Sri Lanka Cricket Team: History, Governing Body and Major Honours
Profile of the Sri Lanka cricket team: Test status in 1982, Sri Lanka Cricket, the 1996 World Cup win, the 2014 T20 World Cup title and spin legends.
The Sri Lanka national cricket team has been a major force in world cricket since the 1990s, producing some of the sport’s outstanding batters and spinners. Run by Sri Lanka Cricket, the side has won the ODI World Cup and the T20 World Cup and has a passionate following across the island.
Entry to Test cricket
Sri Lanka, then a long-standing associate member, was granted Test status in 1981 and played its first Test against England at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo in February 1982. It had earlier appeared in the 1975 and 1979 ODI World Cups. The first years at the top level were difficult, and the first Test win came in 1985 against India in Colombo. Sri Lanka’s steady growth was supported by a strong domestic structure and a deep schools cricket tradition.
The 1996 World Cup
In 1996 Sri Lanka won the ODI World Cup, which was co-hosted by India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, beating Australia in the final in Lahore. The team, captained by Arjuna Ranatunga, attracted attention for the aggressive opening style of Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana, who attacked early overs in a way that changed the approach to one-day batting.
Spin legends
Muttiah Muralitharan finished with 800 wickets in Test cricket, the most by any bowler in the history of the format, and he took 534 wickets in one-day internationals. Alongside him, players such as Rangana Herath and Ajantha Mendis helped to establish a long tradition of spin bowling. The batting line-up in the 2000s was anchored by Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.
Further honours
Sri Lanka won the T20 World Cup in 2014 in Bangladesh, beating India in the final in Dhaka, and was runner-up in 2009 and 2012. The team also reached the final of the ODI World Cup in 2007 and 2011. Sri Lanka has won the Asia Cup several times, including the 2022 edition played in the United Arab Emirates.
Home and organisation
The team’s main home venues include the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, the Galle International Stadium and the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium near Kandy. The domestic game is supported by the Lanka Premier League, a franchise Twenty20 tournament launched in 2020.
Frequently asked questions
When did Sri Lanka win the ODI World Cup?
Sri Lanka won it in 1996, beating Australia in the final in Lahore.
Who took the most Test wickets in history?
Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka, with 800.
When did Sri Lanka get Test status?
Test status was granted in 1981, and the first Test was played in 1982.