School-girl record holder to miss Pakistan tour

By Bipin Dani

Vishmi Gunaratna will miss the Sri Lanka Women’s tour of Pakistan to sit her Ordinary Level examinations from May 23 to June 1. 
Sri Lanka’s women’s team will play three T20Is and three ODIs in Pakistan between May 24 and June 5. 

A student of Rathnavali Balika Vidyalaya in Gampaha, 16-year-old Gunaratna scored 417 in an Under-19 schools’ cricket match against Jayasiripura Kanishta Vidyalaya last week.
Gunaratne needed just 128 balls in her knock, smashing 49 fours and 29 sixes. Interestingly, she reached her 300th, 350th and 400th runs with sixes. 

“She has re-established the history of Sri Lankan girls’ cricket, setting a new record. We are proud of her achievement,” her school principal Mrs. HAH Jayawardena said. 
Vishmi commenced career in sports with athletics securing national level victories in 100m,200m,100mx 4 , and has been able to set new national records in the years 2018 and 2019 in 100mx4.

“Presently she captains the school cricket team and is an all-rounder. She has also brought pride to the school by representing the national team as an opening batter,” she also said. 
In January this year Gunaratne represented the country in the Commonwealth Games Women’s Cricket Competition Qualifiers in Malaysia and played four international matches. 
Vishmi’s elder sister, Nethmi, has also been an outstanding student of our school who secured a number of victories in cricket as well as athletics bringing fame and reputation to the school”, added the principal.