Former Sri Lanka Under-19 cricketer Akshu Fernando passed away today, after being in a coma for several years following a tragic railway accident.
Fernando sustained severe head injuries and multiple fractures in the accident that occurred on December 28, 2018, at an unprotected railway crossing near Mount Lavinia Beach.
He had been returning from a team running session when he was struck by a train. He was critically injured and remained in critical care, on life support, with round-the-clock monitoring by his family.
At the time of the accident, Fernando was regarded as one of the most promising young cricketers of his generation. He was part of the same Sri Lanka Under-19 squad as Dhanushka Gunathilaka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Kithruwan Vithanage, several of whom later went on to represent the national team at senior level.
Fernando was a standout performer at the 2010 Under-19 World Cup semi-final against Australia in Lincoln on January 27, scoring 52 runs in a match where he was Sri Lanka’s most successful batsman.
Akshu Fernando was a right-handed batsman who was selected for the 2010 Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand. He made his List A debut for Panadura Sports Club in 2009.
