Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Overview |
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| Captains | Dhananjaya de Silva (Tests), Kusal Mendis (ODIs) |
| Coaches | Sanath Jayasuriya (head coach), Naveed Nawaz (assistant coach), Thilina Kandamby (batting coach), Upul Chandana (fielding coach) |
| First international match | 1982 |
| Cricket board | Sri Lanka Cricket |
| ICC titles | 3 |
Cricket has been Sri Lanka’s most loved sport since independence in 1948, but the game truly gained global attention in 1996 when the men’s team won the ODI World Cup. This victory, under captain Arjuna Ranatunga, revolutionized Sri Lankan cricket and the limited-overs format worldwide. Key players included Sanath Jayasuriya, Aravinda de Silva, Chaminda Vaas, and legendary spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who went on to take a record 800 Test wickets.
In the 2000s, stars like Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, and Lasith Malinga led Sri Lanka to the 2014 T20 World Cup. However, performance declined after 2015, though moments like Kusal Perera’s 153* in South Africa shone through.