Full Name

Mahamarakkala Kurukulasooriya Patabendige Akila Dananjaya Perera

Born

October 04, 1993, Panadura

Age

30y 167d

Batting Style

Left hand Bat

Bowling Style

Right arm Offbreak, Legbreak

Playing Role

Allrounder

Education

Mahanama Vidyalaya, Panadura

Another instalment from Sri Lanka's production line of unorthodox spinners, Akila Dananjaya sparked controversy when he was picked in the preliminary squad for the 2012 T20 World Cup despite never having played a professional match in his life. Able to deliver a legbreak, googly, carrom ball, doosra and a stock offspinner with astounding control, he had impressed Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene so much as a net bowler at a practice session that Jayawardene requested he be fast-tracked to the national squad.

Dananjaya played three matches of the World Cup, including the final, but went out of favour with the selectors once Jayawardene stepped down from the captaincy.

He made his comeback in 2017, and took a six-for against India in an ODI that year, and another against South Africa in 2018. In between he made a successful entry into Test cricket, taking four five-wicket hauls in his first six Tests.

In September 2019, Dananjaya was banned from bowling in international cricket for 12 months because of an illegal bowling action. His return was dramatic - in a T20I in Antigua in March 2021, he took a hat-trick in one over but was carted for six sixes by Kieron Pollard in his next.

Akila Dananjaya Career Stats

Batting & Fielding

FormatMatInnsNORunsHSAveBFSR100s50s4s6sCtSt
Tests610213543*16.8725453.140014010
ODIs4030629150*12.1241769.7801253140
T20Is331686511*8.127290.27007070
FC74943012819220.01248751.500514112260
List A134731864350*11.6988272.9001527330
T20s1235021212287.3125682.8100163350

Bowling

FormatMatInnsBallsRunsWktsBBIBBMAveEconSR4w5w10w
Tests6121385819336/1158/4424.813.5441.9040
ODIs403819951715586/296/2929.565.1534.3220
T20Is3333701965303/363/3632.168.2523.3000
FC741211254172952879/5615/13525.413.4943.610173
List A134127627047992126/296/2922.634.5929.5880
T20s123116245530531384/174/1722.127.4617.7400
Mahamarakkala Kurukulasooriya Patabendige Akila Dananjaya Perera

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Test
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Recent Matches of Akila Dananjaya

Photos of Akila Dananjaya

Sri Lanka won the T20I series 2-1
Wanindu Hasaranga and Angelo Mathews have a word with the umpire after the game
Akila Dananjaya ended the dangerous-looking opening stand
Akila Dananjaya checked Afghanistan's momentum with two quick wickets
The victorious Sri Lanka squad with its spoils
Akila Dananjaya struck twice in two overs