 Happy Birthday, Sanath Jayasuriya – Five Fascinating Facts About the Cricket Legend.webp)
His captaincy was instrumental in Sri Lanka's triumph in the 2002 Champions Trophy, shared with India, and their semifinal appearance in the 2003 ICC World Cup
On June 30, cricket celebrates the birthday of Sanath Jayasuriya, one of the sport's greatest all-rounders. Known for his aggressive batting style well ahead of its time, Jayasuriya transformed ODI cricket in the 1990s with his explosive hitting. Long before T20 cricket emerged, he dazzled with powerful strokes and proved equally adept as a spinner. Beyond his cricketing skills, Jayasuriya led Sri Lanka in 156 international matches. His captaincy was instrumental in Sri Lanka's triumph in the 2002 Champions Trophy, shared with India, and their semifinal appearance in the 2003 ICC World Cup. Throughout his two-decade career, Jayasuriya set numerous records, many of which have been surpassed by exceptional talents.
So, on his 55th birthday today, let us delve deeper into his unknown facts.
Jayasuriya received his education at St. Servatius' College in Matara, where his cricketing skills were nurtured under his school principal, G.L. Galappathy, and cricket coach Lionel Wagasinghe. He excelled in cricket at St. Servatius' College, Matara, and notably captained the college cricket team during the annual St. Thomas'–St—Servatius Cricket Encounter in 1988.
As a result of his exceptional cricketing abilities, Jayasuriya was named the Outstation Segment's 'Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year' in 1988. At the same year's Observer School Cricket Awards presentation, he was awarded 'Best Batsman' and 'Best All-rounder' in the Outstation Segment.
Jayasuriya participated in the McDonald's Bicentennial Youth World Cup in Australia in 1988, scoring 70 runs and taking seven wickets across six matches. Shortly after, he toured Pakistan with the Sri Lanka' B' team, where he compiled two unbeaten double centuries. Subsequently, Jayasuriya earned a spot in the national team for the 1989–90 tour of Australia. He made his One Day International debut against Australia at Melbourne on Boxing Day in 1989, followed by his Test debut against New Zealand in Hamilton in February 1991.
Jayasuriya, who gave up 64 runs in his allotted 4 overs, is tied with James Anderson for the most costly stats in a Twenty20 international. This occurred during a group match against Pakistan in the inaugural T20 World Cup in Johannesburg 2007. Pakistan posted 189 runs and went on to win the game by 33 runs.
Sanath Jayasuriya in an ODI match
Jayasuriya's impact in limited-overs cricket was profound, with Sri Lanka often winning nearly 80% of the matches where he scored 50 or more runs. He remains a unique figure in ODI history, boasting over 12,000 runs and 300 wickets—a feat unmatched by any other cricketer. Jayasuriya's 323 ODI wickets surpass Shane Warne's 293 wickets, achieved across 194 matches during Warne's illustrious career.
Sanath Jayasuriya blazes a path to 157 Runs against the Netherlands
Jayasuriya's impact as a batsman transcends all formats of cricket, marked by his pivotal role in Sri Lanka's record for the highest team totals across Tests, One-Day Internationals, and T20Is. In Test cricket, Sri Lanka set their highest total of 952 against India, with Jayasuriya leading the charge with a monumental 340 runs and contributing three wickets for 45 runs in 1997. In ODIs, Sri Lanka achieved their highest total of 443 runs against the Netherlands in 2006, highlighted by Jayasuriya's explosive 157 off 104 balls. During a group match in the ICC T20 World Cup 2007 against Kenya, Sri Lanka posted 260 runs, with Jayasuriya smashing 88 runs off just 44 balls and proving his bowling prowess with figures of 1 wicket for nine runs.
