 Dinesh Chandimal - the new kid on the block
by Tyrell Peiris
 Lokuge Dinesh Chandimal is
another youngster who has been looked upon by the national selectors as
a future prospect in blooding the national team in that new look
accentuation themed on hard-hitting right hand wicket keeper batsman,
Chandimal’s drafting to the 15-member Sri Lanka squad for the
forthcoming Twenty 20 World Cup is another indication of that fact.
What has propelled Chandimal to the limelight has been his forceful
batting. Having excelled in the Sri Lanka Under-19 XI and Sri Lanka
Development Squad at international level, some of his striking
performances in the recent domestic Twenty 20 tournament caught the
selectors’ eyes.
Whether Chandimal will be fortunate enough to make it to the final XI
when Sri Lanka plays in the latest instant cricket fad is left to be
seen. But the fact that he has been singled out by the selectors as a
future hopeful is a pleasing factor as far as this youngster is
concerned.
Born on November 18, 1989, Chandimal made an impact as a teenager
when he scored 64 and 109 in his first two innings for the Development
Squad. He displayed his penchant to go for the bowling when he struck
two centuries for the Sri Lanka Under-19 XI which he vice captained in
two international matches. He also plays for Sri Lanka School Cricket
and Schools Invitation XI.
 Chandimal’s performances as a teenager who has just stepped on to the
bigger blocks that would take him to a higher planet in the cricketing
field are noteworthy when one looks at the future prospects of the
country’s cricket. Another rural find from Balapitiya, he is yet another
example of the development drive in fine honing young latent talent to
the national grid.
|
