By Nadhvi Irfan
The Hong Kong Super Sixes is back, and it is full of fondness with a wave of nostalgia when recollecting what the cricket tournament actually meant to many fans. To the ones who remember, the games on that green memorable pitch among towering buildings created a million memories, especially with that yellow ball so characteristic of the tournament to many, the ultimate cricket showdown of their childhood.
Indika de Saram, Jeevantha Kulatunga, Dilhara Lokuhettige, Kaushalya Weeraratne, and Saman Jayantha are some of the names that come to one’s mind when talking of Super Sixes. Their team, which represented Sri Lanka, gained victory in one such tournament, and the event is still remembered. Indika de Saram was said to be Sri Lanka’s answer to Sanath Jayasuriya, whose main claim to fame was hitting big sixes. The friendly rivalry between Sanath and Indika over hitting the longest six continues to be the passing story in cricket-loving circles in Matara.
Sanath himself once played in the Hong Kong tournament, though the rules then required any batsman scoring over 30 runs to retire, thus cutting short his time on the field. Known for his electric pace of scoring, he would often reach 30 in a few balls before having to walk off. Similarly aggressive was Indika de Saram.
Long before the eras of T20s and T10s, the Super Sixes had carved their little niche in cricket. The format, uniquely made for a thrill-a-minute ride, with the ball needing to be batted big each time around, setting targets up in a flurry and touching 100 runs in an innings deep within six overs. It took the shape over the years with a changing format and rules: a batsman can now play until 50 runs off him are scored; colour of the pitch, ball, and uniforms seems more international cricket. Now, this time Sri Lanka has qualified for the semi-final by defeating Nepal. The team is much balanced and won all its matches so far showing great form. While opener Sandun Weerakkodi has been leading from the front with a brisk start, the Lahiru duo of Lahiru Madushanka and Lahiru Samarakoon provides the firepower in the middle order. As far as the bowling is concerned, Dhananjaya Lakshan has been more impressive, pioneering the usage of slower deliveries to break the rhythm of the game, which most teams have now adapted to.
Tomorrow, Sri Lanka will face Bangladesh in the semifinals. But again, though they defeated Bangladesh earlier in the group stage, such high-stake matches more often than not are quite unpredictable, considering the fast-paced six-over format. Bangladesh still is a good all-round team, and no favourite can be confidently named.
Yet, a Sri Lankan team’s brilliance in the Hong Kong Super Sixes after such a long period of time is a nice recollection of past cricketing memories-a revival of the legacy for thrilling performances on the international arena.
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