Sanath Teran Jayasuriya

Sanath Teran Jayasuriya is an excellent Sri Lankan cricketer played from the year 1989 to 2011. Sanath was born on 30th June 1969 in the city Matara, Dominion of Ceylon. His parents are Dunstan and Breeda Jayasuriya. Chandana Jayasuriya is his elder brother. Sanath took his education from St. Servatius’ College, Matara. Sanaths’ talent in cricket was noticed and developed by his school principal G L Galappathy and Lionel Wagashinge, his cricket coach.

In 1988, Sanath was picked up by the authorities as the ‘Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year’. He was awarded ‘Best Batsman’ and ‘Best All-rounder’ at the Outstation segment. He was selected in the U-19 Sri Lankan team in 1988. Doing well at the initial platforms, he was further selected in the National team in 1989-90 Australian tour.

Sanath made his ODI debut on the Boxing Day, 26th December 1989 against Australia. His Test debut happened in the year 1991 against New Zealand on 22-26 February. And he made his T20 debut against England on 15th June, 2006. Sanath developed his image as an aggressive batsman since his start of the career. He changed the game plan of the limited overs cricket; which was to set momentum gradually in the first mandatory overs to build up the inning.

He changed it to playing aggressively in those overs and putting pressure on the opposition. It has become the optimal strategy for the opening batsmen in the modern cricket. This strategy made Sri Lanka win the World Cup in the year 1996. Sanath Jayasuriya was the ‘Man of the Tournament’ in 1996, World Cup. In ODIs, Sanath has the record for fastest 50 (17 balls), 100 (48 balls) and 150(95 balls); later it has broken by AB de Villiers, Shahid Afridi Shahid Afridi, the all-rounder for Pakistan, is on >> Read More... and Shane Watson.

Jayasuriya is the only cricketer in the history of ODI to score 150 plus in two consecutive innings. His highest score in ODI is 189 against India. He has hit 270 sixes in 445 ODIs. He has achieved to score 30 runs in an over twice. In Tests, Sanath’s highest individual score is 340 against India; this inning resulted in highest partnership of 576 runs for the second wicket in Test history; he achieved this with Roshan Mahanama.

The record was later broken by Sri Lankan pair Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara; they made 624 runs against South Africa. Sanath played 445 ODIs and 110 Tests. He played his last test against England on 1-5 December 2007. He retired from International Cricket on 28th June 2011, when he played his last ODI against England. He has led Sri Lanka from 1999 to 2003.

Sanath is appointed as a UN Goodwill Ambassador by UNAIDS, Geneva; he was appointed due to his commitment in Sri Lanka regarding the awareness of prevention of HIV/AIDS among the youths. He joined politics becoming the candidate of Matara District in February 2010. He was appointed, Deputy Minister of Postal services in October 2013; he was representing UPFA (United People’s Freedom Alliance) Government. He was also appointed as chairman, by Sri Lankan Board, of selection committee in 2013. Sri Lanka won the T20 World Cup under his tenure.