Former Sri Lanka under-19 all-rounder Lakshitha Manasinghe played senior school cricket for his Alma mater Nalanda College and captained the team in two seasons from 2017 to 2019.
He booked his place in the Sri Lanka under-19 team and subsequently took five-wicket hauls against Australia A and England A and came close to making his Test debut.
At present he plays for the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in the Premier season.
Interestingly Manasinghe is a kind of a self-taught person who was drawn to cricket by merely watching others play although he had several seniors to guide him in his quest.
He will stop at nothing having come this far.
“It’s not an easy task to be a professional cricketer but I am always up to this task”, said Manasinghe in an interview with the Sunday Observer.
Excerpts of the interview:
Q: What made you enter the world of sports?
I have always preferred to watch cricket matches since my childhood and that was my first intention to play cricket
Q: In life who has supported you the most?
First of all my parents, elder brother, relatives, my coaches Imal Boteju, Channa Fernando, Nuwan, Thilina Kandambi, Vimukthi Deshapriya Thranga Dhammika, Rohan Pushpasiri, Sampath, Aluvihare, Prasanna, Keerthi Gunaratne, Lakshan, Shanuka, Ruwan, Hashan Tillekaratne, Chaminda Vaas, Upul Chandana, Carman Mapatuna, Vipula Sitthamage, Sajeewa Weerakon, Jeewantha Kulatunga, they have all supported me a lot
Q: How would you describe yourself?
In life I like to describe myself as a hard worker who is passionate about cricket
Q: Why did you choose cricket?
As I mentioned before, I have always loved to watch cricket since my childhood and that’s the reason why I chose cricket
Q: What are the priorities in your life?
I always give my top priority to my family and that is the most important thing in my life. Today I’m here because of them and then cricket. I always give my best when I’m playing for any team
Q: How difficult is it to be a professional cricketer?
It is not an easy task when everyone looks at it from outside. I have had to make many sacrifices so far. And we have to think about our discipline, hard work, tolerance and commitment definitely should be there. Whatever may happen, I always give my 100%. It’s not an easy task to be a professional cricketer but I am always up to this task
Q: Who do you sometimes compare yourself to?
I don’t follow or try to match any other player, because each player has his own different talents and different passions for the game. So I would like to develop my own game and I always try to learn things from other players
Q: Who’s your favourite cricketer?
My favourite cricketers are Aravinda de Silva, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardena and Angelo Mathews
Q: Are you happy with all your achievements so far?
Yes, very much. Because as a young man up to now I think I have done well in the field of cricket. I have played for the First XI team since I was 14 and I was able to play five big matches and I also captained my school Nalanda twice. I was able to get two man-of-the-match, best batsman, best bowler and best fielder awards in these big matches. I was also able to score 1309 runs and take 77 wickets in the 2019 school season. Also, I scored 960 runs and claimed 53 wickets in the 2018 season. In the First Class tournament I was the second highest off spinning wicket taker with 38 wickets that had five five-wicket hauls
Q: What was your most unforgettable incident?
“Becoming the Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year in 2019 was the greatest accomplishment of my life so far. Because that award always goes to the best player who performs during the inter-school season. I have cherished that moment very much
Q: What are your long-term goals?
My main goal is to play for the Sri Lanka team. I always try to improve my talents and also try to perform well in the domestic tournaments
Q: What kind of legacy would you desire to leave behind?
I want to have a nice heart and be the best all-around player in the world. That is the kind of legacy I want to leave behind