Sri Lanka’s 6ft 1Inch tall bustling bowling all-rounder Thisara Perera, who bid goodbye to the game at age 32, will be best remembered for the inherent rousing impact he generated to the game of cricket. Whether with the ball or bat, the trade mark marauding verve he breathed into the game accentuated by his giant stature did set him apart during his prime. In a sporadic career that took off debuting in ODIs on December 24, 2009 and in Tests on May 26, 2011 and in T20s on May 3, 2010, it was the gangling thrust he breathed into the game that set him apart. So much so that Thisara Perera was quite and international draw having been lined up in a star studded ICC World XI and the Chennai Super Kings and Kings XI Punjab.
It is a matter of conjecture that the former Josephian and Colts CC product could not translate his game to the full potential of a consistent performer having been in and out of the national team. against England career having bustling right-arm seamer and sporadically effective left-handed hitter, Thisara Perera has been been in Sri Lanka’s short-format sides since 2010. Bowling is ostensibly Perera’s major skill but, debuted on December 24, 2009 against India at Kolkota and in Tests on May 26, 2011 against England, often deployed in the lower-middle order, he is also capable of delivering furious finishes to an innings. Perera is particularly severe on spin, which has led to his being used as a pinch-hitter through the middle overs, but he has at times also been weak to quality pace bowling.
In his aggregate of 2338 ODI runs in 166 appearances, Thisara anointing himself in three unique records most sixes in an innings numbering 13, the most runs in batting position of 80 not out, and highest career strike rate of 112.08 was a testament to his derring do with the bat. In bowling, he claimed 175 wickets with four 5-wicket hauls and best of 4 for 63 in an innings and 4 for 151 in a match.
Of the 6 Test outings, he aggregated 653 runs claiming 11 wickets, and 51 T20 wickets from 84 outings and best in a match of 3 for 24 and 1204 runs with highest of 61.
It is noteworthy that Thisara did reveal to a fellow journalist that he was invited by New Zealand offering him citizenship some years ago to represent them with rich perks, but that the Sri Lankan prime minister at the time had dissuaded him requesting him to forge his career with his motherland.
