Shashikala Siriwardene

One of the most prominent figures of Sri Lankan cricket, Shashikala Siriwardene has been a vital cog for the Sri Lankan women’s team for the past 18 years. A right-handed batswoman who occasionally bowls right-arm off-break, Siriwardene made her international debut in 2003 and since then has not looked back.

She made her ODI debut against West Indies in 2003, and impressed everyone with her all-round performance, scoring a brisk 29 and scalping 2 wickets as Sri Lanka won the match comfortably. 

Two years later, she recorded her best bowling figures in ODI cricket, with figures of 4 for 11 against Pakistan in the Women’s Asia Cup match in Karachi. In 2014, Siriwardene was ranked as the world’s top-ranked women’s all-rounder. 

The Colombo-born is the highest-run getter for Sri Lanka in ODI history and is also the highest wicket-taker for the Lankans. She is the only Sri Lankan women’s cricketer to register 100 ODI wickets under her belt.

The talented batswoman was named in the Sri Lankan squad for the 2018 Women’s World T20. She finished as the joint highest wicket-taker for the Islanders, with 4 wickets in three matches.

One of the greatest Sri Lankan women’s cricketers, Siriwardene has achieved a lot in her career spanning nearly two decades. She still has a lot to offer to her side and will look to develop the skills of young cricketers who are coming through the domestic ranks. 

(As of April 2021)