The Sri Lankan cricket team we now see is no match to the team there once was. In the 1990s and 2000s, every member of their PLAYING 11 was a legend. It was the golden era of Lankan cricket. Coming from such a strong national side, some stood out and etched an exceptional name for themselves in the world of cricket. Let's look at the Top 10 most successful cricketers who glorified the sport and made a name for themselves.
1. Sanath Jayasuriya
One of the batters who is a reason for the worldwide glorification of One day International, Sanath, has etched his name in the cricket books. He used the concept of hitting the bowlers in the power play, taking the field restriction to his advantage, with his trademark shot being the lofted cut at the upper point. He is a spinner who also bowls fast yorkers. Because he could do both, now that's a true all-rounder. He also became the first Lankan to play 100 Tests. As of 2022, he voices his opinion on political matters and is an active member of politics.
2. Muttiah Muralitharan
Undoubtedly the best bowler to have ever played cricket, the wizard of spin has taken 800 wickets in test cricket and 534 wickets in ODI. The former record cannot be broken, not at least for another century. He was criticized and tested for his different style of bowling. Little did he let all that affect his abilities to pick up wickets. He passed the record of Courtney Walsh and Shane Warne. He scalped the 800th test wicket, which was his final delivery. He retired after the 2011 world cup final. Every cricket fan has tried to bowl style at least once. Such was his uniqueness and greatness.
3. Kumar Sangakkara
“Classy” is one word to define this legendary left-handed batsman's batting style. Sangakkara added 28,016 runs in international cricket across all formats in his career. He has various milestones and records to his name, for which another article has to be written. Such is his list of feats. He captained his team and led them to the finals in 2011 against India. Additionally, he kept wickets for his side for most of his career and has the record for highest dismissals in ODI with a total of 402. He was inducted into the ICC hall of fame, which is a rare award, and is also the current president of MCC.
4. Aravinda De Silva
The Colombo native was the hero of the Sri Lankans world cup win in 1996. He was also famously known as Madmax due to his daring but not-so-consistent batting. Eventually, he achieved the feat of picking three wickets and scoring an unbeaten 107 against Australia in the world cup final, fetching him the man of the match trophy. He has also played a crucial role in shaping the Sri Lanka team. He had a tremendous last test match leaving behind a legacy to look back.
5. Mahela Jayawardene
Currently, the Mumbai Indians head coach, Mahela, has numerous records to his name and is one of the finest batsmen Sri Lanka has ever produced. He has an off-field, and on-field friendship with Kumar Sangakkara, another accomplished batsman. They have added 5890 runs for the 3rd wicket, which is the highest. Reliable on any kind of pitch, this stalwart has managed to score more than 10,000 runs in both ODIs and Tests. He is also the first Lankan to achieve the former feat. He retired after the 2015 world cup and continues to serve cricket and does a lot of philanthropic work.
6. Marvan Atapattu
Hailing from Kalutara, Atapattu is a tactical and intelligent batsman. He got out on a duck and scored one run in his first six matches. Nevertheless, he is one of the few players to have made six double centuries for Sri Lanka, with the top score being 249 runs. Another trivia about him is that he scored a century against every test-playing nation. He was also the head coach of the Sri Lankan cricket team from 2014-2015.
7. Lasith Malinga
Best known as Slinga Malinga, this curly-haired, pierced bowler became famous for his distinct style of bowling. It almost looked like he threw the ball, but in fact, such is his style of bowling. Malinga is the only bowler to have picked up four wickets in 4 consecutive deliveries. Yes, his career was filled with numerous injuries, but he managed to make a comeback when everyone thought his career was over. Not only did he captain SL when they needed a strong leader, but he also hung his boots with the highest number of wickets in the T20s.
8. Chaminda Vaas
Vaas made his first-class debut at the age of 16 and went on to become one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He was infamously part of one of the lethal bowling duos of Muralitharan. Vaas is the only bowler to have struck a hattrick in the first three balls of the match (ODIs and Tests included). He finished his career with 355 ODI and 400 Test wickets, the last of which he picked in 2009 against India, dismissing Yuvraj Singh.
9. Arjuna Ranatunga
As his name suggests, Ranatunga is known for his brave decisions on the field while he was a captain. He stormed off the field with the team when his fellow teammate Muralitharan was insulted. Sri Lanka’s world cup victory came under his leadership. Though he wasn’t the fastest between the wickets, one of his advantages was his tactical bowling. He stepped down from captaincy after the team failed to perform in the next world cup. He is still an active and respectable member of politics.
10. Tilakaratne Dilshan
Popularly known for his “Dilscoop,” Dilshan is the underdog that was initially underestimated. Later on, he went on to make and break numerous records. Being the 4th Sri Lankan to cross 10,000 ODI runs and playing a total of 330 ODIs, he was appointed as the captain of SL when Sangakkara retired and stepped down. His stint was short-lived as he didn't gain much support from previous captains and players. He announced his international retirement in 2016 and continues to be in the limelight with his fashion brand, also named “Dilscoop.”
