Percy Abeysekera

W. D. Percy Gimson Mendis Abeysekera (30 July 1936 – 30 October 2023), known as Uncle Percy, was a Sri Lankan cricket superfan for over seven decades. His support for Sri Lankan cricket became part of Sri Lankan cricketing culture.

Early life and family Percy Abeysekera was born on July 30, 1936, in the coastal town of Boossa, Sri Lanka. In 1968, Abeysekera married Meloney De Silva from Moratuwa. They had two children: Sampath Garfield, their elder son, and Nadeesh Nimmi, their daughter. Meloney died on September 24, 2010.

He attended his first international cricket match in 1948, an encounter between Australia and All Ceylon at the P Sara Stadium. This match featured Sir Don Bradman.

Death and legacy Abeysekera died on 30 October 2023, at the age of 87. Former India captain Ravi Shastri once wrote, "Percy, don't lose your voice. Sri Lanka needs it more than you." Former New Zealand captain, the late Martin Crowe, once gave away his Man of the Match award to Percy. In Australia, he was briefly arrested for entering the field of play. Michael Clarke and Adam Gilchrist protested, warning not to turn this into an international crisis.