Full Name

Pawuluge Malinda Pushpakumara

Born

March 24, 1987, Colombo

Age

36y 361d

Batting Style

Right hand Bat

Bowling Style

Slow Left arm Orthodox

Playing Role

Allrounder

Height

5ft 7in

Education

Lumbini College, Colombo

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.

Having begun his career in Lumbini College, Colombo, Pushpakumara had also played for Sri Lanka's Under-19 side in 2005, in a triangular tournament featuring England and Bangladesh. Later, after coming of age at the first-class level, he also played for Sri Lanka A with some success, against the likes of South Africa A, New Zealand A and West Indies A.
Andrew Fidel Fernando

Malinda Pushpakumara Career Stats

Batting & Fielding

FormatMatInnsNORunsHSAveBFSR100s50s4s6sCtSt
Tests48210242*17.0022445.530015220
ODIs2201185.502642.30000120
FC16020329235980*13.55386960.9704268651500
List A1066722440299.7775858.0400347370
T20s7039112844010.14251113.1400269220

Bowling

FormatMatInnsBallsRunsWktsBBIBBMAveEconSR4w5w10w
Tests46860520143/285/9237.143.6261.4000
ODIs2211410511/401/40105.005.52114.0000
FC160286355881854493610/3716/11019.813.1238.0518026
List A106102504133621765/245/2419.104.0028.6850
T20s7065136014781065/135/1313.946.5212.8310
Malinda Pushpakumara portrait

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Recent Matches of Malinda Pushpakumara

Photos of Malinda Pushpakumara

Malinda Pushpakumara celebrates a wicket
Malinda Pushpakumara was hit on the helmet
Malinda Pushpakumara dives to catch Joe Root
Malinda Pushpakumara appeals for a wicket
Malinda Pushpakumara is expected to come in for the retired Rangana Herath
Malinda Pushpakumara bowls to Sunil Ambris