Chandimal to join Army to play cricket

Sri Lanka’s reputed cricketer, Dinesh Chandimal has consented to join the Sri Lanka Army as a Commissioned Officer to play cricket for their team. He is to be enlisted to the Volunteer Force as a Commissioned Officer of its Ordnance Corps, according to the Army Cricket Committee.

Apart from Chandimal, there will be several other top cricketers lined up to join the Army, to play cricket. They have been hiring sportsmen and women in other sports, such as Athletics and Football as volunteers where they get wages and support to pursue their careers in sports.

Even though the Army recruited some talented school leavers who excelled at cricket over the years, this is the first time they recruited a proven national player in the calibre of Dinesh Chandimal who has lead Sri Lanka in all three formats.  Chandimal has played 53 Tests, 146 ODIs and 54 T20s for Sri Lanka so far.

His omission from the last World Cup team made headlines despite him been a prolific run scorer in the previous year. Chandimal was recalled for the Test series against New Zealand but did not get a game.

Ajantha Mendis was the first cricketer from the Army’s cricket team to represent Sri Lanka while Seekkuge Prasanna and Asela Gunarathne then represented Sri Lanka after outstanding performances for the Army in the first class arena, but this is the first time it’s happening the other way around, as a cricketer is now going to represent the Army after performing magnificently in the International arena, leading Sri Lanka’s National team.

(Source: Ceylon Today)