List of Sri Lankan cricketers to play 100 or more test cricket matches

Six Sri Lankan players have featured in 100 or more test cricket matches so far.

The Sri Lanka cricket team were given test status in 1981 and made their test debut in 1982 against England in Colombo.

They struggled in the first decade of their test journey, but became a highly competitive team in the 1990s and 2000s. However, they suffered a major decline in the mid-2010s after the retirement of several veteran players.

The Sri Lankan test team has been in a dire state for the past decade, losing both at home and away.

So far, 167 players have represented Sri Lanka in test cricket, but only a few of them managed to have careers long enough to feature in 100 test matches.

List of Sri Lankan cricketers to play 100 or more test cricket matches:

7. Dimuth Karunaratne – 100 tests

Former captain Dimuth Karunaratne is the latest Sri Lankan to feature in 100 test matches, and this 100th test, which was against Australia in Galle, the place of his test debut back in 2012, turned out to be his career’s last test as well.

The left-hander scored 7208 runs at an average of 39 with 16 centuries and 39 fifties. Among openers, he scored the most test runs for Sri Lanka.

6. Sanath Jayasuriya – 110 tests

Sanath Jayasuriya made his test debut in 1991 and played in 110 test matches, the last of which came in 2007. An aggressive batsman, Jayasuriya scored 6973 runs, the fifth-most for his country, at an average of 40, slamming 14 centuries on the way.

In addition to his batting exploits, Jayasuriya claimed 98 test wickets as well with two five-fors.

5. Chaminda Vaas – 111 tests

No fast bowler played more tests for Sri Lanka than Chaminda Vaas’ tally of 111 tests. In these, the left-arm seamer scalped 355 wickets, the third-most for his country.

Vaas bagged 12 innings five-wicket hauls and two ten-wicket match hauls. Despite being a fast bowler, he had a significantly lengthy test career from 1994 to 2009.

4. Angelo Mathews – 117 tests

One of Sri Lanka’s underrated greats is all-rounder Angelo Mathews, who made his test debut in 2009 and is still a key part of the test side. Mathews undersaw Sri Lanka’s unstable transition period and remained a senior figure in the side during this time.

He has played 117 tests so far in his career, in which he scored 8090 runs at an average of 44 with 16 centuries. Mathews is his nation’s third-highest test run-scorer. He has also taken 33 wickets in the longest format.

3. Muthiah Muralitharan – 132 tests

Legendary spinner Muthiah Muralitharan played 132 tests for Sri Lanka and one test match for ICC World XI in 2005. He had a long test career that began in 1992 and ended in 2010.

Muralitharan has taken the most wickets in test cricket – 800 wickets, out of which five were for ICC World XI. He took a whopping 67 test five-wicket hauls, the most by any bowler.

2. Kumar Sangakkara – 134 tests

Former captain Kumar Sangakkara is Sri Lanka’s highest test run-scorer. The left-hander amassed 12400 test runs at an average of 57, notching up 38 centuries, in 134 tests, the second-most for his country.

Sangakkara made his test debut in 2000 and retired in 2015 while still being in good form.

1. Mahela Jayawardene – 149 tests

Former skipper and middle-order batsman Mahela Jayawardene holds the record for playing the most test matches for Sri Lanka. Jayawardene featured in 149 test matches in his 17-year-long career from 1997 to 2014.

He is his country’s second-highest run-scorer with 11814, which he scored at an average of 49, with 34 centuries.

(All stats and numbers updated till 6th February, 2025)

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