Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, the Jaffna Stallions leg-spinner, defying his mother’s words against cricket went on to overshadow some efforts by the winning team, Colombo Kings (CK) as he made news at the other end of the country on his dream-debut on Friday at the LPL in Hambantota.
He became the cynosure of all eyes after he turned out to be the very first player from the war-scarred North to play at a higher level.
Coming in to bat as the last man, he had to face the threat from the tournament’s rock star of T20, West Indian Andre Russell. But the ex-Sri Lanka Under-19 cap Viyaskanth survived the death-overs with calm and composure.
When his turn came to bowl he sent down deliveries sans much jitters on the new strip.
But the best was yet to come for Jaffna’s young blood who in his third over hooked the big fish in the form of former Sri Lanka and CK’s captain, Angelo Mathews thanks to a Shoaib Malik athletic catch plucking the ball hit high to clear the boundary.
Watching the action transpire all the way at home was Viyaskanth’s mother, Vallinayaki and family members who had to overcome the anxious moments of power fluctuation while watching the match on television due to the cyclonic weather on the day.
They missed him at the crease but were fortunate to see him bowl and capture the wicket of the former Sri Lanka captain at the residence of Vallinayaki’s mother.
“We braved the weather and moved there wasting no time. You would know how euphoric and ecstatic we were. There were as many as five families following the match,” Vallinayaki told the Sunday Observer.
“I can’t stand cricket as studies should be Viyaskanth’s priority, but his father backed him to the hilt. He (Viyaskanth) pleaded with tears that he’ll strike a balance on both. My only rueful moment was not watching with his father. But, I’m personally overjoyed that he played against the big names,” Vallinayaki recounted.
“I was initially tensed and anxious on how he is going to play with seniors. But it was tears-of-joy, when he picked up that wicket.”
Despite being in the spotlight, Viyaskanth, also a past captain of his school cricket team, Jaffna Central College, remained very much down to earth.
“Shoaib Malik, Angelo Mathews, coach Thilina Kandamby all congratulated me saying I bowled well,” said Viyaskanth.
In the middle of the game too, he was also ably and evidently given guidance and a helping-hand from the team’s lead spinner and national cap, Wanindu Hasaranga.
Viyaskanth had many birthday wishes come his way one of which was from the former Sri Lanka rugby captain and current Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa who left no stone unturned to ensure the LPL became a reality.