Chandrasekara Arachchilage Kasun Rajitha (born 1 June 1993) is a professional Sri Lankan cricketer, who plays all formats of the game in international level for Sri Lanka. He is an old boy of St. Servatius' College, Matara.[1]
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Chandrasekara Arachchilage Kasun Rajitha | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 1 June 1993 Matara, Sri Lanka | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right arm medium-fast | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Bowler | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side |
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| Test debut (cap 146) | 14 June 2018 v West Indies | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | March 2024 v Bangladesh | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI debut (cap 188) | 1 August 2018 v South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last ODI | 2 November 2023 v India | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI shirt no. | 65 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T20I debut (cap 62) | 9 February 2016 v India | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last T20I | 8 April 2023 v New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T20I shirt no. | 65 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017-present | Badureliya Sports Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | Khulna Tigers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 5 February 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Early and domestic career
editHe played in the tour match between Sri Lanka Board President's XI vs Indian national cricket team in August 2015.[2]
In March 2018, he was named in Kandy's squad for the 2017–18 Super Four Provincial Tournament.[3][4] He was the leading wicket-taker for Kandy during the tournament, with ten dismissals in two matches.[5] The following month, he was also named in Kandy's squad for the 2018 Super Provincial One Day Tournament.[6]
In August 2018, he was named in Galle's squad the 2018 SLC T20 League.[7] He was the leading wicket-taker in the tournament, finishing with thirteen dismissals in six matches.[8] In March 2019, he was named in Kandy's squad for the 2019 Super Provincial One Day Tournament.[9] In October 2020, he was drafted by the Dambulla Viiking for the inaugural edition of the Lanka Premier League.[10]
International career
editHe made his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut for Sri Lanka against India on 9 February 2016.[11] He took the wickets of two Indian top order batsmen in his very first over. At the end, with the help of other seamers, India were all out for 101 and Sri Lanka won the match comfortably to lead the 3 match series 1–0. For his bowling performance of 3 for 29 runs, Rajitha won man of the match as well. With this victory, Sri Lanka regained the number one spot in the T20I rankings.[12]
In May 2018, he was named in Sri Lanka's Test squad for their series against the West Indies.[13] He made his Test debut for Sri Lanka against the West Indies on 14 June 2018.[14] He took his first Test wicket by dismissing Kraigg Brathwaite.[14]
In July 2018, he was named in Sri Lanka's One Day International (ODI) squad for their series against South Africa.[15] He made his ODI debut for Sri Lanka against South Africa on 1 August 2018.[16] He took his first ODI wicket by dismissing Quinton de Kock.[17]
In March 2019, during the fourth ODI against South Africa, Rajitha and Isuru Udana made the highest partnership for the tenth wicket for Sri Lanka in an ODI match, with 58 runs.[18] However, Rajitha did not score any runs in the partnership, finishing the innings not out without scoring.[18]
In June 2019, he was added to Sri Lanka's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup, for the team's last two matches of the tournament. He replaced Nuwan Pradeep, who had contracted chickenpox.[19] On 27 October 2019, in the first T20I match against Australia, Rajitha conceded 75 runs from his four overs, and were the most expensive bowling figures in a T20I match.[20]
In May 2022, in the second match against Bangladesh, Rajitha took his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket, with 5/64.[21]
References
edit- ^ "Kasun Rajitha". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
- ^ "India tour of Sri Lanka, Tour Match: Sri Lanka Board President's XI v Indians at Colombo (RPS), Aug 6-8, 2015". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
- ^ "Cricket: Mixed opinions on Provincial tournament". Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 26 March 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
- ^ "All you need to know about the SL Super Provincial Tournament". Daily Sports. 26 March 2018. Archived from the original on 27 March 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
- ^ "Sri Lanka Super Four Provincial Tournament, 2017/18, Kandy: Batting and bowling averages". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
- ^ "SLC Super Provincial 50 over tournament squads and fixtures". The Papare. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
- ^ "SLC T20 League 2018 squads finalized". The Papare. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
- ^ "SLC T20 League, 2018: Most wickets". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
- ^ "Squads, Fixtures announced for SLC Provincial 50 Overs Tournament". The Papare. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
- ^ "Chris Gayle, Andre Russell and Shahid Afridi among big names taken at LPL draft". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
- ^ "Sri Lanka tour of India and Bangladesh, 1st T20I: India v Sri Lanka at Pune, Feb 9, 2016". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
- ^ "Sri Lanka seamers topple India on green track". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
- ^ "Udawatte, Rajitha, Vandersay picked for West Indies Tests". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
- ^ a b "2nd Test, Sri Lanka tour of West Indies at Gros Islet, Jun 14-18 2018". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
- ^ "Angelo Mathews returns as Sri Lanka ODI captain for SA series". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
- ^ "2nd ODI (D/N), South Africa Tour of Sri Lanka at Dambulla, Aug 1 2018". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
- ^ "De Kock, bowlers, power South Africa to comfortable win". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
- ^ a b "Tailender Isuru Udana clubs half-century to help Sri Lanka reach 189 all out at St George's". Times Live. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
- ^ "Nuwan Pradeep ruled out of CWC19 through illness". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
- ^ "Sri Lanka Bowler Kasun Rajitha Achieves Unwanted Record; Concedes 75 Runs In 4 Overs". Cricket Addictor. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
- ^ "Mushfiqur 175* takes Bangladesh to 365". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 24 May 2022.