Mahela Jayawardene Profile by CricketArchive

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Player:

DPMD Jayawardene

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DateLine: 20th February 2007

 

A technically sound batsman who displays a calm temperament and all the shots Mahela Jayawardene plays strokes straight out of the textbook. His footwork, body balance and shot execution can hardly be faulted and he is capable of caressing the ball out of the reach of the fieldsmen so sure is his touch. With all the classiness surrounding his batting Jayawardene has also showed that he is capable of playing a long innings. The peak came about in 2006 when he scored 374 and added 624 runs for the third wicket with Kumar Sangakkara against South Africa at Colombo. His score was the highest score by a Sri Lankan surpassing Sanath Jayasuriya’s 340 besides being the fourth highest in Tests while the partnership was a record for any wicket in first class cricket, let alone Test matches. Jayawardene however is no stranger to long stays at the crease. In only his seventh Test he compiled 242 against India. Jayawardene made his Test debut in the game when Sri Lanka amassed the Test highest total of 952 for six against India at Colombo in 1997. His contribution was a modest 66 but he followed this up with a masterly 167 against New Zealand at Galle in only his fourth Test. He has had to endure patchy spells in his decade long career but his career average of almost 50 with 16 hundreds marks him out as a batsman who makes runs aplenty but makes them elegantly. He has also been one of the Sri Lankan mainstays in ODIs and in the last couple of years has proved to be an imaginative, shrewd and popular captain.His captaincy came into picture in the 2007 World Cup when he led Sri Lanka to the final where they lost to the eventual champions Australia.After that he had some ups and downs in his career which included the drawn test series against West Indies and playing for IPL. He represented Kings X1 Punjab which reached the semifinals in the 2008 edition. He followed it up with another feather in his cap by defeating India in the Asia Cup in July 2008.