ARJUNA RANATUNGA (SL)

Introduction

Arjuna Ranatunga (born 1 December 1963) is a Sri Lankan cricketer-turned politician. He is the current chief of Sri Lanka Cricket, the body which predominantly oversees the game in Sri Lanka.

A left-handed batsman and useful right arm medium pace bowler, has made his first-class debut in 1981 at the age of eighteen and a year later played in Sri Lanka's inaugural Test match. He went on to score Sri Lanka's first half century in this game.

Full name: Arjuna Ranatunga

Born: December 1, 1963, ColomboCurrent

Age: 44 years 283 days

Batting style: Left-handed batsman (LHB)
Bowling style: Right arm medium (RM)

Test & ODI Matches: 93 & 269
Runs scored: 5105 & 7456
Batting average: 35.69 & 35.84
100s/50s: 4/38 & 4/49
Top score: 135* & 131*
Wickets: 16 & 79
Bowling average: 65.00 & 47.55
Best bowling: 2/17 & 4/14
Catches: 47 & 63

Cricket Career

Tests

Test Debut: vs England, Colombo, 1981-1982

Last Test: vs South Africa, Colombo, 2000-2001
Ranatunga's highest Test batting score of 135 not out was made against Pakistan, Colombo, 1985-1986
His best Test bowling effort of 2 for 17 came against New Zealand, Kandy, 1983-1984
Ranatunga's captaincy record was as follows: 56 matches, 12 wins, 19 losses, 25 draws.

One-day internationals

ODI Debut: vs England, Colombo, 1981-1982

Last ODI: vs Kenya, Southampton, 1999 World Cup
His highest ODI batting score of 131 not out was made against India, Colombo, 1997
Ranatunga's best bowling figures of 4 for 14 came against India at Kanpur in 1986-1987
His captaincy record was as follows: 193 matches, 89 wins, 95 losses, 1 tie, 8 no result
Until New Zealand's Stephen Fleming overtook him in October 2006 at the ICC Champions Trophy, Ranatunga held the record for the captaining the most ODI matches.

Some Interestings Related to His Career

Ranatunga's weight was also notable, and gave rise to an incident during a game played in humid conditions when he called for a runner, claiming that he had "sprained something". Opposition (Australian) wicket-keeper Ian Healy, responded that he could not get a runner for being "an overweight, unfit, fat cunt", a comment picked up by the stump microphones and broadcast on television. Ranatunga was known for controversially calling a runner during long innings due to his level of fitness. In the finals of the One Day triangular series in Australia later in the 1995/6 Season, Ranatunga instructed his players not to shake the Australian players hands.

Ranatunga is also remembered for his stand in a one day international against England. Australian Umpire Ross Emerson called Muttiah Muralitharan for throwing. (Muralitharan was subsequently cleared by bio-mechanical experts hired by the ICC.) Ranatunga exchanged heated words with umpire Emerson and led his team to a point just inside the boundary line, halting play, until the Sri Lankan management conferred with him and play resumed.

The Sri Lankan national team were considered perpetual underdogs but this image changed completely during the 1996 Cricket World Cup, when Sri Lanka defeated tournament favourites Australia to win it under the captaincy of Ranatunga. This victory, for which Ranatunga was a pivotal part both as batsman and captain, has ensured that Sri Lanka are no longer underestimated on the world cricket stage.