Upul Tharanga

Upul Tharanga Biography

Despite his ability to help build big ODI partnerships — almost always playing the foil — Tharanga’s career has been marred by inconsistencies. He has somehow never got going in Tests and T20Is, but has got more ODI runs and hundreds than you are aware of. Unfortunately, his has been a career of strings of big scores followed by major slumps.

A brilliant 117 against South Africa in the Under-19 ICC Cricket World Cup in 2004 was when the left-handed batsman from Balapitiya came to fore. He backed the ton with a 42-ball 61 against India. This was followed by a stint with Loughton Cricket Club, Essex. His call-up to the national side though was marred by the tsunami — that washed away his home in Ambalangoda, a fishing town on the west coast.

Tharanga’s best performance came during Sri Lanka’s tour to England in 2006 when the visitors dished out a historic 5-0 thrashing. He scored 347 runs in 5 games with two tons and one half-century. He put up 286 with Sanath Jayasuriya (in a mere 191 balls), thus setting a new world record for the opening stand.
His back-to-back tons in Champions Trophy 2006 seemed to have cemented his spot before his form went awry. He had a poor World Cup 2007 and was subsequently dropped from the side.

After being in and out of the side, Tharanga found his groove back in World Cup 2011, where he scored 395 runs at an average of 56.42. He was also a part of two double-hundred partnerships for the first wicket in the tournament with Tillakaratne Dilshan. In between all this, he was a part of three double-hundred stands for the opening wicket with Mahela Jayawardene as well.

Nikhil Popat

Upul Tharanga Batting & Fielding Averages

Career	M	In	R	NO	HS	Avg	BF	SR	100s	50s	4s	6s	Ct	St
Test	31	58	1754	3	165	31.89	3212	54.60	3	8	239	9	24	0
ODIs	224	212	6780	17	174*	34.76	8948	75.77	15	37	777	49	48	0
T20s	26	26	407	1	47	16.28	330	123.3	0	0	42	12	2	0
World Cup	21	21	697	2	133	36.68	923	75.51	2	4	79	4	4	0

Upul Tharanga Bowling Averages

Career	M	B	R	W	Avg	EC	SR	5WI	10WM	BBI	BBM
Test	31	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
ODIs	224	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
T20s	26	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
World Cup	21	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--		--

Upul Tharanga Career statistics

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