By Srian Obeyesekere
In a fascinating dazzle of riot of colour, Sri Lanka Cricket’s official Team Jersey launch arrived last evening in a glitzy catwalk parade at the packed Mahogany Ballroom at Colombo’s Cinnamon Grand Hotel of male and female models sporting Sri Lanka Cricket’s Official Team Clothing Sponsor, Moose Clothing Company’s spick and span meticulous jersey works since several world cups for both the men’s and women’s teams to the momentous 2026 T20 International World Cup with of course, the man of the moment himself, Sri Lanka T20 Captain Dasun Shanaka arriving on stage, gangling, over 6 feet tall.
mustachioed and neatly trimmed beard accentuating very much the Hulk, stand out executing the catwalk so minutely and immaculate displaying the striking largely yellow, and blue jersey and yellow flannels. Very much the cricketer turned model personified. A picture of towering elegance that would make one look twice of cricketer turned model of the moment that would well stir fashion houses to look his way.
Very much a Hercules unchained ready to do battle that took the cake as he went on to announce, “it is wonderful to wear the team jersey playing back home. My one hope is to win the world cup for Sri Lanka.”
The largely attended grand unveiling under the distinguished presence of Sri Lanka Cricket officials full force headed by its President, Shammi Silva, the Chief Executive Officer Ashley de Silva and Moose Clothing’s top officials led by Chief Executive Officer Hasib Omar, and other VIPs before a beaming media cameras and flashlights heightened by giant screen works that dipped into the very intricacies as to Moose’s planning and designing of the team jersey did see the Sri Lankan Captain hold center stage as he subsequently joined Moose’s CEO, Hasib Omar on stage in a one to one chat as to the massive over 21 million nation cricket following and Sri Lanka’s participation at the T20 World Cup with Omar going back into time to his kid day passion of the game as a Sri Lankan cricket crazy fan as he asked Shanaka to put himself in those shoes. There was the Lankan captain wittingly responding that ‘today, I’m like a kid musing on the great.wonderful game of cricket.’
Omar was quick to fire the question as to how the Lankan captain handled pressure, particularly dressing room pressure.
“As the captain we need to make the dressing room calm. Lots of pressure is always there, but we are preparing looking for the wonderful world cup. Its great to wear the world cup jersey playing at home.’
Of the cricket at hand, Shanaka, fresh in the job in a recall following over a 3 year hiatus when he lost the job, the 34-year old back in the saddle skipper added, “The last one month has been a build up for the home England tour and I am hopeful that we can win the T20 world cup.”