Name:

Kapugedera, Chamara K

Nickname:

Kapu

Date of Birth:

24 Feb 1987

Gender:

Men

Place of Birth:

Kandy, Sri Lanka

Career:

Test: 2006 - current
ODI: 2006 - current

Teams:

Sri Lanka (Country)

Sri Lankan batting talent: Chamara Kapugedera at home

Powerful, stylish but inconsistent

Chamara Kapugedera was born on 24 February 1987 in Kandy. He is a naturally aggressive right-hander batsman who also bowls medium pace. He plays first class cricket for the Colombo Cricket Club and was the first Sri Lankan national cricketer to emerge from his school Dharmaraja College in Kandy.

Kapugedera initially came to prominence during the 2003/04 domestic season in Sri Lanka. He was then picked for the U-19 tour to Pakistan the following year and excelled with a stunning knock of 131. He was fast-tracked him into the national squad when he made the national squad against India in November 2004 but could not play due to an injury. He made his ODI debut, aged just 18, against Australia in Perth in 2006, immediately impressing with his composure. He made his Test cricket debut in the first Test against England at Lord's Cricket Ground in London, in May 2006.

A stylish and powerful player, he is known for his big hitting. In his first ODI series in Australia in 2006. he struck 38 runs from just 21 balls (2 fours and 3 sixes) as Sri Lanka won the first final of the VB Series against Australia.

Kapugedera showed huge potential in both one day and test cricket, with some mature innings, but his overall inconsistency led to him being dropped. In 2008, good performances such as his 95 against West Indies when Sri Lanka were in trouble, and in the 2008 Asia Cup had him regaining his spot.

Kapugedera is starting to build some level of consistency in the shorter forms of the game, and was instrumental in several wins, including a spectacular 37 not out in 16 balls to beat India in the ICC World Cup T20 in May 2010.

Source: CricketCrowd Staff Reporter, July 2010