Chamari Athapaththu and Pathum Nissanka emerged as the biggest winners at the Sri Lanka Cricket Awards 2026, taking home the Women’s and Men’s Cricketer of the Year honors after stellar performances across all formats. The glittering ceremony also celebrated emerging stars, domestic excellence, and legendary figures who have shaped Sri Lankan cricket.

Sri Lanka Cricket celebrated its finest performers of the 2025 calendar year in a grand awards ceremony on Thursday night, with Chamari Athapaththu and Pathum Nissanka stealing the spotlight. Both stars were crowned the Women’s and Men’s Cricketer of the Year respectively after delivering exceptional performances on the international stage.

The ceremony recognized achievements across Test, ODI, and T20I cricket while also honoring standout domestic performers, emerging talents, and legendary personalities who have played a significant role in the growth of Sri Lankan cricket.

Chamari Athapaththu Continues Her Dominance

Chamari Athapaththu once again proved why she remains the face of Sri Lankan women’s cricket.

The experienced all-rounder enjoyed another remarkable year, collecting multiple individual awards alongside the prestigious Women’s Cricketer of the Year title.

Athapaththu claimed the ODI and T20I All-rounder of the Year awards, highlighting her ability to contribute with both bat and ball across formats.

She also won the Women’s T20I Batter of the Year award after scoring 190 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 113.77. With the ball, her off-spin earned her the Women’s ODI Bowler of the Year award after taking 13 wickets in 11 innings.

Interestingly, despite another productive ODI campaign, Athapaththu was not nominated for the Women’s ODI Batter of the Year award. That honor went to Harshitha Samarawickrama, whose 441 runs in 13 innings edged out Nilakshika de Silva’s tally of 389 runs.

Her remarkable achievements once again underlined her immense value to Sri Lankan cricket and further strengthened her legacy as one of the country’s greatest female cricketers.

Pathum Nissanka Crowned Men’s Cricketer of the Year

Pathum Nissanka enjoyed the finest year of his international career, making him a deserving recipient of the Men’s Cricketer of the Year award.

Across all three formats, Nissanka accumulated an impressive 1,414 international runs at an average of 40.40.

Although Sri Lanka played limited Test cricket during the year, Nissanka made every opportunity count by scoring 388 runs in just five innings, including two centuries.

His ODI performances remained solid with 401 runs in 12 matches, but it was in T20 Internationals where he truly dominated.

The stylish opener amassed 625 runs in 18 matches at an outstanding strike rate of 149.16, producing his most prolific T20I season to date.

Those performances also earned him the Men’s Test Batter of the Year and Men’s T20I Batter of the Year awards.

The ODI Batter of the Year award, however, went to Charith Asalanka, who anchored Sri Lanka’s middle order with 494 runs at an average of 44.90.

Emerging Stars Receive Recognition

The awards ceremony also highlighted the next generation of Sri Lankan cricket.

Kamil Mishara was named Men’s Emerging Player of the Year following an impressive season.

The 25-year-old scored 336 runs in 10 T20Is at a strike rate of 131.25 while opening the batting. His performances in the ongoing Lanka Premier League further strengthened his credentials and likely played a key role in securing the award.

On the women’s side, Imesha Dulani won the Emerging Player of the Year award.

Although she featured in only one ODI, Dulani impressed in T20Is with 106 runs across three innings, including a magnificent unbeaten century against Pakistan that showcased her immense potential.

Both awards reflected Sri Lanka Cricket’s confidence in the country’s next generation of international stars.

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Top Performers Across Formats

Several other international players were recognized for their outstanding performances during the year.

Kavisha Dilhari received the Women’s T20I Bowler of the Year award after claiming eight wickets.

Among the men, Dushmantha Chameera’s outstanding return of 22 wickets in 14 T20Is earned him the Men’s T20I Bowler of the Year award, while Asitha Fernando claimed the ODI Bowling award after taking 23 wickets in 12 matches.

In Test cricket, left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya won the Best Test Bowler award with 15 wickets in seven innings.

Wanindu Hasaranga was named ODI All-rounder of the Year after scoring 207 runs and taking 18 wickets, while Dasun Shanaka collected the T20I All-rounder award following another valuable season with both bat and ball.

Test captain Dhananjaya de Silva was also recognized as the Best Test All-rounder.

Domestic Cricket Celebrated

Sri Lanka Cricket also honored the country’s best domestic performers.

In women’s cricket, Navy Sports Club emerged as champions of the Major Club Women’s 50-Over Tournament.

Chamari Athapaththu added another trophy to her collection by being named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, while Harshitha Samarawickrama won the Best Batter award and veteran spinner Inoka Ranaweera claimed the Best Bowler honor.

Colombo Cricket Club dominated the men’s domestic competitions, winning both the Major Club T20 and 50-over tournaments.

Vishen Halambage enjoyed a memorable campaign by winning both the Most Valuable Player and Best Batter awards in the T20 competition.

In the 50-over tournament, wicketkeeper Nishan Madushka was named MVP, while Sangeeth Cooray, Movin Subasingha, and Thanuka Dabare received individual honors for batting, bowling, and all-round performances respectively.

Colts Cricket Club lifted the prestigious Major Club Three-Day Tournament title, with Wanuja Sahan earning the Most Valuable Player award for his match-winning contributions.

Honoring Cricket’s Greatest Contributors

The evening concluded with heartfelt Lifetime Achievement Awards recognizing four individuals whose contributions have shaped Sri Lankan cricket.

Former captain Michael Tissera was honored for his immense contribution during the pre-Test era, including leading Sri Lanka in their first-ever Cricket World Cup appearance in 1975.

Anura Tennekoon, another legendary captain and later Sri Lanka Cricket’s Chief Executive, was also recognized for his lifelong service to the game.

Veteran sports journalist Reemus Fernando received recognition for documenting Sri Lankan cricket over several decades, preserving the country’s sporting history through his reporting.

Renowned broadcaster Kelum Srimal completed the list, celebrating his decades of work as a commentator, television presenter, and journalist who helped bring Sri Lankan cricket closer to its fans.

The Sri Lanka Cricket Awards 2026 celebrated excellence at every level of the game, from international superstars to emerging talents, domestic performers, match officials, and lifelong contributors.

Chamari Athapaththu and Pathum Nissanka deservedly headlined the evening after exceptional seasons that reaffirmed their status as the country’s leading cricketers. At the same time, the recognition given to rising stars like Kamil Mishara and Imesha Dulani highlighted Sri Lanka Cricket’s promising future.

As Sri Lankan cricket continues to grow across men’s and women’s formats, the awards served as a fitting tribute to those who have excelled over the past year while inspiring the next generation to aim even higher.