Dialog-powered 91st Battle of the Saints unfolds on April 3rd, 4th, & 5th

Harsha Samaranayake, Vice President - Brand and Media, Dialog Axiata PLC handing over the Cheque to the two heads of the schools – Rev. Fr. Ranjith Andradi, Rector, St. Joseph’s College (left) and Rev. Fr. Rohitha Rodrigo, Rector, St. Peter’s College (right). Photographed from left to right: Kenneth Liyanage, Captain of St. Joseph's College; Rev. Fr. Samesh Anthony, Prefect of Games, St. Joseph’s College; Terrence Fernando, Co-Chairman of the Joint Organizing Committee, St. Joseph’s College; Rev. Fr. Ranjith Andradi, Rector, St. Joseph’s College; Harsha Samaranayake, Vice President - Brand and Media, Dialog Axiata PLC; Rev. Fr. Rohitha Rodrigo, Rector, St. Peter’s College; Michael Elias, Co-Chairman of the Joint Organizing Committee, St. Peter’s College; Rev. Fr. Praveen Wijesakera, Sports Coordinator, St. Peter’s College; and Oween Salgado, Captain of St. Peter’s College.

Continuing its unwavering commitment to fostering future sporting talent, Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s #1 connectivity provider, proudly sponsors the 91st edition of the iconic 'Battle of the Saints.' This historic cricket encounter between two esteemed Catholic institutions in Colombo—St. Joseph’s College and St. Peter’s College will unfold in all its grandeur at the SSC on April 3rd, 4th, and 5th, with the coveted Rev. Fr. Maurice J. Le Goc Trophy at stake and the 51st Joe-Pete Limited Over Encounter for the Rev. Fr. Peter A. Pillai Trophy on the 26th of April at the SSC. Leading the charge for St. Joseph’s College this year is Mast. Kenath Liyanage, while the Peterite Squad will take the field under the leadership of Mast. Oween Salgado.

With St. Joseph’s College leading the series with 12 victories—their last triumph under Ruwantha Fernandopulle in 2008—and St. Peter’s College boasting 10 wins, including their 2016 success under Vinu Mohotty, the Rev. Fr. Maurice J. Le Goc Trophy remains a symbol of cricketing supremacy. Sixty-seven encounters have ended in draws, underscoring the rich and competitive history of this legendary rivalry. The 2024 edition, contested as a two-day affair, concluded in a draw.

Beyond the traditional battle, the highly anticipated Josephian-Peterite limited-overs clash for the 'Rev. Fr. Peter A. Pillai Memorial Trophy' is scheduled for April 26, 2024.

In the one-day format, St. Joseph’s leads with 25 wins compared to St. Peter’s 22, with two matches yielding no result and one ending in a tie. In last year’s edition, St. Peter’s emerged victorious, reclaiming the Rev. Fr. Peter A. Pillai Memorial Shield with a thrilling three-wicket win in the 50th annual encounter.

Both schools have a rich legacy of producing cricketing icons who have proudly represented Sri Lanka on the international stage. The Josephian alumni include Dimuth Karunaratne, Angelo Mathews, Chaminda Vaas, Dunith Wellalage, Shevon Daniel, Thisara Perera, Ashley De Silva, Michael Van Dort, Roshen Silva, Priyamal Perera, and Sadeera Samarawickrama. Meanwhile, St. Peter’s College has nurtured stars like Roy Dias, Rumesh Ratnayake, Vinodhan John, Amal Silva, Russel Arnold, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Malinda Warnapura, Angelo Perera, Janith Liyanage, and Dushan Hemantha.

"The Big Match Season is a cornerstone of Sri Lanka's sporting heritage, and we are thrilled to continue our support for this significant cricketing spectacle, which fosters future champions destined to represent our nation," stated Harsha Samaranayake, Vice President of Brand and Media at Dialog Axiata PLC. "I extend my heartfelt wishes to both teams and players for a thrilling cricket encounter."

Spectators can immerse themselves in the thrilling spectacle on ThePapare TV – Channel Number 126, through Dialog Television, or stream the vibrant action live via ThePapare.com and the Dialog ViU app. ThePapare's exceptional live coverage will illuminate over 40 schools nationwide throughout this captivating season. As the Dialog Big Match season unfolds, Dialog Axiata PLC warmly invites the public to witness the exhilarating Joe-Pete cricket encounter, powered by the most advanced 5G Ready network in Sri Lanka by Dialog.

Dialog Axiata is the proud sponsor of the National Cricket, Volleyball, Netball and Esports teams. Dialog is also the primary sponsor of the Sri Lanka Golf Open and Paralympic sports by powering the National Para Games, and the Sri Lankan contingent to the World Paralympic Games. Further, in line with its commitment towards empowering the champions of tomorrow, the company continues to power the President’s Gold Cup Volleyball, National Junior and Senior Netball tourneys, and School Rugby.