WATCH: 54-year-old Upul Chandana goes air-borne to grab screamer in charity match

Umagiliya Durage Upul Chandana, the former Sri Lanka leg-spinner, produced a stunning diving catch during a charity cricket match in Colombo on August 24, 2026. The 54-year-old, born on May 7, 1972, in Galle, flung himself sideways with both arms outstretched and completed the take cleanly on the grass outfield, drawing wide attention for the athleticism he displayed well into his fifties.

The catch came off the bowling of Arjuna Ranatunga, the former Sri Lanka captain who led the side to the 1996 Cricket World Cup title. A clip of the moment was shared on Instagram with footage showing Chandana in mid-air, arms fully extended, completing the catch in front of boundary advertising boards and a crowd of standing spectators.

The Colombo charity match brought together several veterans of Sri Lankan cricket, with Ranatunga among those involved. No further match details, including the result or other participants, were confirmed in the available evidence at the time of writing.

Chandana's international career with Sri Lanka stretched from 1994 to 2007 in ODIs and from 1999 to 2005 in Tests. His last ODI was played on July 25, 2007, against Bangladesh, placing the charity match approximately 19 years after his final appearance in that format. His last Test, against New Zealand, was on April 11, 2005, more than 21 years before the Colombo event.

Across 147 ODIs, Chandana took 151 wickets at an average of 31.91, with a best return of 5 for 61. In 16 Tests, he claimed 37 wickets at an average of 41.49. He was noted during his playing days as an outstanding fielder, a quality the charity match clip appeared to confirm.

Chandana made his ODI debut on April 14, 1994, against Australia and his Test debut on March 12, 1999, against Pakistan. He was also part of the Sri Lanka squad that won the 1996 ODI World Cup, though he did not feature in any match during the tournament. Domestically, he represented Nondescripts Cricket Club and Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club and also played county cricket for Gloucestershire.