Farveez Maharoof

One of the most resourceful all-rounders to emerge from Sri Lanka, Farveez Mahroof is a former Sri Lankan pacer and a decent lower-order batsman. His bowling revolves around the simple principle of bowling wicket-to-wicket.

The Colombo-born cricketer picked up the bat at the age of eight, but like most Sri Lankan kids, he played multiple sports like football and touch rugby during his early schooling days. Maharoof travelled to neighbours India for an A tour in 2004 and came away with nine wickets, the most by anyone. On this note, he was named the skipper of the Sri Lanka Under-19 team for the World Cup in the same year.

Maharoof made his grand entry at the international level in a match that saw Zimbabwe succumb to the lowest total in ODI history, 35 all out. His impressive figures bowling figures 3/3 made him a prominent figure in the squad. He picked up two more wickets in the series and got an opportunity to make his Test debut on the same tour. 

In comparison to his ODI career, Maharoof did not enjoy as much success in the longest format of the game. Yet during the home series against South Africa in 2006, he played a crucial role with the bat scoring 62 vital runs in his team’s sensational one-wicket win over the visitors. Playing for the first time in a World Cup, he became the first Sri Lankan to pick up four wickets on his World Cup debut when Sri Lanka played against new entrants Bermuda.

In the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League in 2008, Maharoof was signed by the Delhi Daredevils for a high price tag and justified his price tag with decent all-round performances. Maharoof was then hit by multiple groin injuries and was ruled out of the side. He bounced back by picking up a hat-trick in the Asia Cup 2010 against India. With age and injuries on his side, Mahroof lost his place in the squad to the power-hitter all-rounder Thisara Perera.

(As of April 2021)