Full name Basnayake Shalith Malinda Warnapura
Born May 26, 1979, Colombo
Current age 30 years 185 days
Major teams Sri Lanka, Basnahira South, Burgher Recreation Club, Colombo Cricket Club, Colts Cricket Club, Sri Lanka A
Also known as Mali
Batting style Left-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm offbreak
Relation Uncle - B Warnapura
| Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100 | 50 | 4s | 6s | Ct | St | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 14 | 24 | 1 | 821 | 120 | 35.69 | 1412 | 58.14 | 2 | 7 | 98 | 2 | 14 | 0 |
| ODIs | 3 | 3 | 0 | 35 | 30 | 11.66 | 76 | 46.05 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| First-class | 148 | 224 | 22 | 7183 | 242 | 35.55 | 16 | 36 | 100 | 0 | ||||
| List A | 111 | 96 | 15 | 2316 | 104* | 28.59 | 3 | 8 | 43 | 0 | ||||
| Twenty20 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 139 | 53 | 12.63 | 137 | 101.45 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 14 | 1 | 54 | 40 | 0 | - | - | - | 4.44 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ODIs | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| First-class | 148 | 6920 | 3273 | 118 | 6/22 | 27.73 | 2.83 | 58.6 | 4 | 0 | |||
| List A | 111 | 2234 | 1598 | 69 | 5/33 | 5/33 | 23.15 | 4.29 | 32.3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| Twenty20 | 12 | 5 | 79 | 93 | 5 | 3/19 | 3/19 | 18.60 | 7.06 | 15.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Test debut | Sri Lanka v Bangladesh at Colombo (SSC), Jun 25-28, 2007 scorecard |
| Last Test | Sri Lanka v Pakistan at Colombo (SSC), Jul 20-24, 2009 scorecard |
| Test statistics | |
| ODI debut | Pakistan v Sri Lanka at Abu Dhabi, May 20, 2007 scorecard |
| Last ODI | Sri Lanka v India at Colombo (RPS), Aug 29, 2008 scorecard |
| ODI statistics | |
| First-class debut | 1998/99 |
| Last First-class | Sri Lanka Army Sports Club v Colts Cricket Club at Panagoda, Nov 13-15, 2009 scorecard |
| List A debut | 1997/98 |
| Last List A | Moors Sports Club v Colts Cricket Club at Colombo (Moors), Nov 4, 2009 scorecard |
| Twenty20 debut | Colts Cricket Club v Kurunegala Youth Cricket Club at Colombo (NCC), Oct 8, 2005 scorecard |
| Last Twenty20 | Basnahira South v Kandurata at Colombo (PSS), Mar 26, 2009 scorecard |
Despite his cricketing pedigree, Malinda Warnapura has taken his time to press forward his case for national recognition. Having begun his first-class career in 1998-99, it was not until 2006 that he really made his mark. The tour to India with Sri Lanka A to participate in the Duleep trophy saw this elegant left-hand middle-order batsman blossom. He finished the three-match tournament with an aggregate of 421 runs, at 105.25, which included two successive undefeated centuries at Eden Gardens. An unbeaten 111 steered his team to the final of the tournament. He then compiled 149 not out in the final against the eventual winners, North Zone.
Recognition did not follow immediately. He was overlooked for the tour of New Zealand that followed but continued to pile on the runs for Sri Lanka A. He was not at his best on the tour of the Caribbean when illness laid him low, but Warnapura was in outstanding form in the home series against Bangladesh A that followed. He scored a career best 243 in the first unofficial Test at his home ground at Colts and followed it up with an unbeaten 104 in the second unofficial ODI to confirm that he could score runs in both forms of the game. His first strides into Test cricket - during the home series against Bangladesh in 2007 - were hardly auspicious, as he was dismissed off his first ball. He returned admirably in his second Test, scoring 82. He followed it up with a century against West Indies in Providence the following year and later made it to the Champions Trophy probables.
- Dilshan ready to take up opening role (Aug 16, 2009)
- Jayawardene and Samaraweera hammer Pakistan (Feb 21, 2009)
- Colts bag Premier Tier A title (Feb 5, 2009)
- Warnapura and Mubarak get late call-ups to ODI squad (Aug 12, 2008)
- The summer of Mendis (Aug 12, 2008)
Aug 25, 2009
Malinda Warnapura at a fielding drill ahead of the second Test
© AFP
Jul 23, 2009
Malinda Warnapura goes for the sweep
© Associated Press
Jul 23, 2009
Mohammad Aamer belts out an appeal against Malinda Warnapura
© AFP
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