49th Annual Commonwealth XI Vs DFAT XI Cricket Encounter – Anton Muthukumaru Trophy

February 24, 2016

The 49th Annual Commonwealth XI vs DFAT XI Cricket Encounter – for the Anthony Muthukumaru Trophy was jointly organised by the High Commission of Sri Lanka and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Australia, and the Royal Commonwealth Society on 21 February 2016 at Reid Oval Ground in Canberra.

The DFAT team won the match by 53 runs and retained the trophy. The Commonwealth team represented players from the High Commissions of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Canada, Cyprus, Fiji, India, and New Zealand.

Mrs. Himalee Arunatilaka, the Deputy High Commissioner of Sri Lanka, Mr. Ric Wells, Acting Secretary of the Foreign Affairs and Trade Australia, H.E. Kazi Imtiaz Hossain, High Commissioner of Bangladesh, Mr. Kanti Jinna, President of the Royal Commonwealth Society and Mr. Anton Muthukumaru, the son of late General Anton Muthukumaru, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner from 1963-1966 after whom the trophy is named, attended the event. Some members of the Sri Lankan Community, members of the Diplomatic corps and their family members also joined to watch the match.

The staff of the High Commission and family members played a significant role preparing food items for Gold Coin donations for a charity agreed upon by the organisers, as has been the past practice in the annual cricket encounter. A total of AUD 480 was collected at the end of the match for “Oru Paanai”, a charity that provides food to needy primary school children in Sri Lanka.