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Sri Lanka Cricket’s long-awaited awards night made a triumphant return in 2025, celebrating the nation’s finest cricketing talents for their performances in the 2024 calendar year. The event, held for the first time since 2017, was marked by a sense of nostalgia and excitement as legends and rising stars gathered under one roof. The spotlight, however, belonged to Kamindu Mendis and Chamari Athapaththu, who swept the top honours as the Men’s and Women’s Cricketers of the Year, respectively, capping off a night that highlighted both individual brilliance and the collective progress of Sri Lankan cricket.
Kamindu Mendis and Chamari Athapaththu’s stellar year of excellence
Mendis’ 2024 season was nothing short of extraordinary. The elegant left-hander dominated the Test arena, amassing a staggering 1,049 runs in just nine matches at an average of 74.92—a feat only surpassed globally by four other batters, all of whom played more Tests during the period. His consistency and composure at the crease not only earned him the Men’s Cricketer of the Year award but also the title of Best Test Batter, comfortably outpacing established names like Dinesh Chandimal. Kamindu’s rise has been a beacon of hope for Sri Lankan cricket, signaling the emergence of a new generation ready to take on the world.
If Kamindu’s achievements were remarkable, Athapaththu’s dominance was historic. The Sri Lankan women’s team captain swept six awards, including the coveted Women’s Cricketer of the Year. Athapaththu reigned supreme across formats, collecting the batting, bowling, and all-rounder awards in T20Is thanks to her 720 runs—second only to India’s Smriti Mandhana—and 21 wickets in the format. In ODIs, her 458 runs at 65.42 and nine wickets ensured she was named both the best batter and all-rounder, with only Kavisha Dilhari’s 17 wickets preventing a clean sweep in the women’s categories. Athapaththu’s all-round excellence has set new standards for women’s cricket in Sri Lanka and inspired a generation of young athletes.
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Honouring excellence: The full list of awardees
The 2025 Sri Lanka Cricket Awards recognized a wide spectrum of talent, from international stars to emerging prospects and domestic stalwarts. Here are some of the night’s key honorees:
- Men’s Cricketer of the Year: Kamindu Mendis
- Women’s Cricketer of the Year: Chamari Athapaththu
- Emerging Player of the Year: Janith Liyanage
Test Cricket
- Best Batter: Kamindu Mendis
- Best Bowler: Prabath Jayasuriya (48 wickets in nine Tests)
- Best All-rounder: Dhananjaya de Silva
ODI Cricket
- Best Batter: Pathum Nissanka (including a record-breaking 210*)
- Best Bowler: Wanindu Hasaranga
- Best All-rounder: Charith Asalanka
T20I Cricket
- Best Batter: Kusal Mendis
- Best Bowler: Wanindu Hasaranga
- Best All-rounder: Wanindu Hasaranga
Women’s ODIs and T20Is
- Best Batter, Bowler, All-rounder: Chamari Athapaththu (across most categories)
- Best ODI Bowler: Kavisha Dilhari
The event also celebrated domestic cricket, with Rashmi Silva, Harshitha Samarawickrama, and Nilakshika Silva recognized for their contributions to women’s club cricket, and Chamika Karunaratne, Akila Dananjaya, and others honoured in the men’s domestic circuit. Special awards for umpiring, match refereeing, and lifetime achievement rounded out a total of 46 awards, reflecting the depth and diversity of Sri Lankan cricketing talent.
