Lasith Embuldeniya

Lasith Embuldeniya is a wily left-arm spin bowler, who made his Test debut for the Sri Lankan cricket team, back in February 2019. 

Embuldeniya started his domestic career playing for Nondescripts Cricket Club in January 2017. Over the next two seasons, Embuldeniya rose to prominence with his impressive performances and was finally rewarded with a place in Sri Lanka’s squad for the Emerging Teams Asia Cup tournament in December 2018. An injury to Sri Lanka’s lead spinner, Dilruwan Perera, led to Embuldeniya getting his maiden international call-up against the Proteas in February 2019.

He impressed on his very first international tour as the left-arm spinner took his first fifer against a solid South African batting line-up on a seamer-friendly pitch. With that fifer, Embuldeniya became the fourth bowler and the first Sri Lankan left arm spinner to take a five-wicket haul in his debut Test match. Sri Lanka went on to win that historic Test match and Embuldeniya played a big role in that impressive victory. 

His dream start to the international level was halted as Emuldeniya dislocated a finger in the second Test match and was subsequently ruled out for six weeks.

After some unimpressive performance against Pakistan, Embuldeniya picked up his second fifer in Tests, when he took 5 for 114 against Zimbabwe in January 2019. His superb bowling helped the Lankans restrict Zimbabwe to a total of 358 and eventually helped them win the first Test of the series against them.

The crowning jewel of Embuldeniya’s career came in 2021 against England. Joe Root and Co. totally dominated the Islanders, barring Embuldeniya, who picked up 15 wickets in the two-match series. He picked up his career-best figures of 7 for 137 in that series, but despite his efforts, Sri Lanka lost the Test series 0-2.

Embuldeniya is surely the future of Sri Lanka’s spin bowling line-up. Sri Lanka clearly sees him as the successor to Rangana Herath and with age on his side, Embuldeniya can surely fulfill the potential that the Lankan management see in him.

(As of March 2021)