Romesh Kaluwitharana

Deshabandu
Romesh Kaluwitharana
රොමේෂ් කලුවිතාරණ
Personal information
Full name	Romesh Shantha Kaluwitharana
Born	24 November 1969 (age 55); Colombo, Ceylon
Nickname	Little Kalu, Little Dynamite
Batting	Right-handed
Role	Wicket-keeper-batsman
International information
National side	Sri Lanka (1990–2004);
Test debut (cap 52)	17 August 1992 v Australia
Last Test	28 October 2004 v Pakistan
ODI debut (cap 61)	8 December 1990 v India
Last ODI	22 February 2004 v Australia
Domestic team information
	Sebastianites Cricket and Athletic Club
	Colts Cricket Club
Career statistics
Medal record
Men's Cricket
Representing Sri Lanka
ICC Cricket World Cup
	Source: Cricinfo, 9 February 2016

Deshabandu Romesh Shantha Kaluwitharana (Sinhala: රොමේෂ් ශාන්ත කලුවිතාරණ; born 24 November 1969) is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who represented the Sri Lanka national cricket team from 1990 to 2004.^[1] He was a key member and wicket-keeper for 1996 Cricket World Cup winning team and renowned for his aggressive batting style.

Kaluwitharana along with Sanath Jayasuriya, are credited for having revolutionized one-day international cricket with explosive batting in the mid-1990s, which initiated the hard-hitting modern-day batting strategy of all nations.^[2]^[3] He made his Twenty20 debut on 17 August 2004, for Colts Cricket Club in the 2004 SLC Twenty20 Tournament.^[4] He was appointed as the interim cricket coach of Malaysia on the 17 May 2008.^[5] He was educated at St. Sebastian's College, Moratuwa.

International career

Kaluwitharana made his ODI debut against India at Margao^[6] in December 1990, but was not required to bat as Sri Lanka won by 7 wickets. He played his next ODI against New Zealand at Dunedin^[7] in February 1991, in which he opened the batting for Sri Lanka. Thereafter he batted in the middle order (mostly, in the late middle order) until the 1995–96 World Series in Australia.

His early career made him look like a good Sri Lankan prospect, and the undoubted highlight of his career was the entertaining innings of 132 not out (including 26 boundaries) that he made on Test debut against a powerful Australian side in 1992. However, he failed to deliver on his promise in a declining Sri Lankan team (prior to the revival of Sri Lankan cricket at the 1996 World Cup).

Once in the national side, he sometimes threw his wicket away due to poor shot-selection and was suspect to the swinging delivery. However, he relished pace and would often be quick to put away any delivery off line or length. His greatest contribution to ODIs came after he was promoted to the top of the batting order to partner opener Sanath Jayasuriya during the 1995–96 tour of Australia, helping to give birth to an aggressive batting approach in the first fifteen overs of fielding restrictions. This new strategy of attacking from the outset heavily contributed to Sri Lanka to win all their matches and secure the 1996 Cricket World Cup as all other teams were not prepared for such an attack. Kaluwitharana was the wicket keeper and opener with Jayasuriya in that world cup series that was captained by Arjuna Ranatunga.^{[citation needed]}

Beyond cricket

He started a project Kalu's Hideaway, a luxury jungle retreat in Udawalawe.^[8]

References

^ "Romesh Kaluwitharana". ESPNcricinfo. ESPN Inc. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
^ "Sanath Jayasuriya: Sri Lanka's humble cricketing hero". TalkAsia. CNN. 17 December 2008. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
^ Alter, Jamie (25 December 2009). "Sanath Jayasuriya – the entertainer". ESPNcricinfo. ESPN Inc. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
^ "1st Round, Colombo, Aug 17 2004, Twenty-20 Tournament". ESPNcricinfo. ESPN Inc. 17 August 2004. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
^ Brar, Hemant (5 November 2018). "Where are Herath's team-mates from his 1999 Test debut?". ESPNcricinfo. ESPN Inc. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
^ "India vs Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI at Margao, Dec 08 1990 - Full Scorecard".
^ "New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI at Dunedin, Feb 06 1991 - Full Scorecard".
^ Weerasuriya, Sanath (11 December 2019). "Kalu's Hideaway for nature lovers". The Sunday Times. ISSN 1391-0531. Retrieved 30 November 2022.

[1] "Romesh Kaluwitharana". ESPNcricinfo. ESPN Inc. Retrieved 30 November 2022.

[2] "Sanath Jayasuriya: Sri Lanka's humble cricketing hero". TalkAsia. CNN. 17 December 2008. Retrieved 30 November 2022.

[3] Alter, Jamie (25 December 2009). "Sanath Jayasuriya – the entertainer". ESPNcricinfo. ESPN Inc. Retrieved 30 November 2022.

[4] "1st Round, Colombo, Aug 17 2004, Twenty-20 Tournament". ESPNcricinfo. ESPN Inc. 17 August 2004. Retrieved 30 November 2022.

[5] Brar, Hemant (5 November 2018). "Where are Herath's team-mates from his 1999 Test debut?". ESPNcricinfo. ESPN Inc. Retrieved 30 November 2022.

[6] "India vs Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI at Margao, Dec 08 1990 - Full Scorecard".

[7] "New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI at Dunedin, Feb 06 1991 - Full Scorecard".

[8] Weerasuriya, Sanath (11 December 2019). "Kalu's Hideaway for nature lovers". The Sunday Times. ISSN 1391-0531. Retrieved 30 November 2022.

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