Francis Alphonsus Jayarajah (born 18 June 1947) is a Sri Lankan-born Italian cricketer. Alfonso, as he is known by most, is a left-arm bowler and a right-handed batsman. He was born in Vavuniya, studied at St. Patricks College in Jaffna, and educated at the Sapienza University of Rome. [1]
For over 40 years, Alfonso Jayarajah, a Sri Lankan émigré, has been fostering cricket in Italy. [2] Jayarajah was the first Cricket Captain for Italy in the nation's first cricket match, touring the UK in 1984. [3] [4] He was captain of the National Team until 1994, and was last selected in the Italy national cricket team at the 1997 ICC Trophy in Malaysia. [5] He was the first person of colour to Captain Italy in any sport. [6]
Having arrived in Rome in 1968, on a scholarship from Opus Dei for university studies [7] he was a member of the Rome Sports Association and played in the Rome Ashes during the 60's and 70's in the Villa Doria Pamphili grounds. He currently is the President of Roma Capannelle Cricket Club, [8] of which he is a founding member, originally named Doria Pamphili CC in 1980 and still today one of the leading cricket clubs in Italy. [9]
Also a qualified ECB Coach & Umpire, he is a founding member of St Peter's Cricket Club, Holy See since its birth in 2014. [10] [11]
He has been awarded by the Italian National Olympic Committee the Medaglia di bronzo in 2013 as an Athlete and the Stella di bronzo in 2015 as a sports manager. [12]
Deshabandu Muttiah Muralitharan is a Sri Lankan cricket coach, businessman and former professional cricketer. Averaging over six wickets per Test match, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. He is the only bowler to take 800 Test wickets and more than 530 One Day International (ODI) wickets. As of 2024, he has taken more wickets in international cricket than any other bowler. Muralitharan was a part of the Sri Lankan team that won the 1996 Cricket World Cup.
Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas is a former Sri Lankan international cricketer who represented the Sri Lanka national cricket team. He is a fast medium pace bowler and one of the most successful bowlers in international cricket. He was a part of the Sri Lankan squad which won the 1996 Cricket World Cup.
Deshabandu Sanath Teran Jayasuriya, is a former Sri Lankan cricketer and captain, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest all rounders ever to play in ODI cricket. A left arm opening batsman, an orthodox spinner and a dynamic fielder, Jayasuriya together with his opening partner Romesh Kaluwitharana is credited for having revolutionized one-day international cricket with his explosive batting in the mid-1990s, which initiated the hard-hitting modern-day batting strategy of all nations. He was a key member of the Sri Lankan team that won 1996 Cricket World Cup. Under his captaincy Sri Lanka become joint champions along with India in the 2002 Champions Trophy. Currently, he is also the Head Coach of the Sri Lanka National Cricket Team.
The Bangladesh men's national cricket team, popularly known as The Tigers, is administered by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). It is a Full Member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) with Test, One-Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) status.
Kumar Chokshanada Sangakkara is a Sri Lankan former professional cricketer who represented Sri Lanka from 2000 to 2015. A former captain in all formats. He was born in Matale, Central Province. In first-class cricket, he played for Nondescripts Cricket Club from 1997–98 to 2013–14 and for Surrey County Cricket Club from 2015 to 2017. Sangakkara is widely regarded as one of the greatest cricketers of all time. He was a key part of the Sri Lankan squads which won the 2001-02 Asian Test Championship, 2002 ICC Champions Trophy and 2014 T20 World Cup.
Demuni Nuwan Tharanga Zoysa, or Nuwan Zoysa, is a former Sri Lankan cricketer. He was a tall left-arm seam bowler, who played 30 Tests and 95 One Day Internationals (ODIs) for Sri Lanka. Nuwan was educated at Isipathana College, Colombo.
Sahan Hewa Thilina Kandambi is a former Sri Lankan cricketer and a former T20 international captain for Sri Lanka. A specialist middle-order batsman, Kandambi was marked out as a talent early, playing for the Sri Lanka Under 19s from 1998 to 2001. He also played ten first class games for the Sri Lanka A cricket team. In January 2021 he was appointed as the head coach of T10 team Bangla Tigers.
Denagamage Praboth Mahela de Silva Jayawardene is a Sri Lankan former professional cricketer and captain of the Sri Lankan national cricket team. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen from Sri Lankan cricket.
The Italy national cricket team is the men's team that represents the country of Italy in international cricket. They have been an associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) since 1995, having previously been an affiliate member since 1984. The Italy national cricket team is administered by the Italian Cricket Federation.
Deshabandu Handunnettige Deepthi Priyantha Kumar Dharmasena is a Sri Lankan cricket umpire and former international cricketer. He is a member of the Elite Panel of ICC Umpires and the first person to participate in an ICC Cricket World Cup final both as a player and an umpire. A right-handed batsman and a right-arm off break bowler, Dharmasena was a member of the Sri Lankan side that won the 1996 Cricket World Cup.
Rohit Gurunath Sharma is an Indian international cricketer who currently plays for and captains the India national cricket team in Test and One Day International (ODI) matches. Previously, he also captained the team in Twenty20 International (T20I) matches and led India's win in 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, subsequent to which he retired from T20s in June 2024. The right-handed batsman, who is considered one of the best batsmen of his generation and one of the greatest opening batters of all time, is known for his timing, elegance, six-hitting abilities and leadership skills.
The 2002 ICC Champions Trophy was a cricket tournament held in Sri Lanka in 2002. It marked the third edition of the ICC Champions Trophy, with the previous two tournaments being known as the ICC Knock Out Tournaments. Originally scheduled to be held in India, the tournament was moved to Sri Lanka when India did not grant an exemption from tax, as needed. The tournament consisted of fifteen matches, including two semi-finals and a final match. This event was notable as it marked the first time that teams from all member nations of the International Cricket Council (ICC) visited Sri Lanka to participate in a cricket tournament.
Angelo Davis Mathews is a professional Sri Lankan cricketer and a former captain of the national cricket team in all formats. Mathews currently plays all formats for Sri Lanka., Mathews was a key member of the team that won the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 and was part of the team that made the finals of 2011 Cricket World Cup, 2009 ICC World Twenty20 and 2012 ICC World Twenty20. Mathews and Lasith Malinga hold the record for the highest ninth wicket partnership in ODI cricket.
Italian Cricket Federation is the governing body for the sport of cricket within Italy. They are responsible, with assistance from the ICC Europe, for the development and administration of the game within Italy, and the selection of the Italian national cricket team.
Lokuge Dinesh Chandimal is a professional Sri Lankan cricketer and a former captain of the Sri Lanka national cricket team. A handy right-handed middle order batter who sometimes plays as the wicket-keeper, Chandimal lead Sri Lanka in the group stages of the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 in which Sri Lanka ended up as the champions.
Deshabandu Pinnaduwage Aravinda de Silva is a former Sri Lankan cricketer and captain, Regarded as one of the best Sri Lankan cricketers, he played in the team as an all-rounder. De Silva was a key member of the Sri Lankan team that won 1996 Cricket World Cup, where he scored a match winning century in the final, that brought Sri Lanka from underdog status to present-day form. He has held various posts in Sri Lankan Cricket after his retirement in 2003. He was inducted into ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2023.
The 2013 ICC Champions Trophy was the seventh ICC Champions Trophy, a One Day International cricket tournament held in England and Wales between 6 and 23 June 2013. India won the tournament for the second time by defeating England in the final by 5 runs.
Mohammad Rizwan is a Pakistani international cricketer who is the current vice-captain of the Pakistan cricket team in T20I cricket and captains Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Multan Sultans. He is a wicket-keeper batsman.
Roma Capannelle Cricket Club is a Serie A cricket team founded in 1978 in Rome. It is one of the most successful teams in Italy, as well as being one of the oldest and with the most years of militancy in Serie A Cricket. With four Serie A titles, ten Italian Cups, five Italian Trophies, and one Championship Six a side for the first team are joined by two women's Serie A titles and the youth Champions of Italy titles: five times Under 13, four Under 13, two Under 17 and one Under 19.