Suranga Lakmal

Ranasinghe Arachchige Suranga Lakmal (born 10 March 1987), commonly Suranga Lakmal (Sinhala: සුරංග ලක්මාල්), is a professional Sri Lankan cricketer, who plays in all formats of the game and is a former Test cricket captain. He is a right-arm fast bowler and right-handed batsman. He started his cricket life in Debarawewa National School, Tissamaharama. He was first included in the national squad for the tour of Pakistan in 2008-2009[1] and was reported to have been injured in the attack on the Sri Lankan team by terrorists.


Suranga Lakmal
ඕමි සුරංග
Personal information
Full nameRanasinghe Arachchige Suranga Lakmal
Born (1987-03-10) 10 March 1987
Matara, Sri Lanka
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
BattingRight-handed batsman
BowlingRight-arm medium-fast
RoleBowler
RelationsDilani Chalanika (wife)
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 114)23 November 2010 v West Indies
Last Test22 January 2021 v England
ODI debut (cap 140)18 December 2009 v India
Last ODI28 June 2019 v South Africa
T20I debut (cap 37)25 June 2011 v England
Last T20I24 March 2018 v South Africa
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2007–presentTamil Union
2007–presentBashnahira South
Matara Sports Club
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI T20I FC
Matches 61 84 11 99
Runs scored 836 239 7 993
Batting average 11.61 9.19 2.33 10.67
100s/50s 0/0 0/0 -/- 0/1
Top score 42 26 5* 58*
Balls bowled 11,099 3,788 208 15,248
Wickets 151 107 8 260
Bowling average 37.42 32.06 41.25 34.25
5 wickets in innings 3 0 0 5
10 wickets in match 0 0 0 0
Best bowling 5/54 4/13 2/26 6/68
Catches/stumpings 18/0 19/0 3/0 35/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 22 January 2021

He currently plays for the Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club.[1][2] He was an important member of 2014 ICC World Twenty20 winning team. [3]

Early and domestic career

Born in Hamabanthota district, Lakmal started his cricket career at his first school, Deberawewa Central College, in Hambanthota.[4] He then attended Richmond College, Galle and played his senior school cricket at Richmond College.[5][6]

In March 2018, he was named the captain of Galle's squad for the 2017–18 Super Four Provincial Tournament.[7][8] The following month, he was also named in Galle's squad for the 2018 Super Provincial One Day Tournament.[9]

In August 2018, he was named as the captain of Galle's squad the 2018 SLC T20 League.[10] In March 2019, he was named in Colombo's squad for the 2019 Super Provincial One Day Tournament.[11] In October 2020, he was drafted by the Jaffna Stallions for the inaugural edition of the Lanka Premier League.[12]

International career

Early days

Lakmal was called up as a replacement for Dilhara Fernando in India in December 2009 and he made his ODI debut in the second match in Nagpur, where he bowled eight wicketless overs for 58 runs before Sri Lanka won by three wickets.[13] He made his Test debut on 23 November 2010 against the West Indies in the second Test match played at the R. Premadasa Stadium, becoming the 114th Sri Lankan Test player.[14]

By dismissing Chris Gayle of West Indies, Lakmal became the third bowler to take a wicket with the first ball bowled in a test match at a new venue, joining Kapil Dev of India and Imran Khan of Pakistan, which was held at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.[15]

Lakmal is also the first cricketer from Hambantota District to represent the national cricket team of Sri Lanka.[16]

Become strike bowler in team

During first Test against South Africa, Lakmal bagged his maiden five-wicket haul, becoming the second Sri Lankan pacer Chanaka Welagedara to take a fifer against South Africa in South Africa.[17] However, Sri Lanka lost the match by 206 runs. Though Sri Lanka lost all three Test matches, Lakmal showed best bowling figures throughout the series. He is the highest wicket-taker for Sri Lanka in the series with 12 wickets at an average of 30.83.[18]

On 10 December 2017, in the first ODI against India, Lakmal used swinging and seaming bowling performance to rip through Indian batting line-up to restrict them to 112, which is India's third-lowest in ODIs at home and their lowest at home when batting first.[19] At one stage, India were seven down for just 29 runs, until MS Dhoni scored his fifty to reach total over hundred. Lakmal finished his bowling spell with four wickets for 13 runs, which is best bowling figures in ODIs up to date. Sri Lanka reached the mark in twentieth over and won the match by 7 wickets. This win gave Lankans their first win after 12 consecutive ODI losses in 2017. Lakmal adjudged man of the match for his match winning bowling performance.[20]

During the Bangladesh Tri-series, Lakmal played as the spearhead of Sri Lanka bowling line-up where his counterparts always struggled with injuries. On 25 January 2018 against Bangladesh, Lakmal delivered a match winning bowling performance to dismantle Bangladesh to 82 runs, which is their second lowest against Sri Lanka in all ODIs. Sri Lanka won the match by 10 wickets and Lakmal has awarded man of the match. With that win, Sri Lanka reached the final of the tri-series as well.[21]

On 8 February 2018 during second Test against Bangladesh, Lakmal took his 100th Test wicket by dismissing Tamim Iqbal caught by himself.[22] He became the fourth Sri Lankan fast bowler to achieve the feat after Chaminda Vaas, Lasith Malinga and Dilhara Fernando. Lakmal is currently the fourth highest Test wicket taker for Sri Lanka.[23]

Captaincy

In May 2018, he was one of 33 cricketers to be awarded a national contract by Sri Lanka Cricket ahead of the 2018–19 season.[24][25]

The following month, he was named the captain of Sri Lanka's Test side, for the third and final match against the West Indies, after Dinesh Chandimal was handed a one-match ban for ball tampering.[26] He became the 16th player to captain Sri Lanka in a Test match.[27] Sri Lanka won the match and became the first Asian team to win a Test match at Kensington Oval.[28]

On 11 July 2018, ICC concluded its hearing on the ball tampering issue and violence of code of conduct by regular captain Dinesh Chandimal, who had pleaded guilty to a level three spirit of cricket offence. Chandimal, coach and team manager's hearing took place before the start of the first Test against South Africa, with them found guilty. Chandimal received a two-match ban, with Lakmal captaining the side in his place.[29][30] Under his captaincy, Sri Lanka won the first match by 278 runs, and ended the match within three days.[31] Sri Lanka comprehensively won the second Test and won the series 2-0 under Lakmal's captaincy.[32]

Post captaincy

On 1 August 2018, Lakmal took his 100th ODI wicket by dismissing David Miller during the second ODI against South Africa.[33] He became the 10th Sri Lankan fast bowler to achieve the milestone.

On 8 August 2018, Lakmal defended seven runs off the final over to cap off Sri Lanka to end an 11-match losing streak against South Africa. Sri Lankan batsmen scored 300+ runs in rain affected 39-over match. South Africa's target was reduced to 191 runs off 21 overs, where they required 69 runs off the last 10 overs with seven wickets in hand. Sri Lanka finally won the match by 3 runs in D/L method.[34]

During first test at Gabba against Australia, Lakmal took his third five-wicket haul. He finished with 5 for 75, though Sri Lanka lost the match by an innings margin.[35] However, he suffering from a stiff back during the practices[36] ahead of second Test and did not play the match.[37]

In April 2019, he was named in Sri Lanka's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.[38][39] He had a fair World Cup campaign and Sri Lanka finished the tournament as sixth in the table.

In December 2019, Lakmal was ruled out of the team due to dengue fever. Therefore he was unable to travel with the Test team to Pakistan for two-match series.[40] In January 2020, Lakmal was recalled into the test squad for the series against Zimbabwe.[41] He was the spearhead of the Sri Lankan attack, where he took 3 for 53 in first innings and then 4 for 27 in the second innings. Finally Sri Lanka won the match by 10 wickets.[42]

Awards
  • Dialog SLC ODI Bowler of the year 2016-17.[43]

References
  1. "Sri Lanka name two newcomers for Pakistan Tests". Cricinfo. 3 February 2009. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
  2. "Suranga Lakmal". Cricinfo. 3 February 2009. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
  3. "Suranga Lakmal". Sportskeeda. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  4. New practice cricket strips for Debarawewa NS, The Sunday Times
  5. De Silva, Sarath Gamini (5 February 2017). "Cricket at Richmond- The Golden Era". The Sunday Times. Sri Lanka. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  6. Richmond hold upper-hand in "Lovers’ Quarrel", ThePapare.com
  7. "Cricket: Mixed opinions on Provincial tournament". Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 26 March 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  8. "All you need to know about the SL Super Provincial Tournament". Daily Sports. 26 March 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  9. "SLC Super Provincial 50 over tournament squads and fixtures". The Papare. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  10. "SLC T20 League 2018 squads finalized". The Papare. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  11. "Squads, Fixtures announced for SLC Provincial 50 Overs Tournament". The Papare. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  12. "Chris Gayle, Andre Russell and Shahid Afridi among big names taken at LPL draft". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  13. "India v Sri Lanka in 2009/10". CricketArchive. Retrieved 19 December 2009.
  14. "Suranga Lakmal makes his Test debut". Island Cricket. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  15. "Bravo's 50 lifts WI to 134–2". BangaloreMirror.com. 1 December 2010. Retrieved 5 December 2010.
  16. "Suranga Lakmal 1st national cricketer from Hambantota". The Nation. 15 February 2009. Retrieved 21 August 2011.
  17. "Lakmal, a day in the life". The Nation. 27 December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  18. "Records / Sri Lanka in South Africa Test Series, 2016/17 / Most wickets". ESPNcricinfo. 12 January 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  19. "India's lowest total at home when batting first". ESPNcricinfo. 10 December 2017. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  20. "Sri Lanka rout India to snap 12-game losing streak". ESPNcricinfo. 10 December 2017. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  21. "Sri Lanka dismantle Bangladesh for 82 and storm into final". ESPNcricinfo. 25 January 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  22. "Sri Lanka on top after 14-wicket first day". ESPNcricinfo. 7 February 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  23. "Sri Lanka/records//Test matches/Most wickets". ESPNcricinfo. 7 February 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  24. "Sri Lanka assign 33 national contracts with pay hike". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
  25. "Sri Lankan players to receive pay hike". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
  26. "Suranga Lakmal to Captain Sri Lanka in the 3rd test match". Sri Lanka Cricket. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
  27. "Sri Lanka appoint Lakmal as Test captain". Cricket Australia. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
  28. "Kusal, Dilruwan steer Sri Lanka in nervous chase to level series". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  29. "Chandimal, Hathurusingha out of SA Tests". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  30. "Suranga Lakmal to Captain the Test series". Sri Lanka Cricket. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  31. "Dilruwan, Herath rout South Africa in three days". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  32. "Herath six-for completes 2-0 after de Bruyn's fighting 101". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  33. "De Kock, bowlers, power South Africa to comfortable win". ESPNcricinfo. 1 August 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  34. "Lower order, Lakmal end Sri Lanka's losing run". ESPNcricinfo. 8 August 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  35. "Gabba five-for a 'dream come true' for Suranga Lakmal". ESPNcricinfo. 28 January 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
  36. "Doubts over Lakmal add to Sri Lanka's headaches". ESPNcricinfo. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  37. "Australia hunt Test solace against crisis-hit Sri Lanka". ESPNcricinfo. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  38. "Thirimanne, Siriwardana, Vandersay picked in World Cup squad". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  39. "Jeevan Mendis, Siriwardana, Vandersay make comebacks in Sri Lanka World Cup squad". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  40. "Suranga Lakmal out of Sri Lanka's tour of Pakistan with dengue". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  41. "Lakmal returns, Kusal Perera dropped from Sri Lanka's Test squad". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  42. "Lahiru Kumara breaks through Zimbabwe's resistance to seal victory". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  43. "Herath and Gunaratne triumph Dialog Cricket Awards 2017". cricinfo. 1 November 2017.
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