In addition to winning the ODI and T20 World Cups, Sri Lanka has experienced some success in ICC competitions. In 2002, they also shared the Champions title with India. The Lions were in their prime up until the 2011 World Cup. They played their inaugural ODI and test games in 1975 and 1982, respectively. Their cricket has since improved, and in 1996 they defied all expectations to win the World Cup.
The Sri Lankan Cricket team has produced cricketers of the highest caliber and who have broken records; in this article, we will look at the top five players who have had the biggest impact on Sri Lankan cricket,
5. Kumar Sangakkara
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Without question, Kumar Sangakkara is the most talented cricketer Sri Lanka has ever produced. Although having played for 9 fewer years than Sachin Tendulkar, Kumar ranks second in ODI run scoring. With nearly 28000 runs scored in both Tests and ODIs, Sangakkara leads all scorers for Sri Lanka. He has taken part in every World Cup, and in 2011 and 2015, he significantly contributed to the Sri Lankan Cricket team and its success in getting to the finals. One of the moments that should be cherished and remembered is when Sangakkara scored four consecutive hundreds during the 2015 World Cup. This accomplishment amply illustrates his batsmanship prowess. No other batsman has achieved this feat in international cricket.
The batting and fielding statistics of Kumar Sangakkara in the TEST format are as follows, Mat (134), Inns (233), NO (17), Runs (12400), HS (319), and Avg (57.40). The batting and fielding statistics of Kumar Sangakkara in the ODI format are as follows, Mat (404), Inns (380), NO (41), Runs (14234), HS (169), and Avg (41.98). The batting and fielding statistics of Kumar Sangakkara in the T20I format are as follows, Mat (56), Inns (53), NO (9), Runs (1382), HS (78), and Avg (31,40).
4. Muttiah Muralitharan
Murli has been the best and most talented cricket bowler ever. He leads the globe in wickets taken. His precise wicket total is 1,334. He took his 800th wicket on the last ball of his professional career. He tops the pitch in terms of wickets taken throughout all Test and ODI formats. Murali had to go through a lot of difficulty and humiliation to prove his innocence of any rule infractions because of his uncommon behavior. He had trouble, but he was the only bowler who could confuse the batsman.
The batting and fielding statistics of Muttiah Muralitharan in the TEST format are as follows, Mat (133), Inns (164), NO (56), Runs (1261), HS (67), and Avg (11.67). The batting and fielding statistics of Muttiah Muralitharan in the ODI format are as follows, Mat (350), Inns (162), NO (63), Runs (674), HS (33), and Avg (6.80). The batting and fielding statistics of Muttiah Muralitharan in the T20I format are as follows, Mat (12), Inns (2), NO (0), Runs (1), HS (1), and Avg (0.50).
Also Read: Top 10 Sri Lankan Player Who Dominated the Indian Premier League
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3. Aravinda De Silva
Sri Lanka’s World Cup is overseen by Aravinda De Silva. De Silva “would have scored 20,000 runs in today’s times,” said the legendary Sanath Jayasuriya. Silva was an important member of Sri Lanka’s World Cup team in 1996. He was the top run scorer for Sri Lanka at the World Cup with 448 runs. Sri Lanka won the world championship thanks to his unbeaten 107 runs in the championship game against Australia. Aravinda has scored over 15000 runs in international cricket and grabbed over 100 ODI wickets.
The batting and fielding statistics of Aravinda De Silva in the TEST format are as follows, Mat (93), Inns (159), NO (11), Runs (6361), HS (267), and Avg (42.97). The batting and fielding statistics of Aravinda De Silva in the ODI format are as follows, Mat (308), Inns (296), NO (30), Runs (9284), HS (145), and Avg (34.90). The batting and fielding statistics of Aravinda De Silva in the FC format are as follows, Mat (220), Inns (343), NO (33), Runs (15000), HS (267), and Avg (48.38).
2. Sanath Jayasuriya
Jayasuriya changed the direction of the first 15 overs by playing aggressively, and several top bowlers shied away from him. The speculations claimed that Jayasuriya had spring in his bat. Even his opponents’ supporters thought he was a great grace to see. He was acknowledged as the most valuable player of the 1996 Cricket World Cup. His statistics place him second in ODIs and third in Test cricket for Sri Lanka. Jayasuriya has amassed about 20,000 runs in international cricket. In addition, he has surpassed Shane Warne’s record to move up to the 11th spot all-time in ODI cricket with 323 wickets. He is without a doubt the best all-rounder in ODI cricket and must be considered one of the top five all-rounders in the world.
The batting and fielding statistics of Sanath Jayasuriya in the TEST format are as follows, Mat (110), Inns (188), NO (14), Runs (6973), HS (340), and Avg (40.07). The batting and fielding statistics of Sanath Jayasuriya in the ODI format are as follows, Mat (445), Inns (433), NO (18), Runs (13430), HS (189), and Avg (32.36). The batting and fielding statistics of Sanath Jayasuriya in the T20I format are as follows, Mat (31), Inns (30), NO (3), Runs (629), HS (88), and Avg (23.29).
1. Mahela Jayawardene
He took Sri Lanka to previously unheard-of heights as captain. The team he put together included Dilshan, Jayasuriya, Sangakkara, Malinga, and the other legends on the list. Jayawardene guided Sri Lanka to the championship game in 2007. He was a significant part of the 2011 and 2014 World Cups. Jayawardene became the first player in Sri Lankan Cricket team history to score 10,000 runs in a Test match. He is third among Sri Lankan ODI run scorers with 12,650 runs. All total, Jayawardene has scored more than 24,000 runs in international cricket. In terms of runs scored for Sri Lanka, he is second only to Kumar Sangakkara.
The batting and fielding statistics of Mahela Jayawardene in the TEST format are as follows, Mat (149), Inns (252), NO (15), Runs (11814), HS (374), and Avg (49.84). The batting and fielding statistics of Mahela Jayawardene in the ODI format are as follows, Mat (448), Inns (418), NO (39), Runs (12650), HS (144), and Avg (33.37). The batting and fielding statistics of Mahela Jayawardene in the T20I format are as follows, Mat (55), Inns (55), NO (6), Runs (1493), HS (100) and Avg (31.76).
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