Russel Premakumaran Arnold (Tamil: ரசல் பிரேம்குமாரன் அர்னால்ட்; born 25 October 1973), commonly known as Russel Arnold, is a Sri Lankan cricket commentator and former international cricketer of Tamil descent. A left-handed batsman who played all formats of the game, Arnold was known for his ability as a finisher, batting in the lower middle order for Sri Lanka. He retired from international cricket after appearing in the final of the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup.
| Full name | Russel Premakumaran Arnold |
|---|---|
| Born | 25 October 1973 |
| Nationality | Sri Lankan |
| Heritage | Tamil |
| Role | Batsman (finisher, lower middle order) |
| Formats played | Test, ODI, Twenty20 International |
| International retirement | 2007 |
| Current profession | Cricket commentator |
Born on 25 October 1973, Arnold is of Tamil descent and represented Sri Lanka across all three formats of international cricket. His batting style was suited to the lower order, where he typically played the finisher's role for the national side.
Arnold played Test cricket, One Day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals for Sri Lanka. He holds the distinction of being part of Sri Lanka's first ever Twenty20 International team, and therefore was among the first Sri Lankan cricketers to be capped in the format.
Arnold was a member of the Sri Lankan squad at the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy, in which Sri Lanka and India were declared joint winners of the tournament.
Arnold played in the final of the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup, after which he retired from international cricket.
Following his retirement as a player in 2007, Arnold transitioned into broadcasting and works as a cricket commentator.
Arnold's career coincided with a period of sustained success for Sri Lankan cricket. His role as a lower-order finisher complemented the side's strong top order, and his presence in the country's inaugural T20I team marks him as part of Sri Lanka's transition into the shortest format of the international game.