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Full name Denagamage Proboth Mahela de Silva Jayawardene
Born May 27, 1977, Colombo
Current age 40 years 329 days
Major teams Sri Lanka, Adelaide Strikers, Asia XI, Central Districts, Delhi Daredevils, Jamaica Tallawahs, Karachi Kings, Kings XI Punjab, Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Sinhalese Sports Club, Somerset, Sussex, Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel, Wayamba, Wayamba
Playing role Batsman
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm medium
August 2-6 1997
Success on debut
On Test debut, Jayawawardene joins in the fun against India in a high-scoring draw at the R Premadasa Stadium with 66 from No. 6. Takes two catches as well.
January 24, 1998
Wrapping it up in style
Hits the winning run from his first delivery in one-day cricket as Sri Lanka chase down 213 with five wickets in hand against Zimbabwe in Colombo.
June 6, 1998
Negotiating a minefield
In just his fourth Test, and on a minefield of a Galle pitch, Jayawardene makes 167 out of a total of 323 against New Zealand. Sri Lanka win the match by an innings and 16 runs to level the series.
February 27, 1999
A maiden double
Notches up a marathon 242 against India in his seventh Test to secure a draw for Sri Lanka. Is appointed vice-captain later in 1999, but is replaced by Marvan Atapattu after a slump in batting form.
July 21, 2000
Nice to meet the South Africans
Becomes the 12th Sri Lankan to score a hundred in their first appearance against a country with 167 versus South Africa in Galle. It is a new series record, at the time, for the highest individual score on either side in any Sri Lanka-South Africa Test, beating Sanath Jayasuriya's 148 on the first day.
February 26, 2001
Fined
Has his first brush with match officials as he is fined 25% of his match fee for breaching codes 1 and 2 of the ICC code of conduct - unnecessary appealing and running towards the umpire in celebration. This occurs during the first Test against England in Galle.
December 2001
Big runs against weak teams
Dominates a one-day triangular at home featuring West Indies and Zimbabwe with scores of 96, 106 not out and 63.
April 2003
Disappointment at the big stage
Endures a horror run at the 2003 World Cup, managing just 21 runs from seven innings. Prior to the tournament he had been billed as one of the tournament's potential stars having scored heavily for Sri Lanka since establishing his place after the 1999 World Cup. He is dropped for the Sharjah Cup.
May 2003
Leadership responsibilities
Is recalled after scoring runs in a practice match at the start of a tour to New Zealand and is also appointed for a second stint as vice-captain with certain quarters believing he is the ideal man to lead Sri Lanka during the 2007 World Cup.
April 2004
Leading Sri Lanka for the first time
Gets the captaincy for the first time as the selectors name a second-string side for the fourth ODI against Zimbabwe.
August 3, 2005
A reservoir of talent
Having averaged 22.64 in 18 ODIs since an unbeaten 58 against India in July 2004, Jayawardene taps into his reservoir of talent to produce the type of innings that once saw him anointed as successor to the inimitable Aravinda de Silva. Sri Lanka are down in the doles at 95 for 6, but Jayawardene's unbeaten 94 clinches victory.
May 15, 2006
State of denial
Bats six hours for a century that he knows can - at best - draw the Lord's Test. Following on, Sri Lanka are held together by Jayawardene, and bat out 199 overs to save the Test.
June 2006
Everybody says he's fine
Is fined 20% of his match fee for knocking over the stumps after he is dismissed at Trent Bridge in the final Test of the series. Also becomes only the second Sri Lankan captain to win a Test in England as the three-match series is levelled in style. Sri Lanka take the succeeding one-day series 5-0, and Jawawardene seals the deal with an unbeaten 126 in the second game before making 100 in the fourth. Pulls off spectacular catches and energises his players.
July 2006
The Run Man
His 374 against South Africa in Colombo is the fourth-highest in the all-time list of individual scores, but mere statistics, important as they are, don't tell the full story. Adds 624 for the third wicket - the highest for any wicket in Test or first-class cricket - with Kumar Sangakkara in an effortless exhibition of batting.
August 2006
Cutting down the chase
His 123 against South Africa helps Sri Lanka complete the then sixth-highest successful fourth-innings run-chase in Test history and seal the series with the one-wicket victory.
November 2006
Captain of the Year
Enjoys a good first week of the month, first being named Captain of the Year and the captain of the World ODI Team of the Year at the ICC Awards in Mumbai, and then getting the selectors' vote of confidence to captain Sri Lanka at the 2007 World Cup.
March 2007
Wisden's best
Is named one of Wisden's five Cricketers of the Year for his leadership as well as 983 Test and 1,185 ODI runs in 2006, respectively.
April 2007
Success and then the final hurdle
Through an imperious century against New Zealand, takes Sri Lanka to the final of the World Cup. Although Sri Lanka lose the one-sided final to Australia, the team wins the respect of a nation craving a distraction from troubles at home over the last two years.
January 3 2009
Centurion
Becomes only the fourth Sri Lankan to play 100 Tests, during the tour of Bangladesh.
January-February 2009
One-day troubles
Own ODI form becomes a trouble as Sri Lanka struggle to win against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, and just about avoid their first-ever 5-0 whitewash, against India. This includes 18 matches with only one half-century.
February 11, 2009
Bye bye captaincy
Finally gives in to the pressure brought along by poor personal form and ordinary results for the team. Announces the up-coming two Tests against Pakistan will be his last as captain.
February 21, 2009
Signs-off from captaincy in style
Hits his fifth score of 200-plus in his penultimate Test as captain, against Pakistan in Karachi, and shares a 437-run stand with Thilan Samaraweera, the eighth-highest partnership of all time in Tests.
July 26, 2010
Goes past Bradman
Hits his tenth Test hundred at the Sinhalese Sports Club, against India; goes past Don Bradman as the batsman with most hundreds at one venue.
April 2, 2011
A hundred in the World Cup final
Hits a sublime unbeaten century in the 2011 World Cup final, albeit in a losing cause. Becomes only the sixth batsman to hit a century in the World Cup finals and the second Sri Lankan after Aravinda de Silva.
December 26, 2011
10,000 Club
Becomes only the ninth Test batsman to complete 10,000 runs, at Kingsmead, against South Africa, a little over a month after becoming the ninth batsman to join the 10,000-club in ODIs.
March 26, 2012
Galle Test
Hits 180 out of Sri Lanka's total of 318 in the first innings of the Galle Test against England, helping his team to a win. His contribution of 56.6% in that innings is the third-highest by a Sri Lankan in a score of 200 or more.
March 17, 2014
Retires from T20Is
Announces his retirement from T20 internationals in tandem with his team-mate and friend Kumar Sangakkara. Signs off in style as Sri Lanka become the T20 champions. Mahela finishes as the second-highest run-scorer in T20Is.
July 14, 2014
Retires from Tests
Announces that he will retire from Test cricket at the end of the forthcoming Test series against Pakistan.
July 24, 2014
34 Test hundreds, 200 catches
Hits his 34th Test hundred, against South Africa at the SSC, and joins Sunil Gavaskar and Brian Lara in the list of batsmen with the most Test hundreds. Also becomes only the third fielder in Tests to take 200 catches.
