Asanka Gurusinha was seen as an enigmatic cricketer who was part of the victorious ODI World Cup team. Starting out his career as a wicketkeeper the team management found a young Gurusinha more adept as a specialist batter. For the better part of 11 years Gurusinha played a key role in the rise of cricket in Sri Lanka.
At the peak of his career, Gurusinha mysteriously disappeared. The left-handed batter later recollected while speaking to a journalist that his love for the game had vanished. The batter also stated that he wasn’t on the best of terms with then skipper Arjuna Ranatunga.
In 1996, Asanka Gurusinha left Sri Lankan cricket and migrated to Australia. Ever since his move Down Under the former swashbuckling batter is a name that many fans have forgotten. But Asanka Gurusinha and his huge contribution to Sri Lankan cricket can never be forgotten.
Asanka Gurusinha: Sri Lanka’s gum chewing number 3 batter
Whenever Asanka Gurusinha walked to the crease he looked like nothing worried him. The left-handed batter was at ease when he faced the pacers and lethal against the spinners. He had every shot in the book to make him one of the most exciting batters of that era.
Gurusinha made his Test debut against Pakistan in 1985 where Gurusinha scored 17 and 12 as Sri Lanka lost by 10 wickets. History was made a year later when Asanka Gurusinha became the youngest batter to score a Test century for Sri Lanka. His innings of 116 vs Pakistan is still a record as no other batter has managed to go past this record.
The final Test match for Gurusinha came against Zimbabwe where he scored 88 runs. Gurusinha ended his Test career with 41 matches and 2452 runs with a best of 143 vs Australia in 1995 which was one of the 7 Test centuries he scored with an average of 38.
In the ODI format, Gurusinha played 147 matches scoring 3902 runs with 2 centuries and 23 fifties. His most memorable knock came in the finals of the 1996 ODI World Cup where Gurusinha scored 65 off 99 balls with 6 fours and a six. The batter helped add 125 runs for the 3rd wicket with Aravinda De Silva after the Sri Lankans had slumped to 23/2 in chase of 242 to win. Sri Lanka won the title as De Silva, Ranatunga, and Jayasuriya took the accolades. Asanka Gurusinha on the other hand chose to walk away from the game never to be heard from again.
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