Latest news with #AchiniPerera
CBC
3 days ago
- General
- CBC
Canadian cricket already benefiting from boost of impending Olympic return
Amid the excitement of flag football coming to the Olympics, another sport will also join the Los Angeles 2028 program. For the first time since 1900, cricket — in the forms of men's and women's T20 tournaments — will be contested in California. And Canadian women's national team player Achini Perera is hoping to be part of the action. "I remember in 2010, when Sidney Crosby [scored] in overtime, I was sitting there with my family and watching it — like that stage is insane. I almost wondered as a kid, like, 'Oh, why isn't cricket in there?'" Perera said. Now, of course, it is — not only in Los Angeles, but also in Brisbane 2032. However, Perera and Canada's women's team face an uphill climb to qualifying as the 31st-ranked squad for a tournament that will feature just six teams per gender. Still, the goal for Perera and Cricket Canada is for the sport's reintroduction to the Olympics to light a fuse that brings the game to more people across the country and eventually leads to greater success at the elite level. The process continues Saturday, when the first-ever Cricket to Conquer Cancer fundraiser will take place at Celebration Square in Mississauga, Ont. Meanwhile, in downtown Toronto, the Blue Jays partnered with Cricket Canada on a warm-up jacket giveaway for their game that day. "It won't be the sole thing that puts cricket on the map in Canada, but it's a very good starting point. And it isn't speaking only to the already growing ethnic population, it's also speaking to Canadians who will be loving the Blue Jays, who will be loving the Raptors and saying, well, hello, there's another sport here," said Carlos Brathwaite, the former captain of the West Indies men's T20 team. "It's the second biggest sport in the world. Come hold a bat, come hold a ball, try your luck at this. And if you can convert 10 per cent of the people who didn't know about cricket before the event and have them showing any interest, I think that'd be a win." Brathwaite and Perera will be joined by celebrities like Dwayne De Rosario, Jamaal Magloire and Jully Black at the fundraiser for cancer research hosted by the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. It's a cause close to Brathwaite's heart. The Barbadian's mom survived breast cancer, which was his impetus for getting involved. CAA Centre in Brampton, Ont. to stage new Canada Super 60 cricket league in July Through the planning process, which began with a media launch last May, he connected with fellow cricketer Kenroy Williams, who had survived his own bout with breast cancer. However, Williams' cancer returned last year and he died at 40 in November. Along with Brathwaite, Williams' uncle and other Barbadian cricketers will be present at the event in Mississauga. "Hopefully an emotional day is the start of a long-standing relationship between the people of Barbados and the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. And if Kenroy and his interest in participating in the event could be catalyst to that, then that would make me a very happy man," Brathwaite said. Brathwaite said he had one stipulation for joining the event as an ambassador a year ago — he refused to let the fundraiser become a "pity party." Which means that while the cause will be front and centre, the display of cricket will also be crucial. A cricket resurgence He noted that the first-ever cricket match in 1844 was contested between Canada and the U.S. "So there is a history there and there is kind of a modern renaissance, a resurgence of the sport. I think what Cricket to Conquer Cancer can do is kind of bridge that gap between who knows about it and who doesn't," Brathwaite said. Perera, 24, has known about the sport for her entire life. From a young age, she would follow her older brother to games, wearing the standard all-white uniform just in case she got the call. Then one day, when she was six, Perera's brother's team was down a player. Perera turned that one match into regular appearances, and even wore her brother's oversized equipment until she got her own gear — including an age- and weight-appropriate bat — when she was 10. "I was like, wow, there's such a huge difference," she said. When Perera was 12, she was recognized by Cricket Canada coach George Codrington and invited to try out for the national team. At 19, Perera made her Team Canada debut, and she's been a fixture ever since. "Growing up with [the team] along with my brother, they were so respectful. They were always like, 'OK, Achini, come and bowl. We'll back you up and everything.' And whenever I was batting, like, 'Oh, this is what you do,'" Perera said. Now, she's hoping to give back to the cricket community. Within the national team, she's already taken up coaching and campaigned for more intermingling of the U15, U19 and senior teams so the younger athletes can learn the sport just like she did nearly two decades ago. Cricket has come a long way since her start in the sport — Perera noted the dome coming to Brampton, Ont., that will let athletes practise year-round. Through her Instagram, Perera is hoping to show young girls that top-level cricket can be a reality in Canada. "I know a lot of our youth girls are watching that. So I try to post with other youth girls, like example from USA or they're from West Indies or even Argentina. I'm always trying to encourage them as well as encouraging the Canadian girls here so they know there actually are girls my age playing abroad," she said. The "absolute dream" for Perera would be to influence a Canadian appearance at the Olympics — whether through her play or her efforts with the next generation.
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Canada international Achini Perera takes to the street for Cricket to Conquer Cancer
TORONTO - Achini Perera gets to tick a few boxes Saturday, playing cricket and helping raise money for a good cause. The Canadian international cricketer is taking part in the inaugural Cricket to Conquer Cancer, a street cricket fundraiser for the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. More than 40 teams will be participating at Celebration Square in suburban Mississauga, Ont., with celebrities including singer Jully Black, former soccer star Dwayne De Rosario and former Raptor Jamaal Magloire and West Indies cricketer Carlos Brathwaite. Like many taking part, Brathwaite has a personal connection to the cause. His mother is a cancer survivor. Saturday is also Cricket Day at the Park at the Rogers Centre, where the Toronto Blue Jays host the Athletics. Perera, 24, is looking forward to returning to her roots, playing the game in the street. She and her brother started playing cricket in their basement before taking the game outside. She began at age six, dwarfed in her older brother's equipment. It didn't help that he was a left-hander and she's a rightie. 'But I'd still make it work,' she said. 'It was such a humble moment when I got my own kit when I was 10.' She soon fell in love with the game. 'I like how patient you were, how you had to be strategic during the game. And it taught me a lot about life and patience, for sure,' said Perera, whose father played first-class cricket in Sri Lanka. Perera would go to her brother's games, hoping someone might not show up so she would be allowed to fill in. When she was 12, while playing a game with boys, she was scouted by George Codrington, a former Canadian international who was the national women's coach at the time. She was invited to train with the senior women's side and was an alternate in 2012 when the women went to Ireland to play a World Twenty20 tournament qualifier. Perera made her senior debut against the U.S. in May 2019 when she was 19. It could have come earlier, but the Canadian women's team essentially was on hiatus from 2012 to 2018 after losing international status. Perera kept playing at home with boys and made her national team debut when the program returned to action. An accomplished opening batsman, the Canada vice-captain has transitioned from a medium-pace bowler to an off-spinner. Perera played a variety of sports, including basketball, badminton and volleyball, while attending Bill Crothers Secondary School in Markham, Ont. She also did track and field, excelling in the javelin. 'I found it quite easy because you're throwing a lot in cricket,' she said, noting that a 600-gram javelin (the minimum weight for women's competition) seems light in comparison. Growing up, Perera spent time playing cricket in England, Sri Lanka, the U.S. and the West Indies. Perera and Canada finished runner-up to the U.S. in Buenos Aires in March at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Americas Region Qualifier, missing out on the chance to advance to the final stage of T20 World Cup qualifying. The U.S. defeated Canada by 78 runs to win the four-team Americas tournament with Perera the only Canadian to reach double figures with the bat, with 19 runs off 28 balls. Both teams were 4-1-0 going into the deciding match with the U.S. atop the standings by virtue of a superior run rate. Canada had defeated the Americans by nine runs in their first game at the qualifier. Perera saw positives despite not moving on. 'You learn something with every tour,' Perera said. 'How you can improve as a unit … Being sad about it for the next two years is not the goal. The goal is to actually get better.' Unlike the Canadian men, the women's team is not under contract to Cricket Canada. Perera said the women sometimes get paid at a tournament, but usually not. 'We do love playing the game but we have other jobs too,' said Perera, who works as a timekeeper for Greater Toronto Hockey League and other leagues. 'We would love a contract but we don't mind it because our passion comes first.' Outside the cricket pitch, Perera was featured in an Estee Lauder ad in 2021. With cricket coming to the Olympics in 2028, the T20 version of the sport will get a huge platform in Los Angeles. But Canada will be watching from the sidelines with only six men's and six women's teams taking part. 'We're a little bit far off, to be completely honest with you,' said Perera. 'But regardless, seeing cricket being introduced in the Olympics honestly makes me feel so humble. I'm glad and I'm more than happy to watch their countries. 'And if we do have that chance (in the future), I know the girls are actually ready to take that step forward.' Canada is currently ranked 31st by the International Cricket Council (ICC) among women's Twenty20 International (T20I) countries with the U.S. No. 24. Cricket to Conquer Cancer and Cricket Day at the Park are sponsored by TD. —- This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2025
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Canada international Achini Perera takes to the street for Cricket to Conquer Cancer
TORONTO – Achini Perera gets to tick a few boxes Saturday, playing cricket and helping raise money for a good cause. The Canadian international cricketer is taking part in the inaugural Cricket to Conquer Cancer, a street cricket fundraiser for the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. More than 40 teams will be participating at Celebration Square in suburban Mississauga, Ont., with celebrities including singer Jully Black, former soccer star Dwayne De Rosario and former Raptor Jamaal Magloire and West Indies cricketer Carlos Brathwaite. Like many taking part, Brathwaite has a personal connection to the cause. His mother is a cancer survivor. Saturday is also Cricket Day at the Park at the Rogers Centre, where the Toronto Blue Jays host the Athletics. Perera, 24, is looking forward to returning to her roots, playing the game in the street. She and her brother started playing cricket in their basement before taking the game outside. She began at age six, dwarfed in her older brother's equipment. It didn't help that he was a left-hander and she's a rightie. 'But I'd still make it work,' she said. 'It was such a humble moment when I got my own kit when I was 10.' She soon fell in love with the game. 'I like how patient you were, how you had to be strategic during the game. And it taught me a lot about life and patience, for sure,' said Perera, whose father played first-class cricket in Sri Lanka. Perera would go to her brother's games, hoping someone might not show up so she would be allowed to fill in. When she was 12, while playing a game with boys, she was scouted by George Codrington, a former Canadian international who was the national women's coach at the time. She was invited to train with the senior women's side and was an alternate in 2012 when the women went to Ireland to play a World Twenty20 tournament qualifier. Perera made her senior debut against the U.S. in May 2019 when she was 19. It could have come earlier, but the Canadian women's team essentially was on hiatus from 2012 to 2018 after losing international status. Perera kept playing at home with boys and made her national team debut when the program returned to action. An accomplished opening batsman, the Canada vice-captain has transitioned from a medium-pace bowler to an off-spinner. Perera played a variety of sports, including basketball, badminton and volleyball, while attending Bill Crothers Secondary School in Markham, Ont. She also did track and field, excelling in the javelin. 'I found it quite easy because you're throwing a lot in cricket,' she said, noting that a 600-gram javelin (the minimum weight for women's competition) seems light in comparison. Growing up, Perera spent time playing cricket in England, Sri Lanka, the U.S. and the West Indies. Perera and Canada finished runner-up to the U.S. in Buenos Aires in March at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Americas Region Qualifier, missing out on the chance to advance to the final stage of T20 World Cup qualifying. The U.S. defeated Canada by 78 runs to win the four-team Americas tournament with Perera the only Canadian to reach double figures with the bat, with 19 runs off 28 balls. Both teams were 4-1-0 going into the deciding match with the U.S. atop the standings by virtue of a superior run rate. Canada had defeated the Americans by nine runs in their first game at the qualifier. Perera saw positives despite not moving on. 'You learn something with every tour,' Perera said. 'How you can improve as a unit … Being sad about it for the next two years is not the goal. The goal is to actually get better.' Unlike the Canadian men, the women's team is not under contract to Cricket Canada. Perera said the women sometimes get paid at a tournament, but usually not. 'We do love playing the game but we have other jobs too,' said Perera, who works as a timekeeper for Greater Toronto Hockey League and other leagues. 'We would love a contract but we don't mind it because our passion comes first.' Outside the cricket pitch, Perera was featured in an Estee Lauder ad in 2021. With cricket coming to the Olympics in 2028, the T20 version of the sport will get a huge platform in Los Angeles. But Canada will be watching from the sidelines with only six men's and six women's teams taking part. 'We're a little bit far off, to be completely honest with you,' said Perera. 'But regardless, seeing cricket being introduced in the Olympics honestly makes me feel so humble. I'm glad and I'm more than happy to watch their countries. 'And if we do have that chance (in the future), I know the girls are actually ready to take that step forward.' Canada is currently ranked 31st by the International Cricket Council (ICC) among women's Twenty20 International (T20I) countries with the U.S. No. 24. Cricket to Conquer Cancer and Cricket Day at the Park are sponsored by TD. — This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2025
