5 Sri Lankan batters with most runs in international cricket ft. Sanath Jayasuriya
The Sri Lankan cricket team have had their fair share of disappointments in international cricket. However, they have had their periods of dominance as well. The Lankans are one side that can never be written off or taken lightly. The Indians found that out recently as they were thumped 2-0 in the ODI series in the island nation after having clinched the T20Is 3-0.
If we look at Sri Lanka's performances in major tournaments, they famously won the ODI World Cup in 1996, led by an inspired Arjuna Ranatunga, just 14 years are being granted Test status by the ICC. They were also runners-up in 2007 and 2011, going down to Australia and India respectively in the finals.
Sri Lanka also won the 2014 T20 World Cup and were joint runners-up in the Champions Trophy in 2022. Although their record in red-ball cricket is not very impressive, they are the first Asian side to register a Test series win in South Africa.
The Lankans have produced some fantastic batters across formats over the years. In this feature, we look at five Sri Lankan batters who have notched up the most runs in international cricket.
#5 Aravinda de Silva
Batting legend Aravinda de Silva occupies the fifth spot on the list of Sri Lankan cricketers with the most runs in international cricket. He played 401 matches (455 innings) and totaled 15645 runs at an average of 37.78, with 31 hundreds and 86 half-centuries to his credit.
De Silva played 93 Test matches and notched up 6361 runs at an average of 42.97, with 20 hundreds and 22 fifties. His best of 267 came against New Zealand in Wellington in January 1991. Incredibly, De Silva scored 206 off 234 balls in his last Test innings against Bangladesh in Colombo in July 2002.
The 58-year-old also featured in 308 ODIs and amassed 9284 runs at an average of 34.90, with 11 tons and 64 fifties. De Silva scored a famous hundred and picked up three wickets against Australia as Sri Lanka lifted the 1996 World Cup. Earlier, in the semifinal against India, he smashed 66 off 47 balls.
#4 Tillakaratne Dilshan
Tillakaratne Dilshan is at No. 4 on the list of Sri Lankan batters with the most runs in international cricket. He played 497 matches (527 innings) and scored 17671 runs at an average of 38.16, with 39 hundreds to go with 83 half-centuries.
Dilshan played 87 Test matches, scoring 5492 runs at an average of 40.98, with 16 hundreds and 23 half-centuries. His best of 193 came against England at Lord's in June 2011.
The 47-year-old also featured in 330 ODIs, scoring 10290 runs at an average of 39.27, with 22 hundreds and 47 half-centuries. His best ODI score of 161* was registered against Bangladesh in Melbourne in February 2015. In T20Is, Dishan featured in 80 matches and scored 1889 runs at a strike rate of 120.54. His best of 104* came off 57 balls against Australia in Pallekele in August 2011.
#3 Sanath Jayasuriya
Former captain and current head coach Sanath Jayasuriya is third on the list of Sri Lankan batters with the most runs in international cricket. The Lankan legend played 586 matches (651 innings) and amassed 21032 runs at an average of 34.14, with 42 tons and as many as 103 fifties.
Jayasuriya played 110 Test matches, scoring 6973 runs at an average of 40.07, with 14 hundreds and 31 fifties. His best of 340 came against India in Colombo in August 1997. The 55-year-old hammered 13430 runs in 445 ODIs averaging 32.36, with 28 tons and 68 fifties. Jayasuriya's ODI best of 189 also came against India in Sharjah in October 2000.
The former skipper also represented Sri Lanka in 31 T20Is, scoring 629 runs at a strike rate of 129.15. He registered four fifties, with a best of 88, which came off 44 balls against Kenya in Johannesburg in the 2007 T20 World Cup.
#2 Mahela Jayawardene
Another former captain, Mahela Jayawardene is second on the list of Sri Lankan batters with the most runs in international cricket. In 652 matches (725 innings), he amassed 25957 runs at an average of 39.15, with 54 hundreds and as many as 136 half-centuries.
Jayawardene played 149 Tests and notched up 11814 runs at an average of 49.84, with 34 tons and 50 fifties. His best of 374 came against South Africa in Colombo in July 2006. The marathon knock lasted 752 minutes.
The 47-year-old scored 12650 runs in 448 ODIs at an average of 33.37, with 19 hundreds and 77 fifties. He scored a ton in the 2011 World Cup final against India in a losing cause. Jayawardene played 55 T20Is, scoring 1493 runs at a strike rate of 133.18, with a best of 100 against Zimbabwe in the 2010 T20 World Cup.
#1 Kumar Sangakkara
Former keeper and batting legend Kumar Sangakkara tops the list of Sri Lankan players with the most runs in international cricket. The southpaw played 594 matches (666 innings) and amassed 28016 runs, averaging 46.77, with 63 hundreds to go with 153 half-centuries.
Sangakkara played 134 Tests and amassed 12400 runs at an average of 57.40, with 38 hundreds and 52 half-centuries. His best of 319 came against Bangladesh in Chattogram in February 2014. The 46-year-old also played 404 ODIs, scoring 14234 runs at an average of 41.98, with 25 hundreds and 93 fifties. His best of 169 came against South Africa in Colombo in July 2013.
The left-handed genius also represented Lanka in 56 T20Is and scored 1382 runs at an average of 31.40 and a strike rate of 119.55. He notched up eight half-centuries with a best 78, which came off 37 balls against India in Nagpur in December 2009. Sangakkara was the Player of the Match for his 52* off 35 in the 2014 T20 World Cup final against India in Mirpur.