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Mahela Jayawardene

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Sri Lanka team left for over the weekend to compete in the Tri- Series tourna- ment, which also features and the hosts Australia. We feature below the pen sketches of the squad to Down Under, led by experienced :

Upul Tharanga (Vice ) An aggressive opening batsman. He first came into the limelight during Has blos- the under-19 World Cup in 2004, somed as a cracking 117 against Mahela Jayawardene (Captain) dependable and then 61 in 42 balls against all-rounder India in the next game. ODI Debut - The most experienced bats- after making – v West Indies in , 2005. man in the side with a proven his debut for Aggregates 4,365 runs in 136 ODIs track record. A technically Sri Lanka with 15 centuries and 62 fifties sound middle order batsman Under-19 at averaging 33.31. who has aggregated over the age of 16, 10,000 runs each in both forms against Paki- of the game. ODI Debut – v stan in 2003. Zimbabwe in , 1998. Capable of Aggregates 10,095 runs in any- 359 ODIs with 15 centuries where in the top order and also delivers and 62 fifties averaging lively medium pace. ODI Debut v. Zimba- 33.31. Has captured seven bwe in 2008. Aggregates 1,241 runs in 63 averaging 79.71 ODIs with eight half centuries averaging 31.82. Has captured 35 wickets averaging 33.62. A youngster who has made his mark ever since making his An explosive opening bats- debut for Sri Lanka. A man who likes to go after keeper batsman who has also at every given oppor- turned out to be a useful off tunity. Right hand batsman spinner. ODI Debut – v Zimba- and right-arm off break bowl- bwe in Bulewayo, 2010. Aggre- er. Aggregate s 5,896 runs in gates 651 runs in 22 ODIs with two 224 ODIs with 10 centuries centuries and three fifties averaging and 25 fifties averaging 34.68. 36.18. Has accounted for 14 dismiss- Has captured 65 wickets aver- als with 13 catches and one stump- aging 44.53. ings. An experienced middle order Thisara batsman who has often let his wil- low to do the talking. As a wicket Perera keeper, he has accounted for 382 dis- An attacking missals with 304 catches and 78 batsman who has stumpings. ODI Debut – v Pakistan in also proved his cre- , 2000. Aggregates 9,910 runs in dentials as an all- 311 ODIs with 12 centuries and 67 fif- A young all-round bats- rounder. Began his ties averaging 37.96. man who earned a place in career primarily as a the national side for the bowler, opening the tri-nation series in Ban- bowling for the gladesh in January 2010. Under-19. Made his His reputation as a finish- debut for the nation- er enabled him to book a al team during Sri place in the team to Aus- Lanka’s tour of India tralia. ODI Debut - v Eng- in 2009 as a replacement for land in Southampton, Angelo Mathews. His aggressive 2011. Aggregates 119 batting has been a blessing to the runs in five ODIs with national side. ODI Debut – v one half century averag- India in Kolkota, 2009. Aggre- ing 29.75. gates 312 runs in 27 ODIs with one half century averaging An all-rounder who has 18.35 Has captured 26 wickets made it to the top through averaging 24.43. the representative ranks, playing for Sri Lanka under- 15, under-17 and under-19, and led the under-19 team on Chanaka four tours, including the 2004 Youth World Cup in Bangladesh. Welegedara Performed creditably with bat and One of 15 prob- ball for the Daredevils in the ables by Daryl IPL’s first season. ODI Debut – v Foster, the Aus- Zimbabwe in , 2004. Aggre- tralian fast bowl- gates 984 runs in 94 ODIs with ing coach, for two half centuries averaging the Sri Lanka 20.08. Has captured 121 wickets Pace Academy averaging 25.89. headed by former Sri Lanka fast bowler Rumesh Ratnayake in 2000. After a stint at the MRF Pace Academy in Chennai, he cap- tured seven wickets for Sri Lanka Academy against UAE that initial- ly earned him a place in Sri Lanka ‘A’ team. ODI Debut – v India in Dambulla, 2010. Has captured 15 wickets in 10 ODIs at an average of 26.86 apiece.

Rangana Herath Stole the show against Australia in 1999 with a ‘mystery’ ball. An orthodox left-arm spinner who played for Sri Lanka after an After a rich haul of 297 first class impressive ‘A’ tour to . Has a supe- wickets in 59 matchers, the off spin- rior Test record though he has proved his ner got a break to make his interna- mark during the limited opportunities he tional debut for Sri Lanka in the got in ODIs. ODI Debut - v Zimbabwe in fourth ODI in the series against Harare, 2004. Has captured 16 wickets in South Africa in 2011-12. Hit the 20 ODIs averaging 39.68. match-winning six, when Sri Lanka needed five runs off the last two balls Nuwan Kulasekera in the recent fifth ODI against South Generates a lively pace, Africa, facing only the second ball of moves the ball off the seam his ODI career. Has captured a soli- and can reverse-swing the ball tary wicket in two ODIs. A surprise selection for Sri Made a dream ODI debut for Sri to discomfort his opponents. Lanka’s tour to Australia in Lanka capturing two wickets in as Rose to become one of Sri 2004, climbed up in the ladder many balls against Bangladesh in Lanka’s strike bowlers, and in to be one of the main strike 2006. He went on to play two more a record 11-month period bowlers for Sri Lanka in inter- matches before his career was cut starting April 2008, captured national cricket. Capable of short by a back injury which 47 wickets. ODUI Debut – v generating genuine pace and kept him out of the game for England in Dambulla, 2003. could disconcert batsmen who six months. As a right-arm, Has captured 110 wickets in struggle to pick up the ball’s fast medium bowler, he has 103 ODIs at an average of trajectory. ODI Debut – v captured 13 wickets in nine 33.19 apiece. In addition , he UAE in Dambulla, 2004. Has ODIs averag- has aggregated 713 runs with captured 167 wickets in 104 ing 26.46. a top score of 57 n.o. ODIs at an average of 24.98 apiece.

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