Menu

Dasun Shanaka

Dasun Shanaka in 2022
Dasun Shanaka in 2022 Image: Wikimedia Commons. 04 ATM 04 / CC BY-SA 4.0

Overview

Madagamagamage Dasun Shanaka (born 9 September 1991) is a Sri Lankan cricketer who has served as captain of the Sri Lanka national cricket team in Twenty20 Internationals. An all-rounder, he is a right-arm medium-fast bowler and an aggressive lower-order batsman. He led Sri Lanka to victory at the 2022 Asia Cup, the country's sixth title in the tournament.

Key Facts

Full name Madagamagamage Dasun Shanaka
Date of birth 9 September 1991
Nationality Sri Lankan
Role All-rounder
Batting Aggressive lower-order batsman
Bowling Right-arm medium-fast
Captaincy Sri Lanka (T20I and ODI)
Major honour 2022 Asia Cup winner (as captain)

Background

Shanaka emerged as a professional cricketer in Sri Lanka, building his reputation as an all-rounder capable of contributing with both bat and ball. His skill set—medium-fast bowling combined with hard-hitting lower-order batting—established him as a useful limited-overs player for the national side.

Career

Early international captaincy

In 2019, Shanaka captained the Sri Lankan Twenty20 International side against Pakistan. Under his leadership, Sri Lanka recorded a 3–0 whitewash in the T20I series.

Formal appointment as T20I captain

In February 2021, ahead of Sri Lanka's tour of the West Indies, Shanaka was formally appointed as the country's T20I captain. He replaced Lasith Malinga in the role.

ODI captaincy

In July 2021, Shanaka was named captain of Sri Lanka's One Day International (ODI) squad for their series against India, extending his leadership responsibilities to the 50-over format.

2022 Asia Cup

Shanaka led Sri Lanka to the title at the 2022 Asia Cup. The triumph marked Sri Lanka's sixth Asia Cup title.

Significance

Shanaka's tenure as captain bridged a transitional period for Sri Lankan cricket following the retirement of senior players such as Lasith Malinga. His leadership in the shortest format culminated in continental success at the 2022 Asia Cup, reaffirming Sri Lanka's standing among Asia's leading cricket nations.

References