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Upeka Fernando, never lived up to his potential

If anyone remembers how hard Upekha hit the ball with affluent timing, they would never doubt that he was a carbon copy of the great Duleep Mendis.

Incidentally, both these gentlemen hail from the cricket crazy coastal city of Moratuwa.

The name Upekha Fernando, would only send a few shivers down the spine of even the best of the bowlers especially from the ninetees. The hard hitting opening batsmen had all his education at St. Thomas’s College, Mount-lavinia. After a prolific schools career and captaining the Thomian outfit where he ripped the heart out of the Royalists at the battle of the blues, he went on to play first class cricket at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC). He became a regular member of the team and at just 21 years of age had his opportunity to progress into the Sri Lankan one-day team, but was denied the big break due to strange reasons. He was a useful all-rounder who bowled flat off cutters. Upekha, is undoubtedly one of the hardest hitting opening batsmen ever produced by Sri Lanka. It is our misfortune, thatt hat we could not witness the best of the dashing batsmen. Upekha would tear apart any bowling attack on his day.

Sadly, Upekha passed away on 26/10/2021 in Kandy, after a brief illness at the comparatively young age of 44. The Sports loving public of Sri Lanka shall never forget the legacy left behind by this gifted cricketer. Rest in peace my friend Upekha.

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