Warushavithana Upul Tharanga (Sinhala: උපුල් තරංග; born 2 February 1985) is a former Sri Lankan professional cricketer. A left-handed opening batsman and occasional wicket-keeper, he represented Sri Lanka across all three formats of international cricket and served as a limited-overs captain of the national side. He announced his retirement from international cricket on 23 February 2021, and currently serves as the chief selector of both the Sri Lanka men's and women's cricket teams.
| Full name | Warushavithana Upul Tharanga |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 2 February 1985 |
| Nationality | Sri Lankan |
| Batting style | Left-handed |
| Role | Opening batsman; occasional wicket-keeper |
| Formats played | Test, One Day International, Twenty20 International |
| International retirement | 23 February 2021 |
| Current role | Chief selector, Sri Lanka men's and women's cricket teams |
Tharanga emerged as a top-order batsman in Sri Lankan cricket and became one of the country's regular limited-overs openers. Known for his fluent left-handed stroke play, he was used primarily as an opener in One Day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals, and also represented Sri Lanka in Test cricket.
Over the course of his international career, Tharanga played in all three formats of the game for Sri Lanka. In addition to his role as a batsman, he occasionally kept wicket. He was appointed as Sri Lanka's limited-overs captain, leading the side in One Day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals.
On 23 February 2021, Tharanga announced his retirement from international cricket, drawing the curtain on a career that spanned over a decade and a half across all formats.
Following his retirement, Tharanga transitioned into cricket administration. He currently serves as the chief national selector for both the Sri Lanka men's cricket team and the Sri Lanka women's cricket team, overseeing squad selection across formats.
As a long-serving opener and former captain, Tharanga is among the senior figures of his generation in Sri Lankan cricket. His ability to play across formats, combined with his subsequent appointment to the chief selector's role, has kept him closely associated with the country's cricketing structure beyond his playing days.