Chamara Kapugedera

Chamara Kapugedera

Sri Lanka
2006 - 2017
  • Date of Birth 1987-2-24
  • Role middle-order batter
  • Batting Style right-hand bat
  • Bowling Style right-arm medium
Debut Matches
Format Match Date
TEST ENG vs SL 2006-05-11
ODI SL vs AUS 2006-01-29
T20 SL vs ENG 2006-06-15

Recent Performances

Tigers vs Blaze
2025-07-22
Batting: -
Bowling: -
Blaze vs Trailblazers
2025-07-21
Batting: -
Bowling: -
SL Legends vs IND Legends
2020-03-10
Batting: 23
Bowling: -
SL Legends vs AUS Legends
2020-03-08
Batting: 28
Bowling: -
SL Navy vs Sinhalese
2019-03-10
Batting: 58
Bowling: -
Moors vs Sinhalese
2019-03-08
Batting: -
Bowling: -
Sinhalese vs SLPACC
2019-03-06
Batting: 30
Bowling: -
Kurunegala vs Sinhalese
2019-03-04
Batting: -
Bowling: -
Sinhalese vs Panadura
2019-02-21
Batting: 22*
Bowling: -
Sinhalese vs Bloomfield
2019-02-19
Batting: 3
Bowling: -

Batting Statistics

Matches 8
Innings 15
Runs 418
Average 34.83
Strike Rate 53.18
Highest Score 96
100s 0
50s 4
Fours 48
Sixes 7
Catches 6

Bowling Statistics

Matches 8
Innings 1
Wickets 0
Average -
Economy 4.5
Strike Rate -
Best Figure -
4 Wickets 0
5 Wickets 0
Balls Bowled 12
Runs Conceded 9

Batting Statistics

Matches 102
Innings 84
Runs 1624
Average 21.09
Strike Rate 72.04
Highest Score 95
100s 0
50s 8
Fours 117
Sixes 28
Catches 31

Bowling Statistics

Matches 102
Innings 10
Wickets 2
Average 112.5
Economy 5.11
Strike Rate 132
Best Figure 1/24
4 Wickets 0
5 Wickets 0
Balls Bowled 264
Runs Conceded 225

Batting Statistics

Matches 43
Innings 38
Runs 703
Average 22.67
Strike Rate 118.95
Highest Score 50
100s 0
50s 1
Fours 58
Sixes 25
Catches 17

Bowling Statistics

Matches 43
Innings -
Wickets -
Average -
Economy -
Strike Rate -
Best Figure -
4 Wickets -
5 Wickets -
Balls Bowled -
Runs Conceded -

Batting Statistics

Matches 249
Innings 211
Runs 5365
Average 28.53
Strike Rate 82.72
Highest Score 161*
100s 5
50s 31
Fours
Sixes
Catches 95

Bowling Statistics

Matches 249
Innings
Wickets 14
Average 48.78
Economy 5.11
Strike Rate 57.2
Best Figure 4/41
4 Wickets 1
5 Wickets 0
Balls Bowled 801
Runs Conceded 683

Batting Statistics

Matches 124
Innings 111
Runs 2022
Average 20.63
Strike Rate 129.44
Highest Score 96*
100s 0
50s 7
Fours 149
Sixes 87
Catches 54

Bowling Statistics

Matches 124
Innings 11
Wickets 7
Average 24.71
Economy 8.37
Strike Rate 17.7
Best Figure 3/14
4 Wickets 0
5 Wickets 0
Balls Bowled 124
Runs Conceded 173
Among the more frustrating players to have represented Sri Lanka in recent years, Chamara Kapugedara had ample opportunities at the top level between 2006 and 2012, but did not manage to nail down a place. That he is a rare talent has never been in doubt, but in international cricket, that raw ability has not usually translated into runs. Perhaps his fans will argue that he was asked to bat too low in limited-overs cricket to have a major impact on the game. Nevertheless, his returns were modest, and his place in the side became untenable, for a few years at least.
Kapugedara has, however, enjoyed something of a renaissance in T20 cricket, after he was picked in the national side again in 2015. He impressed initially during his second coming, but another round of mixed results saw him in and out of the team. Despite having played top-level cricket for over a decade, he is still relatively young, and it is hoped he may yet come good as a consistent player.
Naturally aggressive, and capable of clearing the boundary, Kapugedara had been one of the few genuinely exciting batsmen the selectors unearthed from Sri Lanka's Under-19 set-up. From the age of 11, when he first turned out for Dharmaraja College in Kandy, Kapugedera had hardly wasted an opportunity to push himself up the ladder. He had captained all the junior school sides from the U-13 to the first XI. Following a prolific 2003-04 season, where he scored over 1000 runs, he was picked for the U-19 tour to Pakistan the following year and had excelled with a stunning knock of 131 in a one-dayer against the world champions.
It was an innings he had rated as one of his best although he batted equally well for 70 in his first game for Sri Lanka A against the strong New Zealand A team in 2005. The selectors, desperate to unearth new talent, eventually gambled on an early promotion and fast-tracked him into the national squad after several glowing reports from development coaches.
Kapugedera's father, also a former Dharmaraja cricketer, provided early coaching and all the encouragement he needed to develop. David Karunaratne (his first coach) and Sumithra Warnakulasuriya (his U-19 coach) also played important roles in shaping Kapugedera's career. He was first picked in the national squad against India in November but pulled out of the tour with an injury. However, he made his ODI debut, aged just 18, against Australia in Perth in 2006, immediately impressing with his composure.
ESPNcricinfo Staff