Wanindu Hasaranga may not be the most flamboyant cricketer to emerge from Sri Lanka’s recent First-Class domestic tournaments.
But the 23-year-old leg-spinner has certainly put his foot firmly on the correct path towards fulfilling his longstanding dream of becoming one of the key players in the National Test Team.
Last Saturday (26), the former schoolboy from Richmond College, became Sri Lanka’s 151st Test player when he was picked to play in the first Test against South Africa at the SuperSport Park in Centurion.
This was no doubt a new chapter for Hasaranga whose brief cricketing career has been all about hard work, determination and commitment both on and off the field.
Hasaranga has always looked for opportunities and whenever he is given the chance, he has made certain that he would turn that into a memorable one.
He made his First-Class debut still as a schoolboy four years ago and he made an instant impact by making a top score of 87 for Sri Lanka Ports Authority CC, while batting at number seven against Bloomfield at Panagoda.
His One Day International (ODI) debut for Sri Lanka in 2017 was even more spectacular as he created a piece of history by claiming a hat-trick against Zimbabwe at the Galle Stadium.
This outstanding performance was the perfect setting for him to expand his international career as he went on to represent the country in 15 ODIs in addition to 13 Twenty20 Internationals.
Another turning point in his career was his stint with the CCC during the 2017 Inter-Club season where he amassed over 500 runs at an average of just under 40 in the SLC Premier League Tournament.
The manner in which went about his task was really outstanding as he maintained an excellent strike-rate of 93, which was a key factor for his success.
This was also just another occasion in which he has proved his batting skills as well, even though he came in to recognition as a specialist bowler during his Inter-Schools career.
He was one of the most successful bowlers for his school and later turned out for the Sri Lanka Under-19 Team in 2015 and 2016 with a great amount of success.
One of his most memorable achievements was when he carried the Sri Lanka Under-19 Team to the semi-finals of the ICC Youth World Cup Tournament in Bangladesh with figures of three wickets for 34 against England in the quarter-final.
But his biggest moment came when he was named as the Player-of-the-Tournament during the recently concluded inaugural Lanka Premier League (LPL) T20 Tournament in Hambantota.
He was the architect behind the success of the champion Jaffna Stallions Franchise Team as he finished with a rich haul of 17 wickets against a galaxy of top international players.
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