Thisara Perera becomes 14th Sri Lankan to take 100 ODI wickets
Perera becomes 14th Sri Lankan to take 100 ODI wickets
By Devarchit Varma
Aug 30, 2014
All-rounder Thisara Perera on Saturday created history by becoming the 14th Sri Lankan bowler to complete 100 wickets in One-Day Internationals (ODIs). Perera achieved the feat during the third and final ODI match against Pakistan at Dambulla.
The Sri Lankan bowler bounced out Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal as Lasith Malinga took a spectacular catch to help Perera get his 100th scalp in one-day cricket. The right-arm medium pacer has taken only 79 matches to achieve the feat.
Perera made his ODI debut in Kolkata against India in December 2009, and within four years he has become an integral part of the side from the island nation. He has proven his mettle with the bat in the 50-over cricket as well, scoring 862 runs in 78 ODI games with four half-centuries. Perera has a mighty impressive strike-rate of 107.7.
The 25-year-old has been able to barge his way into the Sri Lankan Test side as well, as he has played six Tests so far. He has 11 wickets and one half-century in the longest format of the game.
In the second ODI of the ongoing series against Pakistan, Perera smashed 65 runs off just 36 balls studded with as many as four sixes and five fours that helped Sri Lanka trump the tourists by 77 runs at Hambantota.
Here’s the list of bowlers who have taken 100 or more wickets in ODIs for Sri Lanka:
| Player | Years | M | W | Eco | SR |
| Muttiah Muralitharan | 1993-2011 | 343 | 523 | 3.92 | 35.2 |
| Chaminda Vaas | 1994-2008 | 321 | 399 | 4.18 | 39.4 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | 1989-2011 | 441 | 320 | 4.77 | 46 |
| Lasith Malinga* | 2004-2014 | 177 | 271 | 5.22 | 31.2 |
| Dilhara Fernando | 2001-2012 | 146 | 183 | 5.22 | 35.2 |
| Nuwan Kulasekara | 2003-2014 | 157 | 168 | 4.74 | 42.7 |
| Upul Chandana | 1994-2007 | 147 | 151 | 4.7 | 40.6 |
| Kumar Dharamsena | 1994-2004 | 141 | 138 | 4.27 | 50.7 |
| Ajantha Mendis | 2008-2014 | 76 | 135 | 4.48 | 27.2 |
| Farveez Maharoof | 2004-2012 | 104 | 133 | 4.82 | 33.3 |
| Pramodaya Wickramasinghe | 1990-2002 | 134 | 109 | 4.53 | 52.4 |
| Nuwan Zoysa | 1997-2007 | 95 | 108 | 4.52 | 39.4 |
| Aravinda de Silva | 1984-2003 | 308 | 106 | 4.86 | 48.5 |
| Thisara Perera* | 2009-2014 | 79 | 100 | 5.48 | 29.5 |
* Playing in third ODI against Pakistan at Dambulla.
(Devarchit Varma is a reporter with CricketCountry. He can be followed on Twitter @Devarchit)