to come they formed two cricket teams and one team was captained by Thushara Tennakoon and the other team was captained by Manjula Kalpage, sister of former Sri Lanka Test Cricketer Ruwan Kalpage.
In later years the Cricket teams became more improved with the encouragement of the Principal and Staff and they started playing with most of the Girls Cricket teams in and around Kandy District. This team was Captained by Shalika Gannoruwa, daughter of former Cricket Captain and all-rounder of Tobacco Company.and Central Province, Ajith Gannoruwa.
In the Nineties Mahamaya Cricket team captained by Srimali Saparamadu, won the Mayor’s Cup Cricket tournament and at the same time they entered the All island Hard Ball Tournament organized by Sri Lanka Womens’ Cricket Association under the captaincy of Madhushika Muhandiram and Vice Captain Hasangi Tennekoon. Mahamaya Cricket team was the only Girls Cricket team that participated in this tournament and they became third after Anuradhapura and Kurunegala District Cricket Teams and the tournament was organized by Ms.Gwen Herat,former President of the Womens’ Cricket in Sri Lanka. After that under the Captaincy of Udara Bandara ,Mahamaya Girls Cricket team became one of the Best Eight Teams in the Island at the All Island Girls’ School Tournament held in the year 2018 and Udara Bandara was selected to the Womens’ Cricket Development Squad. In the year 2019,the Mahamaya Club Team led by Udeshika Madumali played against Palinks School of Cricket,Colombo in their Annual Cricket Match. Mahamaya Cricket team and the Club team will be active again after the Schools reopen.
