R.Premadasa Stadium

Ground information
Location	Maligawatta, Colombo
Coordinates	6°56′22.8″N 79°52′19.3″E / 6.939667°N 79.872028°E / 6.939667; 79.872028Coordinates: 6°56′22.8″N 79°52′19.3″E / 6.939667°N 79.872028°E / 6.939667; 79.872028
Establishment	1986
Capacity	14,000 35,000 (current)
Owner	Sri Lanka Cricket
Operator	Sri Lanka Cricket
Tenants	Sri Lanka Cricket
End names
Khettarama End Scoreboard End
International information
First Test	28 August 1992: Sri Lanka v Australia
Last Test	12 September 2005: Sri Lanka v Bangladesh
First ODI	9 March 1986: Sri Lanka v Pakistan
Last ODI	22 August 2011: Sri Lanka v Australia
First T20I	10 February 2009: Sri Lanka v India
Last T20I	4 September 2009: Sri Lanka v New Zealand
As of 6 August 2011 Source: Cricinfo

R. Premadasa Stadium (Sinhala: ආර්. ප්‍රේමදාස ක්‍රීඩාංගනය, Tamil: ஆர். பிரேமதாச ஸ்டேடியம்; also known as Khettarama Stadium,Ranasinghe Premadasa Stadium or simply as the Premadasa Stadium) is a cricket stadium^[1] situated on Khettarama Road, Maligawatta, Colombo, Sri Lanka. The stadium was, prior to June 1994, known as the Khettarama Cricket Stadium and is today one of the main venues in which the Sri Lankan cricket team play, having hosted more than 100 one day international matches.

History[link]

Early history[link]

The stadium is the brainchild of the late Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa, who championed the development of this 35,000-seater concrete bowl, the biggest stadium in Sri Lanka. Opened on February 2, 1986 with a match between a Sri Lanka 'B' side and an England 'B' team, the stadium was built on swampland previously used by monks ferrying across to the Khettarama temple adjacent to the stadium.

Ground history[link]

The inaugural One Day International was played on April 5, 1986 between Sri Lanka and New Zealand. On August 28, 1992 it hosted its inaugural Test match between Sri Lanka and Australia. The venue is best remembered for holding the world record for the highest Test total - 952/6 declared by Sri Lanka against India in 1997/1998 in which former Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya scored 340 and Roshan Mahanama 225, the pair sharing a partnership 576 for the second wicket, which was then the highest for any wicket in a Test Match. Since that record-breaking match, it has hosted just one Test against New Zealand. Invariably flat, the pitches are slow in pace and low in bounce.

A new training center has been developed behind the stadium with 16 practice pitches and dormitories for the Sony Max Cricket Academy which started in 2003.

Renovation[link]

The Premadasa Stadium underwent a reconstruction project in preparation for the 2011 Cricket World Cup. The Stadium has been undergoing large-scale renovations since 2009. The Stadium has had its seating capacity increase from 14,000 to 35,000, the media-box accommodating 200 journalists, and other various upgrades. The renovations have cost Sri Lanka Cricket eight million dollars.^[2] In July 2010, a report filed by the ICC pitch consultant, Andy Atkinson raised concerns over the condition of the outfield and the pitch claiming he was worried at the slow pace of progress.^[3] Although none of the buildings at the stadium were near completion, the 2nd Test of the West Indies tour of Sri Lanka in 2010, was held at the venue between 23–27 November. Sri Lanka Cricket defended choosing the stadium saying that the decision to stage a game was to allow cricketers to acclimatize themselves to the ground ahead of the World Cup games.^[4] The Test match was staged using temporary seating for spectators in a corner of the stadium as only players' pavilions had permanent arrangements. Since the press box was not completed reporters and commentators facing technical difficulties used a makeshift arrangement.

• 

  Renovated Pavilion B

• 

The main 4 public stands were refurbished along with the Player dressing room area and the corporate boxes.A VIP car park is situated in the Northern end of the ground.

Stadium Plan[link]

Pavilions A and B are fully equipped with seating in two tiers,lower and higher.several Corporate boxes .are also built in these two stands. Pavilions C and D are built between the scoreboard in the stadium with two tiered seating system.The lower tiers have concrete paving allocated for floor seating and the upper tier includes fully standard seating blocks.The grand stand and top level block above the player pavilions have enhanced quality seating.

After Renovation[link]

The R Premadasa Stadium hosted seven successful world cup matches including a quarter-final and a semi-final. On 10 May 2011 Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Nishantha Ranatunga confirmed that first edition of 2011 Sri Lanka Premier League's matches will play at R Premadasa Stadium.^[5] The tournament was later postponed till 2012 due to financial complications and internal regime change at Sri Lanka Cricket.

On 21 September 2011, it was announced that R. Premadasa stadium will host fifteen 2012 ICC World Twenty20 matches, including semi-finals and the final.^[6]

Since the renovation work has been completed, the Premadasa Stadium's 35,000 capacity creates an intimidating atmosphere for visiting teams.

Ground figures[link]

Test cricket[link]

• The highest Test total at the R Premadasa Stadium is 952/6 declared by Sri Lanka against India in 1997.
• The lowest Test total is 86 by Bangladesh against Sri Lanka in 2005.
• Sanath Jayasuriya scored 340 against India in 1997. This remains the highest score at R Premadasa stadium.
• The 36 wickets captured by Muttiah Muralitharan remains the most number of wickets at the R Premadasa stadium.
• The best bowling figures in an innings is 6/18 by Muttiah Muralitharan against Bangladesh in the 2005/06 season.
• Muttiah Muralitharan's 9/60 remains the best bowling figures in a match.

One Day Internationals[link]

• The highest ODI total is 363/5 by India against Sri Lanka on February 3, 2009.
• Sanath Jayasuriya has scored 2514 runs and is the highest by a single player at the Premadasa stadium. Marvan Atapattu, Aravinda de Silva, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Sachin Tendulkar has scored more than 1000 runs.
• Muttiah Muralitharan with 69 scalps has captured the most number of wickets at the Premadasa stadium.
• The highest individual score at R Premadasa stadium is 150 by Gautam Gambhir against Sri Lanka in the 2008-2009 season.
• R Premedasa stadium became the first in Sri Lanka and fourth in the world to reach 100 ODIs hosted stadium.
• Lsith Malinga has taken two ODI hat-tricks at this stadium.The first came against Kenya in the 2011 World Cup and the second versus Australia on 22 August 2011

Twenty20 Internationals[link]

• First match played on 10 February 2009 in involving Sri Lanka and India.
• Highest team total at the R Premadasa Stadium is 174/4 by India against Sri Lanka

World Cup Cricket[link]

In 1996 and 2011 ICC cricket world cups R.Premadasa stadium hosted 9 matches including a quarter-final match and a semi-final match. It has hosted the highest number of cricket world cup matches in Sri Lanka.

1996 Cricket World Cup[link]

17 February 1996 scorecard	Sri Lanka	v	Australia	Sri Lanka won on a forfeit R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Umpires: Mahboob Shah and Cyril Mitchley
Australia forfeited the match due to safety concerns, and were in Bombay at the time of the match.

26 February 1996 scorecard	Sri Lanka	v	West Indies	Sri Lanka won on forfeit R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Umpires: Mahboob Shah and V.K. Ramaswamy
West Indies forfeited the match due to safety concerns.

2011 Cricket World Cup[link]

Group matches

26 February 2011 (D/N) Scorecard	Pakistan  277/7 (50 overs)	v	Sri Lanka 266/9 (50 overs)	Pakistan won by 11 runs. R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Umpires: Ian Gould and Daryl Harper Player of the match: Shahid Afridi (Pak)
	Misbah-ul-Haq 83* (91) Rangana Herath 2/46 (10 overs)		Chamara Silva 57 (78) Shahid Afridi 4/34 (10 overs)
Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first.

1 March 2011 (D/N) Scorecard	Kenya  142 (43.4 overs)	v	Sri Lanka 146/1 (18.4 overs)	Sri Lanka won by 9 wickets (with 188 balls remaining) R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Umpires: Tony Hill and Shavir Tarapore Player of the match: Lasith Malinga (Sri)
	Collins Obuya 52 (100) Lasith Malinga 6/38 (7.4 overs)		Upul Tharanga 67 (59) Elijah Otieno 1/26 (4 overs)
Kenya won the toss and elected to bat first. Lasith Malinga took his second ODI Hat-Trick.

3 March 2011 (D/N) Scorecard	Pakistan  184 (43 overs)	v	Canada 138 (42.5 overs)	Pakistan won by 46 runs R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Umpires: Daryl Harper and Nigel Llong Player of the match: Shahid Afridi (Pak)
	Umar Akmal 48 (68) Harvir Baidwan 3/35 (8 overs)		Jimmy Hansra 43 (75) Shahid Afridi 5/23 (10 overs)
Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first.

5 March 2011 (D/N) Scorecard	Sri Lanka  146/3 (32.5 overs)	v	Australia	Match abandoned due to rain R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Umpires: Ian Gould and Tony Hill Player of the match: DNA
	Kumar Sangakkara 73* (102) Shaun Tait 1/23 (5 overs)
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first. Due to rain match abandoned therefore Sri Lanka and Australia got 1 point each.

19 March 2011 (D/N) Scorecard	Australia  176 (46.4 overs)	v	Pakistan 178/6 (41 overs)	Pakistan won by 4 wickets (with 54 balls remaining) R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Umpires: Marais Erasmus and Tony Hill Player of the match: Umar Akmal (Pak)
	Brad Haddin 42 (80) Umar Gul 3/30 (7.4 overs)		Asad Shafiq 46 (81) Bret Lee 4/28 (8 overs)
Australia won the toss and elected to bat first.

Quarter-finals

26 March 2011 (D/N) Scorecard	England  229/6 (50 overs)	v	Sri Lanka  231/0 (39.3 overs)	Sri Lanka won by 10 wickets (with 63 balls remaining) R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Umpires: Simon Taufel and Billy Doctrove Player of the match: Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri)
	Jonathan Trott 86 (115) Muttiah Muralitharan 2/54 (9 overs)		Tillakaratne Dilshan 108* (115) Luke Wright 0/17 (4 overs)
England won the toss and elected to bat first. For the first time England lost a world cup match by 10 wickets.

Semi-finals

29 March 2011 (D/N) Scorecard	New Zealand  217 (48.5 overs)	v	Sri Lanka  220/5 (47.5 overs)	Sri Lanka won by 5 wickets (with 13 balls remaining) R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka Umpires: Aleem Dar and Steve Davis Player of the match: Kumar Sangakkara (Sri)
	Scott Styris 57 (77) Ajantha Mendis 3/35 (9.5 overs)		Tillakaratne Dilshan 73 (93) Tim Southee 3/57 (10 overs)
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat first. This is New Zealand's sixth world cup semi final and Sri Lanka's fourth time.

ICC Champions Trophy Cricket[link]

The 2002 ICC Champions Trophy was held in Sri Lanka. Nine matches played in R.Premadasa stadium including semi-finals and the final. Other matches played in SSC.

2002 ICC Champions Trophy[link]

Group matches

12 September 2002[7] (D/N) Scorecard	Pakistan  200 (49.4 overs)	v	Sri Lanka 201/2 (36.1 overs)	Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka Umpires: Steve Bucknor and Daryl Harper Player of the match: Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri)
	Saeed Anwar 52 (82) Muttiah Muralitharan 3/29 (10 overs)		Sanath Jayasuriya 102* (120) Wasim Akram 1/42 (8 overs)
Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first.

14 September 2002 (D/N) Scorecard	India  288/6 (50 overs)	v	Zimbabwe 274/8 (50 overs)	India won by 14 runs R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka Umpires: Asoka de Silva and Rudi Koertzen Player of the match: Mohammad Kaif (Pak)
	Mohammad Kaif 111 (112) Douglas Hondo 4/62 (9 overs)		Andy Flower 145 (164) Zaheer Khan 4/45 (10 overs)
India won the toss and elected to bat first.

16 September 2002 (D/N) Scorecard	Sri Lanka  292/6 (50 overs)	v	Netherlands 86 (29.3 overs)	Sri Lanka won by 206 runs R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka Umpires: Dave Orchard and David Shepherd Player of the match: Marvan Atapattu (Sri)
	Marvan Atapattu 101 (118) Adeel Raja 2/50 (10 overs)		Tim de Leede 31 (43) Muttiah Muralitharan 4/15 (5.3 overs)
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first.

18 September 2002 (D/N) Scorecard	England  298/8 (50 overs)	v	Zimbabwe 190/9 (48 overs)	England won by 108 runs R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka Umpires: Steve Bucknor and Rudi Koertzen Player of the match: Marcus Trescothick (Eng)
	Marcus Trescothick 119 (102) Douglas Hondo 4/45 (6 overs)		Heath Streak 50* (58) Ronnie Irani 4/37 (10 overs)
England won the toss and elected to bat first. Zimbabwe were fined 2 overs for a slow over rate

20 September 2002 (D/N) Scorecard	South Africa  316/5 (50 overs)	v	Kenya 140 (46.5 overs)	South Africa won by 176 runs R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka Umpires: Daryl Harper and Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan Player of the match: Herschelle Gibbs (RSA)
	Herschelle Gibbs 116 (126) Collins Obuya 2/77 (10 overs)		Steve Tikolo 69 (97) Dale Benkenstein 3/5 (3.5 overs)
South Africa won the toss and elected to bat first.

22 September 2002 (D/N) Scorecard	England  269/7 (50 overs)	v	India 271/2 (39.3 overs)	India won by 8 wickets R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka Umpires: Steve Bucknor and Russell Tiffin Player of the match: Virender Sehwag (Ind)
	Ian Blackwell 82 (68) Ashish Nehra 2/49 (10 overs)		Virender Sehwag 126 (124) Ian Blackwell 1/46 (8 overs)
England won the toss and elected to bat first.

Semi-finals

25 September 2002 (D/N) Scorecard	India  261/9 (50 overs)	v	South Africa 251/6 (50 overs)	India won by 10 runs R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka Umpires: David Shepherd and Russell Tiffin Player of the match: Virender Sehwag (Ind)
	Yuvraj Singh 62 (72) Shaun Pollock 3/43 (9 overs)		Herschelle Gibbs 116 (119) Virender Sehwag 3/25 (5 overs)
India won the toss and elected to bat first. India advanced to the final.

27 September 2002 (D/N) Scorecard	Australia  162 (48.4 overs)	v	Sri Lanka 163/3 (40 overs)	Sri Lanka won by 7 wickets R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka Umpires: Steve Bucknor and Dave Orchard Player of the match: Aravinda de Silva (Sri)
	Shane Warne 36 (69) Muttiah Muralitharan 3/26 (9.4 overs)		Marvan Atapattu 51 (113) Glenn McGrath 2/41 (10 overs)
Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. Sri Lanka advanced to the final.

Final

29 September, 30 September 2002 (D/N) Scorecard	India	v	Sri Lanka	No result.  India and  Sri Lanka are declared co-champions R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka Player of the match: DNA
Match rained out twice. India and Sri Lanka declared co-champions.

ICC World Twenty20[link]

Sri Lanka will host the 2012 ICC World Twenty20. Fifteen out of twenty seven matches are due to play in R. Premadasa stadium, including semi-finals and the final. Other matches will be played in Pallekele International Cricket Stadium and Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium.

2012 ICC World Twenty20[link]

Group matches

19 September 2012 (D/N)	India	v	Afghanistan	R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka

19 September 2012 (D/N)	Australia	v	Ireland	R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka

21 September 2012 (D/N)	England	v	Afghanistan	R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka

22 September 2012 (D/N)	Australia	v	West Indies	R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka

23 September 2012 (D/N)	England	v	India	R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka

24 September 2012 (D/N)	West Indies	v	Ireland	R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Super 8s

Semi-finals

Final

Gallery[link]

• 

  At night, with the lights on (before redevelopment)

• 

  Pavillion C and D,August 2011

• 

  Floodlights at the RPS,Colombo

• 

  Australia took on Sri Lanka in two ODIs,August 2011

• 

  Premadasa Stadium being fully covered due to rain

• 

  Ground fully masked by covers,August 2011

See also[link]

• List of Test cricket grounds
• List of international cricket grounds in Sri Lanka

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: R. Premadasa Stadium

• Cricinfo profile on R. Premadasa Stadium

Ranasinghe Premadasa රණසිංහ ප්‍රේමදාස ரணசிங்க்ஹி பிரேமதாசா
180px
3rd President of Sri Lanka
In office January 2, 1989 – May 1, 1993
Preceded by	Junius Richard Jayewardene
Succeeded by	Dingiri Banda Wijetunga
11th Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
In office February 6, 1978 – March 3, 1989
Preceded by	Junius Richard Jayewardene
Succeeded by	Dingiri Banda Wijetunga
Personal details
Born	(1924-06-23)June 23, 1924 Colombo, British Ceylon
Died	May 1, 1993(1993-05-01) (aged 68) Colombo, Sri Lanka
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Political party	United National Party
Spouse(s)	Hema Premadasa (nee Wickrematunge)
Children	Sajith, Dulanjali
Religion	Buddhism

Ranasinghe Premadasa (Sinhala: රණසිංහ ප්‍රේමදාස Tamil: ரணசிங்க்ஹி பிரேமதாசா) (June 23, 1924 – May 1, 1993) was the 3rd President of Sri Lanka from January 2, 1989 to May 1, 1993. Before that, he served as the Prime Minister in the government headed by J. R. Jayewardene from February 6, 1978 to January 1, 1989. He was assassinated in Colombo in a suicide bombing, by the LTTE.^[1][2]

Early life[link]

Ranasinghe Premadasa came from a family of modest means, as such his political rise was resented by some of his rivals from the two or three Rajaka - Dhobies, Washermen caste families who had inherited political power, during and post British colonial rule. He attended St Joseph's College, Colombo which at that time had started an oriental languages course. Richard Ranasingha wished his son to follow this course. He originally planned to be a journalist, and translated an autobiography of Jawaharlal Nehru into Sinhala.

Premadasa was married to Hema Wickrematunge and had three children.Sajith and daughter Dulanjali and Ranjith, his son, is the MP for Hambantota District.

Political career[link]

Premadasa's entry into politics was made from the Labour Party, then headed by A. E. Goonesinha. Having realized that the Labour Party in the 1950s didn't have a very promising future, Premadasa joined the moderate United National Party, and became the first non-Govigama politician to reach to the highest levels in democratic, post-independence Sri Lanka.

During his tenure as Minister of Broadcasting in Dudley Senanayake's cabinet, Premadasa turned Radio Ceylon, the oldest radio station in South Asia, into a public corporation - the Ceylon Broadcasting Corporation on 5 January 1967.

Part of his political program was shelter for the poor, after the United Nations declared a Year of Shelter. Other policies included Jana Saviya, the instrument he used to help the poor, a foster parents scheme, the Gam Udawa project with which he tried to stir up the stupor in the villages, the mobile secretariat whereby he took the central government bureaucracy to the peasants, the Tower Hall Foundation for drama and music, and the pension schemes he initiated for the elder artistes. On the economic front, the garment industry project that he initiated became a forerunner in earning foreign exchange and provision of employment in the villages. This was just one step in the direction of taking the economy to the outstations.

Presidency[link]

Premadasa met with less success in dealing with Sri Lanka's civil war. When he assumed office, he faced a rebellion in the south from the hardline Sinhala-nationalist, Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). The security forces brutally put down the revolt and killed many of its leaders. In the north, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam were facing off against the Indian Peace-Keeping Force. The Indian presence on the island was unpopular, and Premadasa requested India to leave. In order to force IPKF to leave the island, he authorized a clandestine operation to supply arms to LTTE according to the report published by the Srilankan Presidential commission to inquire into the 1992 assassination of one of the senior most officers in the Sri Lankan army, Lt Gen Denzil Kobbekaduwa.^[3] The inquiry also found that Premadasa ordered clandestine supply of arms to LTTE. In the end, LTTE massacred 774 policemen using the same weapons he had given to LTTE (the policemen were asked to surrender to LTTE in Batticaloa at Premadasa's request).^[4][5] After the IPKF left in 1990, the government's war with the LTTE resumed, and resulted in stalemate.

Premadasa is well known for the unostentatious life led by him in his simple home, away from his luxurious official residence. He perhaps travelled less than any other leading Sri Lankan politician. During his presidency, he also expelled from the UNP his two formidable rivals Lalith Athulathmudali and Gamini Dissanayake, who then joined to form the Democratic United National Front (DUNF). He was found to be involved in the assassination of Lalith Athulathmudali by a presidential commission appointed by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.^[6][7]

Assassination[link]

Ranasinghe Premadasa was killed on 1 May 1993, during a May day rally, by an LTTE suicide bomber.^[2] Little more than a week before, Lalith Athulathmudali had also been assassinated.

See also[link]

• List of political families in Sri Lanka
• Sajith Premadasa

References[link]

External links[link]

• Website of the Parliament of Sri Lanka
• Official Website of United National Party (UNP)
• Remembering Premadasa
• Methek Kathawa Divaina

v t e Presidents of Sri Lanka William Gopallawa • Junius Richard Jayewardene • Ranasinghe Premadasa • Dingiri Banda Wijetunga • Chandrika Kumaratunga • Mahinda Rajapaksa

v t e Prime Ministers of Sri Lanka D.S. Senanayake • Dudley Senanayake • John Kotelawala • S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike • W. Dahanayake • Dudley Senanayake • Sirimavo Bandaranaike • Dudley Senanayake • Sirimavo Bandaranaike • J.R. Jayewardene • Ranasinghe Premadasa • D.B. Wijetunga • Ranil Wickremasinghe • Chandrika Kumaratunga • Sirimavo Bandaranaike • Ratnasiri Wickremanayake • Ranil Wickremasinghe • Mahinda Rajapaksa • Ratnasiri Wickremanayake • D. M. Jayaratne

v t e ← Members of 4th Parliament of Ceylon (1960 (1960)) → Speaker: T. B. Subasinghe Prime Minister: Dudley Senanayake Leader of the Opposition: C. P. De Silva Appapillai Amirthalingam S. J. V. Chelvanayakam C. P. De Silva Alfred Duraiappah Philip Gunawardena Abdul Cader Shahul Hameed Junius Richard Jayewardene P.B.G. Kalugalla Pieter Keuneman Anil Moonesinghe E. M. V. Naganathan V. N. Navaratnam James Peter Obeyesekere III Ranasinghe Premadasa Dudley Senanayake Maithripala Senanayake Murugesu Sivasithamparam T. B. Subasinghe Kathiripillai Thurairatnam Ratnasiri Wickremanayake *This list is unfinished.

v t e ← Members of 7th Parliament of Ceylon (1970 (1970)-1972) → Speaker: Stanley Tillekeratne Prime Minister: Sirimavo Bandaranaike Leader of the Opposition: Junius Richard Jayewardene Veerasingham Anandasangaree Arunasalam Thangathurai Felix Dias Bandaranaike Sirimavo Bandaranaike S. J. V. Chelvanayakam Colvin R. de Silva Gamini Dissanayake Monty Gopallawa Abdul Cader Shahul Hameed T. B. Ilangaratne D. M. Jayaratne Junius Richard Jayewardene P.B.G. Kalugalla Sivasubramaniam Kathiravelupillai Pieter Keuneman Vasudeva Nanayakkara V. N. Navaratnam M. Joseph Michael Perera Ranasinghe Premadasa Mahinda Rajapaksa Dudley Senanayake Maithripala Senanayake Rukman Senanayake Kathiripillai Thurairatnam Stanley Tillekeratne Richard Udugama Ratnasiri Wickremanayake *This list is unfinished.

Narangoda Liyanaarachchilage Thisara Chirantha Perera (born 3 April 1989 in Colombo) is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He represents Sri Lanka at the Test, One Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 levels. He plays first class cricket in Sri Lanka for the Colts Cricket Club and the Wayamba Wolves. An all-rounder, he is an aggressive left-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler.^[1]

Early career[link]

Perera attended St. Joseph's College, Colombo, which has produced Sri Lankan cricketers such as Chaminda Vaas and Angelo Mathews. He represented Sri Lanka at various youth levels, and was selected for the 2008 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup. In November 2008, he made his first class debut for the Colts Cricket Club.^[1]

International career[link]

Perera made his international debut for Sri Lanka in December 2009, in a late call-up to play in an ODI against India in Kolkata.^[1] The following month, he was purchased by the Chennai Super Kings for US$50,000 in the auction for the 2010 Indian Premier League.^[2] In May 2010, he made his Twenty20 international debut, representing Sri Lanka in the ICC World Twenty20 in the West Indies.^[1] He took his first five-wicket haul in international cricket in August 2010, earning him the player of the match award in an ODI victory over India.^[3] He was a member of the Sri Lankan team that in October 2010 inflicted Australia's first defeat in a Twenty20 international in Australia, bringing up Sri Lanka's final 16 runs to win the match off three deliveries.^[4] He took five wickets in an ODI against Australia on the same tour.^[5]

Perera was a member of Sri Lanka's squad for the 2011 Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh. He was part of the team defeated in the final of the tournament by India, scoring 22 not out off ten deliveries and taking the wicket of Gautam Gambhir.^[6] His price increased for the 2011 Indian Premier League, fetching US$80,000 from the Kochi Tuskers Kerala.^[7] Later in the year he was selected in Sri Lanka's Test squad for a series against England.^[8] He made his debut in the first Test of the series at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.^[9] In an innings defeat, he scored 25 and 20 with the bat and took no wickets.^[10] He was not selected for the Test series against Pakistan later in the year, being retained only for the ODI and Twenty20 sides, but was recalled to the Test team for the end-of-year tour of South Africa. He played in all three Tests of the tour, scoring 81 runs and taking five wickets.^[11] He played two ODIs on the tour and scored his first half-century in the format—69 not out off 44 balls—to help Sri Lanka to victory in the fourth of the five-match series in Kimberley.^[12]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Player profile: Thisara Perera from ESPNcricinfo
• Thisara Perera articles, videos and photos

v t e Sri Lanka squad – 2010 ICC World Twenty20 Semi-Finalists 1 Sangakkara (c) 2 Chandimal 3 Dilshan 4 Jayasinghe 5 Jayasuriya 6 Jayawardene 7 Kapugedera 8 Kulasekara 9 Malinga 10 Mathews 11 Mendis 12 Muralitharan 13 Perera 14 Randiv 15 Welegedara Coach: Bayliss

v t e Sri Lanka squad – 2011 Cricket World Cup Runners-Up 1 Sangakkara (c & wk) 2 Jayawardene 3 Dilshan 4 Tharanga 5 Samaraweera 6 Silva 7 Kapugedera 8 Randiv 9 Perera 10 Kulasekara 11 Fernando 12 Malinga 13 Mendis 14 Muralitharan 15 Herath Coach: Bayliss Suraj Randiv replaced Angelo Mathews due to injury