Brianna Miriyagalla, the student girl who is upholding Sri Lanka's name in Australia

Proving that talent knows no boundaries or ethnic divides, a young cricketer of Sri Lankan origin is making her mark on the Australian cricket field. Born in Sri Lanka in 2011 and having migrated to Australia via Qatar, Brianna Miriyagalla has now become one of Western Australia’s future cricket hopes.

A resident of Harrisdale in Western Australia, Brianna is a 15-year-old Year 10 student at Leeming Senior High School. Marking a special milestone in her cricket journey, she was recently selected for the Western Australian Under-15 girls’ school cricket team. Further confirming her ability, she has also been named among the final 16 players in the Western Australian Under-16 girls’ cricket squad.

She is set to represent Western Australia at the School Sport Australia Cricket Championships, to be held in Bunbury from February 21 to 27. She said she was very excited about the chance to compete against players her own age from across Australia and about the whole experience.

Having played cricket for nearly six years, Brianna is both a top-order batter and an off-spin bowler for her team. Describing her selection for the Western Australian team as the biggest achievement of her sporting career so far, she told the media: “This is a really big opportunity for me. I’ve never had a chance like this before, and it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”

Her sporting journey has the strong backing of her family. Brianna has a twin brother and a younger brother, both of whom also play cricket. Another moment that highlighted her talent came in 2022 in Melbourne, where she played against a team of boys her own age and won the Player of the Match award.

Brianna gives special credit for her success to her father. In a social media post celebrating her achievement, her father, Prabhash (Andrew) Miriyagalla, described the difficult road the family had travelled. “Guys, today is an absolutely awesome, super happy day. Our girl Brianna Miriyagalla has made the final 16 of the Western Australia Under-16 women’s squad. The only Sri Lankan girl to be selected in a long time. After more than 10 years of hard grind, taking the scoldings and getting sunburnt dark in the heat, this is a huge leap in the journey she has come. There’s still a long way to go, but no worries, let’s go as far as we can somehow,” he wrote. He also expressed special thanks to Amila Sajeewa Baduwasam for being her first sponsor.

Speaking to Australian media on behalf of the family, her father said: “We’re really happy and proud of Brianna. It’s like a reward for her hard work and dedication.” Describing the journey as both challenging and rewarding, he added that seeing her represent Western Australia and her local community makes the achievement even more special.

The open environment in Australia, which recognises talent and gives it room to grow, has been a great help on her journey. As the child of a Sri Lankan-origin family that has not forgotten its roots, whichever country she ends up representing, the day she conquers the international cricket field will be a moment of great pride for all Sri Lankans too.