2018 in Sri Lanka

• 21 January - A 44 year old motorist was shot dead in Kataragama by the police after defying the orders when riding the motorcycle which caused turmoil and confusion in the Kataragama area as the police opened tear gas to control and disperse the people after the unusual incident at the historical religious area.[1]
• 23 January - The official Trophy for the 2018 FIFA World Cup was brought to Sri Lanka and was kept in Colombo for 2 days by displaying it to the public as the 2018 FIFA World Cup Trophy tour began from Sri Lanka to across 52 nations, marking the first ever instance that Sri Lanka was selected as one of the nations to officially showcase the prestigious trophy in history.[2][3]

• 4 February - Sri Lanka marked its 70th independence day.[4]
• 4 February - Arjun Alosysius and Kasun Palisena were arrested at around 7.30 AM regarding the alleged treasury bond scam issues.[5][6]
• 10 February – 2018 Sri Lankan local elections was conducted to elect 8293 members to the 341 local authorities.[7]
• 23 February - Komaali Kings, a Sri Lankan Tamil language film released on this day becomes the first Sri Lankan Tamil language mass budgeted film in 40 years. The film also marks the rebirth of Sri Lankan Tamil Cinema as it released in across 50 theatres in the nation.[8]
• 27 February - 2018 Anti-Muslim riots was occurred in Ampara town between Sinhalese and Muslim groups. Mosques, restaurants and Muslim civilians were targeted during the conflict as the alleged rumours were caused by a mob stating that chemicals have been added to the food items at a particular Muslim restaurant in the vicinity of temple junction in Ampara.[9]

• 2 March - Anti-Muslim riots spread from Udispattuwa and Teldeniya to Digana and other areas in the Kandy District. Several Muslim businesses, mosques and shops were attacked by a Sinhalese mob following the death of a Buddhist male following an assault by 4 intoxicated Muslim youths on 22 February 2018. Following the violence in Kandy, the Sri Lankan government declared a State of emergency in the nation for 10 days.[10]
• 6 March - 2018 Nidahas Trophy was a Tri-Nations tournament held from 6 March to 18 March to celebrate 70 years of Sri Lankan independence.
• 8 March - The funeral of Ven. Daranagama Kusaladhamma Thero proceeded with state of honour on 8 March 2018 in Colombo.[11]
• 21 March - Internationally acclaimed documentary Demons in Paradise was released in Sri Lanka after its world premiere at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival.

• 2 May - The final rites of the veteran film director Lester James Peiris proceeded with the state patronage.[12]
• 19 May - The 2018 Sri Lanka floods resulted after a heavy rainfall starting from 19 May causing severe damages throughout the island with leaving 13 dead, 23 missing and about over 100, 000 affected due to torrential floods.[13][14]
• 24 May - Sri Lankan national cricketer Dhananjaya de Silva's father Ranjan de Silva, a politician was shot dead by unknown people.[15][16]
• 26 May - The 2018 cricket pitch fixing and betting scandal has been revealed by Al Jazeera for tampering the Galle International Stadium pitch previously in a Test match against Australia in 2016 and in a match against India in 2017. The groundsman and also fellow Sri Lankan first-class cricketer Tharindu Mendis were accused and have been investigated by the International Cricket Council for attempting another Galle pitch tampering scandal prior to the start of the 1st test match against England in November 2018.[17][18]
• 26 May - Sri Lankan marine biologist Asha de Vos was awarded the Golden alumni award in the Professional Achievement category at the first edition of the British Council Golden Alumni awards.[19]
• 28 May - Sri Lankan veteran film and teledrama actress Deepani Silva was arrested and released on bail by Bandaragama Police for involving in a car accident with three wheeler leaving a 10-year-old child to being critically injured.[20][21][22][23]
• 31 May - The Sri Lanka Cricket Elections which was scheduled to be held on 31 May 2018 was cancelled on 30th May following a stay order issued by Court of Appeal after a petition filed against Sri Lankan Cricket Board president Thilanga Sumathipala from contesting in the elections.[24][25]
• 31 May - The new Sri Lankan map with the updates on Colombo City jointly with the Colombo Port city was released officially.[26] This was also the first instance where a Sri Lankan map was renewed after 18 years.[27]

• 16 June - Dinesh Chandimal was found to be guilty of making ball tampering incidence during the second test match between Sri Lanka and West Indies.[28] After video evidence indicated that on the second day's play, Chandimal was taking sweets out from his left pocket, putting them in his mouth, before applying saliva to the ball within the space of a few seconds.[29] Two on-field umpires Ian Gould, Aleem Dar, television umpire Richard Kettleborough and match referee Javagal Srinath observed the incidence carefully and charged him with one Test ban and two demerit points.[30]

• 11 July - it was reported that Sri Lanka is going to reinstate Capital punishment for drug dealers, president Maithripala Sirisena told the government, which earlier had unanimously backed the reinstatement of capital punishment, that he “was ready to sign the death warrants,”[31]
• 11 July - ICC concluded its hearing on the trio including Dinesh Chandimal, who had pleaded guilty to a level three spirit of cricket offence. His hearing took place before the start of the first Test against South Africa, with him found guilty. He received a two-match ban, with Suranga Lakmal captaining the side in his place.[32][33]
• 15 July - The scheduled inaugural edition of the Lankan Premier League which was supposed to be held in August 2018 was indefinitely postponed as a result of the change in country's cricket administration.[34][35]
• 16 July - The independent Judicial Commissioner handed down a further eight suspension points with maximum possible punishment for their spirit of cricket offence and suspended Chandimal for four ODIs as well.[36][37]

• 18 August - Akalanka Peiris became the first ever Sri Lankan student to sit for a Sri Lankan GCE A/L examinations outside Sri Lanka as he was granted special permission to write A/L exams in Jakarta, Indonesia just prior to his preparations for the 2018 Asian Games.[38][39]
• 26 August - Sri Lanka clinched maiden Carrom World Cup title in men's team event defeating defending champion India at the 2018 Carrom World Cup and also secured the second place in the women's team event.[40][41][42]

• 5 September - Jana Balaya Kolambata protest rally organized by Joint Opposition took place in Colombo.[43]
• 6 September:
  • UNP marks 72nd Anniversary.[44]
  • Alaina B. Teplitz appointed as US Ambassador to Sri Lanka & Maldives by US Senate.[45]
• 9 September - Sri Lanka clinched the 2018 Asian Netball Championships title defeating Singapore 69-50 which was also Sri Lanka's 5th Championship title and Tharjini Sivalingam was awarded the player of the tournament.[46]
• 10 September - Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa visits India on a three-day visit.[47]
• 15 September - Sri Lanka hosted the 2018 Asian Men's Volleyball Challenge Cup which was the inaugural edition of the Asian Men's Volleyball Challenge Cup tournament,[48][49] as Sri Lanka men's national volleyball team finished 3rd in the inaugural tournament.[50]
• 21 September - Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga becomes the first Sri Lankan recipient to receive the French highest honour award (Commandeur de la Legion of Honour).[51][52][53]
• 29 September - The BMS Campus (Business Management School) of Sri Lanka won the 2018 edition of the Red Bull Campus Cricket World Finals by 4 wickets to lift its second world title.[54]

• 6-13 October - Sri Lanka registered the best ever medal tally in an Asian Para Games - 13 medals including 4 gold medals at the 2018 Asian Para Games.[55]
• 15 October - Parami Wasanthi Maristela won Sri Lanka's first ever Youth Olympics medal, a bronze in the girls' 2000 metre steeplechase athletics event during the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics representing Sri Lanka.[56]
• 26 October - Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremasinghe is replaced by Mahinda Rajapakse, causing a constitutional crisis.[57]

• 9 November - Maithripala Sirisena dissolves Parliament by proclamation, from midnight of 9 November and declared snap elections to be held on around 5 January 2019.[58][59][60]
• 9 November - Rangana Herath retired from international cricket with 433 Test wickets as the most successful left arm spinner.[61]
• 27 November - According to Matthew was released in Sri Lanka and Australia.
• 30 November - Sri Lanka national deaf cricket team won their maiden Deaf T20 World Cup after emerging victorious at the 2018 Deaf T20 World Cup defeating India by 36 runs.[62][63]

November-December - Constitutional Court rules that dissolution of parliament was illegal. Mahinda Rajapaksa fails to form a government that commands a parliamentary majority. Mr Wickramasinghe resumes office.

• 15 December - Sri Lanka Emerging Team defeated India by 3 runs to win the 2018 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup.
• 16 December - President Maithripala Sirisena reinstates Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe in the position of Prime Minister, ending the constitutional coup.
• 16 December - Lucion Pushparaj became the first ever Sri Lankan to win the World Bodybuilding Championship during the 2018 World Bodybuilding Championship.[64]
• 22 December - flash floods in Northern Province caused by heavy rains leaving one dead and more than 75000 people have been reported to be affected in five districts.[65]

• Sri Lanka's first ever 3D animation film Gajaman is an upcoming film which is set to release in late 2018.[66]

• 4 January – Sujatha Weerasekara, 85 (actress) [67]
• 4 January – Francis Wanniarachchi, 71 (media personality) [68]
• 5 January – Gihan Wikramanayake, academic (b. 1960).[69]
• 6 January – Adeesha Kanchana, 50 (actor) [70]
• 10 January – Lucian de Alwis, Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka[71]
• 22 January – A. E. Manoharan, 73 (singer) [72]
• 28 January – Dharmasena Pathiraja, 74 (filmmaker) [73]

• 2 February – Most Venerabale Professor Bellanwila Wimalarathana Thero, 77 (Buddhist monk) [74]
• 11 February – Ashoka Pieris, 50 (musician) [67]
• 18 February - Kandiah Neelakandan, lawyer (b. 1947).[75]

• 3 March - Ven. Daranagama Kusaladhamma Thero (b. 1963).[76]
• 3 March – Arawwala Nandimithra, 78 (literary) [77]
• 4 March – Irene de Alwis, 73 (singer) [77]
• 14 March - Vasantha Vaidyanathan[78]
• 14 March – Edna Sugathapala, 72 (actress) [79]
• 25 March – Saliya Dias, 73 (art director) [80]
• 27 February – Chandrasiri Dodangoda, 67 (author) [67]

• 7 April – U. W. Premaratne, 71 (production manager) [67]
• 7 April – Rathnawali Kekunawela, 87 (actress) [81]
• 16 April – Thushani de Silva, 27 (actress) [82]
• 21 June - Sadath Gamini Wickramasinghe, 78 (musician) [67]
• 29 April - Lester James Peiris, 99 (filmmaker) [83]

• 1 May - Priyantha Fernando, 65 (singer) [84]
• 27 May – W. D. Nimal Perera, 75 (cinematographer) [67]
• 29 May – K. A. Dharmadasa, 83 (drum player) [67]

• 2 June - Athagama Ebert Amarasena, 79 (poet) [67]
• 3 June - Monica Weerasinghe, (actress) [67]
• 5 June - Hema Nalin Karunaratne, 55 (media personality) [85]
• 9 June - Somaweera Senanayake, 73 (screenwriter) [86]
• 13 June - Cyril Perera, 73 (musician) [67]
• 15 June - Kamal J. Bernard, 65 (lyricist) [67]
• 18 June - Ivor Dennis, 86 (singer) [87]
• 20 June - Jayampathi Wimaladharma, 63 (actor) [67]
• 25 June - Cyril Perera, 73 (musician) [88]
• 29 June - S. Karunaratne, 78 (dramatist) [67]
• 29 June - Rohana Maddumarala, 77 (lyricist) [67]
• 30 June - Athula Somasiri, 77 (singer) [67][89]
• 30 June - Chmara Lakshan, 39 (newspaper editor) [90]
• 30 June - Roy de Silva, 80 (filmmaker) [91]

• 3 July - Piyasena Ihalavithana, 82 (journalist) [67]
• 7 July - Sarath Dharmasiri, 56 (photographer) [67][92]
• 8 July - Priyani Jayasinghe, 51 (singer) [93]
• 11 July - Ruwan Hewage, 67 (actor) [67]
• 14 July - Stanley de Silva, 84 (theater actor) [94]
• 15 July - Rupa Kodithuwakku, (author) [67]
• 16 July - Rita Tampoe, 80 (actress) [67][95]
• 23 July - Tissa Gunawardena, 85 (dramatist) [96]
• 23 July - W. Ranjith Perera, 71 (director) [67]
• 24 July - Indika Ginige, 37 (actor) [97]
• 25 July - Daya Kumarage, (journalist) [67]
• 27 July - Soma Kiriella, (dramatist) [67]
• 29 July - Lloyd Gunawardena, 55 (actor) [98]

• 1 August - Raja K. Seneviratne, 73 (dramatist) [67]
• 2 August - Nanda Wilegoda, 82 (actress) [67]
• 7 August - Gihan Rathnayake, 32 (musician) [67]
• 8 August - Indrajith Navinna, 70 (actor) [99]
• 17 August - Balangoda Sarath Madu, 69 (artist) [100]
• 24 August - Edwin Batawala, 76 (artist) [67]

• 11 September - Berty Thalagala, 83 (production manager) [67]
• 14 September - K. D. G. Wimalaratne, 79 (former Director of National Archives) [67]
• 24 September - Francis Ranasinghe, 64 (journalist) [67]

• 1 October – Ronnie Leitch, 64 (singer, actor).[101]
• 2 October – Sunil Premakumara, 62 (actor) [102][103]
• 16 October – Amara Ranatunga, 79 (songstress) [104]

• 1 November - Douglas Perera, 90 (actor) [67]
• 5 November – Harish Jayaratne, 67 (actor) [105]

• 12 December - Upali Kannangara, 67 (singer) [106]