Ana Punchihewa, the head of cricket in Sri Lanka when the team won the World Cup in 1996, may not have had many accolades come his way or have the praises sung by the scribes during his tenure, but yesterday he was present in all his modesty when a book to glorify the Champions was launched.
A book on the cricketers of Sri Lanka, past and present, was put out on sale at the Sarasavi Book shop in Galle Face One maul from yesterday (29) with its author Nicholas Brookes being present to place his signature.
Speaking about the book, Brookes said that it took a long time to collect all the data from various sources in Sri Lanka. He added that he had spoken to many past cricketers in Sri Lanka like Dishan de Saram son of FC de Saram, Michael Tissera, Anura Tennakoon, David Hyen, Chandra Schaffter, Ajith de Silva and many others who played in the past.
“I have also spoken to the cricketers of the recent past like Sangakkara, Muralidaran, Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya and many more to collect all the details needed to compose the book,” said Brookes.
Brookes who lives in England was at hand to sign the books to whoever bought it. He was accompanied by Prema Pinnawale the former secretary of Sri Lanka Athletics and a veteran administrator for many decades.
Former president of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka, Ana Punchihewa visited the bookshop to meet Brookes and exchanged many pleasantries of the past.
When Sri Lanka won the World Cup in 1996, Punchihewa was the head of cricket in the country and dirty politics ousted him from a well deserved second term.