Sri Lankan cricketers to wear black arm band to honour Michael De Zoysa

Sri Lankan cricketers will sport a black armband during their encounter against Pakistan today (Sept 30) to honour former team manager Michael de Zoysa who passed away yesterday.

‘’Michael was a great man with a good character and had a proactive mindset. The cricketing fraternity will immensely miss his presence’’, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Chief Executive Officer Ashley De Silva said in a statement.

Mr. Zoysa had previously functioned as an Executive Committee Member of the SLC and had held several other honorary positions in the game’s administration.

Kumar Sangakkara, President-in-waiting of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the guardians of cricket, in his condolence message on his Twitter handle hailed de Soyza as a "passionate stalwart and lover of Sri Lanka Cricket, Ceylon tea and the Sinhalese Sports Club"

With the sudden and sad demise of Michael De Zoysa we have lost a passionate stalwart and lover of Sri Lanka Cricket, Ceylon tea and the SSC. More importantly we have lost a friend. A man ever ready to help those in need, a man of faith you will be missed.

— Kumar Sangakkara (@KumarSanga2) September 30, 2019

Sri Lanka will take on Pakistan in the second One-Day International in Karachi at 3:30 pm (SL time) today.

The following ToL video interview with Mr. De Zoysa last year regarding the club cricket system is reproduced below