Full name Pawuluge Malinda Pushpakumara
Born March 24, 1987, Colombo
Current age 33 years 305 days
Major teams Sri Lanka, Chilaw Marians Cricket Club, Colombo Cricket Club, Dambulla Viiking, Lumbini College, Moors Sports Club, Saracens Sports Club, Singha Sports Club, Sri Lanka A, Sri Lanka Ports Authority Cricket Club, Sri Lanka Under-15s, Sri Lanka Under-19s
Playing role Allrounder
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Slow left-arm orthodox
Height 5 ft 7 in
Education Lumbini College, Colombo
Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100 | 50 | 4s | 6s | Ct | St | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tests | 4 | 8 | 2 | 102 | 42* | 17.00 | 224 | 45.53 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
ODIs | 2 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 8 | 5.50 | 26 | 42.30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
First-class | 139 | 181 | 25 | 2167 | 80* | 13.89 | 3494 | 62.02 | 0 | 4 | 246 | 62 | 129 | 0 |
List A | 84 | 54 | 19 | 337 | 21* | 9.62 | 598 | 56.35 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 5 | 28 | 0 |
T20s | 50 | 30 | 9 | 208 | 26 | 9.90 | 168 | 123.80 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 8 | 19 | 0 |
Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tests | 4 | 6 | 860 | 520 | 14 | 3/28 | 5/92 | 37.14 | 3.62 | 61.4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
ODIs | 2 | 2 | 114 | 105 | 1 | 1/40 | 1/40 | 105.00 | 5.52 | 114.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
First-class | 139 | 248 | 30139 | 15884 | 793 | 10/37 | 16/110 | 20.03 | 3.16 | 38.0 | 45 | 65 | 22 |
List A | 84 | 81 | 3988 | 2747 | 142 | 5/24 | 5/24 | 19.34 | 4.13 | 28.0 | 7 | 5 | 0 |
T20s | 50 | 46 | 972 | 1066 | 75 | 5/13 | 5/13 | 14.21 | 6.58 | 12.9 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Test debut | Sri Lanka v India at Colombo (SSC), Aug 3-6, 2017 scorecard |
Last Test | Sri Lanka v England at Colombo (SSC), Nov 23-26, 2018 scorecard |
Test statistics | |
ODI debut | Sri Lanka v India at Colombo (RPS), Aug 31, 2017 scorecard |
Last ODI | Sri Lanka v India at Colombo (RPS), Sep 3, 2017 scorecard |
ODI statistics | |
First-class debut | Kurunegala Youth Cricket Club v Singha Sports Club at Kurunegala, Nov 17-19, 2006 scorecard |
Last First-class | Chilaw Marians Cricket Club v Colombo Cricket Club at Colombo (SSC), Aug 25-27, 2020 scorecard |
List A debut | Singha Sports Club v Kurunegala Youth Cricket Club at Panadura, Nov 8, 2006 scorecard |
Last List A | Colombo Cricket Club v Nondescripts Cricket Club at Colombo (CCC), Dec 22, 2019 scorecard |
T20s debut | Chilaw Marians Cricket Club v Panadura Sports Club at Colombo (Colts), Mar 26, 2012 scorecard |
Last T20s | Dambulla Viiking v Jaffna Stallions at Hambantota, Dec 14, 2020 scorecard |
Bat & Bowl | Team | Opposition | Ground | Match Date | Scorecard |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2/24, 1 | Viiking | v Stallions | Hambantota | 14 Dec 2020 | T20 |
1/32 | Viiking | v Kings | Hambantota | 11 Dec 2020 | T20 |
- | Viiking | v Stallions | Hambantota | 7 Dec 2020 | T20 |
0/26 | Viiking | v Gladiators | Hambantota | 5 Dec 2020 | T20 |
2/28 | Viiking | v Tuskers | Hambantota | 3 Dec 2020 | T20 |
11*, 2/19 | Viiking | v Kings | Hambantota | 1 Dec 2020 | T20 |
0 | Viiking | v Stallions | Hambantota | 30 Nov 2020 | T20 |
1/10 | Viiking | v Tuskers | Hambantota | 28 Nov 2020 | T20 |
12, 4/106, 0 | Col CC | v Chilaw | Colombo (SSC) | 25 Aug 2020 | FC |
6/80 | Col CC | v Nondescripts | Colombo (PSS) | 20 Aug 2020 | FC |
A canny left-arm spinner with dangerous variations, Malinda Pushpakumara has been Sri Lanka's most prolific domestic wicket-taker of recent years. First-class tracks on the island are stacked heavily in favour of spinners, but even so, it is Pushpakumara's consistency that makes him stand out. He was the Premier League Tournament's top wicket-taker in the 2012-13 and 2014-15 tournaments, and was among the best again in the years in between. But 2016-17 was his best tournament of the lot: at an average of 13.79, Pushpakumara claimed 77 scalps - 20 more than his nearest competitor. With that tally, he finally forced himself into a Sri Lanka Test squad, at the age of 29 and with 558 first-class wickets to his name. The delay in his being chosen for the top level perhaps also has to do with Rangana Herath's presence in the team - the selectors believing only on left-arm spinner necessary.