EXCLUSIVE: CCC’s Player of the Final, Chamindu Wijesinghe says that India’s Hardik Pandya is one batsman who has influenced his batting very much. In an exclusive interview with Sri Lanka Cricket website, the 22-year old medium fast bowling batting all-rounder who swung the final against Tamil Union his side’s way from a wobbly 288 for 5 by a telling 246-ball 139, said, “While I like most Mahela Jayawardene for his batting exploits, the batting style of India’s Hardik Pandya has influenced me in modelling my batting.”

As to his decisive innings in last Sunday’s grand finale of the Sri Lanka Cricket Major League Tournament 2022, Chamindu said, “Coming in at No. 7 with the side on 288 for 5 was a big pressure situation trailing by 270 runs. But my determination to lift my team from the bad situation to victory prevailed as I put my head down and went about it with my skipper Ashan Priyanjan. As it was both us hit centuries in accomplishing the task by a record sixth wicket partnership of 219 runs.”

The former Nalanda College product went on to elaborate that a strong point in ‘my game plan that has stood out in my career has been to put behind what happened yesterday. I forget the past and take match by match. It has proved to be a decisive pay off. Whether a good or bad performance it ends right there for me. I wouldn’t let it bug me when I next take the field.” Of course his big cricket dream is to ‘play for his country. This season Chamindu scored 677 runs with 2 centurions and three half centuries averaging 67 while collecting 15 wickets. He singled out club coach Dhammika Tharanga as a guiding light to his career and as much his skipper Ashan Priyanjan who has always been a great motivator. Indeed, CCC’s pivotal playmaker to that cup glory, discovery from the country”s U19 system having accomplished himself internationally in the teen lane, does look forward with great expectancy for that big call oozing in the verve of solid young blood gearing to get into the thick of the action and rearing to go.