Frank Dimuth Madushanka Karunaratne (born 21 April 1988; ), popularly known as Dimuth Karunaratne, is a Sri Lankan former professional cricketer and former captain of Test and ODI team of Sri Lanka. Regarded as one of the best Test openers in the world, he has been included 3 times in the ICC Test Cricket Team of the Year. He played as an opening batter for Sri Lanka in Test cricket and ODIs. He played first-class cricket for the Sinhalese Sports Club.
From 2015, Karunaratne was the leading batsman for Sri Lanka in Tests due to his century making in the second innings of Test matches. He was described as a second-innings specialist by many commentators. He scored four centuries in the second innings out of the six centuries he made until October 2017. On 7 October 2017, Karunaratne became the second Sri Lankan opener after Tillakaratne Dilshan to score three Test centuries in a calendar year. In February 2019, he was named as the captain of Sri Lanka's Test squad for their series against South Africa.
In April 2019, Sri Lanka Cricket named Dimuth Karunaratne as the team's new One Day International captain ahead of the 2019 Cricket World Cup, replacing Lasith Malinga. He is the only batsman after Ridley Jacobs to carry his bat in a Cricket World Cup. He announced his retirement from Test Cricket after the 100th test match of his career in the home series against Australia.
Personal life and domestic career Karunaratne attended the St Joseph's College Colombo, which has produced a number of Sri Lankan Test cricketers such as Angelo Mathews and Chaminda Vaas. He was a record-breaking batsman for the school's cricket team. After featuring in Sri Lanka's Under-19 and A squads, he was called into the senior One Day International (ODI) team for the series against England and Scotland in June and July 2011. He played in two matches on the tour, scoring four runs against England in Manchester, and 60 against Scotland in Edinburgh. He was selected in Sri Lanka's Test squad for its tour of South Africa at the end of 2011, although did not play in any of the three Tests.
In March 2018, Karunaratne was named as the captain of Dambulla's squad for the 2017–18 Super Four Provincial Tournament. The following month, he was also named in Dambulla's squad for the 2018 Super Provincial One Day Tournament.
In August 2018, Karunaratne was named as the vice-captain of Galle's squad the 2018 SLC T20 League.
In February 2019, Karunaratne signed for Hampshire County Cricket Club as their overseas player for the first half of the 2019 season.
On 25 March 2021, during National Super Provincial 4-Day Tournament, Karunaratne scored his 44th First Class Century. He scored unbeaten 125 hitting 15 boundaries and one six. His knock helped to chase down 218 run target and guide towards an eight wicket victory for the Colombo team.
In April 2022, Karunaratne was signed by Yorkshire County Cricket Club to play in three matches in the 2022 County Championship in England.
International career Early days Karunaratne was called up into the Test squad for the home Tests against New Zealand during late 2012. He got the opportunity due to Tillakaratne Dilshan being unable to make the XI because of an injury. He debuted in the first Test of the series at Galle, only to get out for a duck in the first innings. However, he came back strongly in the second innings with an unbeaten half century as well as hitting the winning runs.
Following the New Zealand series, Karunaratne was called into the Test squad which was to tour Australia for a series of three Test matches. During the first two Tests, he failed to have an impact as he struggled against the Australian pace attack. In the final Test of the series held in Sydney Karunaratne managed to hit his highest test score of 85 in the second innings.
His maiden Test century came against New Zealand on 28 December 2014 at Hagley Oval, Christchurch. He scored 152 runs from 363 balls in the second match of the series, when Sri Lanka were in deep trouble. Despite his century, Sri Lanka went on to lose the match.
Karunaratne was picked in the original squad for 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, but during a practice match against England, he broke a bone in his right hand and was removed from the team after the match. He was replaced by Kusal Perera.
His second Test hundred came against Pakistan in Pallekele; he scored 133 runs in the first innings of the third match of the series. Just as Dimuth's first Test century was in a losing cause, his second proved to be the same: Sri Lanka lost the match by 7 wickets.
Consistent opener His highest score in Test cricket was recorded during the first Test against West Indies in 2015 at Galle. Dimuth scored 186 runs before being dismissed by the bowling of Marlon Samuels. Alongside Dinesh Chandimal (who also scored a century), he recorded the highest partnership for the third wicket at Galle by helping score 238 runs. Sri Lanka easily defeated the West Indies by an innings and 5 runs.
Karunaratne showed poor performances at home against Australia. He was dismissed by Mitchell Starc in the first over of each innings. He scored just 41 runs in three matches, including five single-digit scores, for an average of 6.83 in six innings. Despite his poor performance, Sri Lanka whitewashed Australia 3–0 for the first time.
Karunaratne was named captain of Sri Lanka A for the first two four-day games at home against West Indies A. He scored 131 in first innings and 39* in second innings, guiding Sri Lanka A to a seven-wicket win. This strong comeback gave cause for Karunaratne to be named to the Test team for the Zimbabwe tour in late October 2016.
Permanent opener in Tests During the first innings of the first Test against Zimbabwe, Karunaratne scored a fifty, and during the second innings scored his fourth Test century. Sri Lanka won the match by 225 runs. In the second Test, he scored 88 runs in the second innings. With impressive bowling by skipper Rangana Herath, Sri Lanka won the match by 257 runs, and whitewashed the series 2–0. Karunaratne won player of the series for his batting performance, scoring 280 runs at an average of 70.00.
Karunaratne took his maiden Test wicket by dismissing Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara during the second Test against India at SSC. In the second innings of the same match, he scored his fifth Test century during a century partnership with Kusal Mendis. However, his century could not force a result for Sri Lanka, as they lost the match by an innings and 53 runs. This was the first time that India won a test match by an innings against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka lost all three matches against India in that series.
Sri Lanka played their first day-night Test on 6 October 2017 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium against Pakistan. Karunatane scored a mighty innings of 196 and Sri Lanka posted 482 in their first innings. With his innings, Karunaratne became the first Sri Lankan to score 50, 100 and 150 in a day-night Test. He fell just short 4 runs away from a maiden double century, after he poked at a short delivery that came back slightly off the seam and the ball took his inside edge, hit his thigh pad, and clattered into his stumps. However, in the second innings, Sri Lanka were all out for just 96 runs. With the help of the bowling unit, Sri Lanka won the match by 68 runs after a thrilling finish on the fifth day. For his batting performances throughout the series, Karunaratne was adjudged both player of the match for the second Test and player of series.
During the first innings of second Test against India, Karunaratne completed 1000 Test run in a year 2017 with the average of 42.41. He was the second batsman to get to 1000 Test runs in 2017, after South African opener Dean Elgar. He was the seventh Sri Lankan to score 1000 Test runs in a calendar year as well.
In May 2018, Karunaratne was one of 33 cricketers to be awarded a national contract by Sri Lanka Cricket ahead of the 2018–19 season.
On 12 July 2018, during first test against South Africa, Karunaratne played his 50th test match. He celebrated the match with a magnificent century. He scored unbeaten 158 runs, and became the fourth batsman for Sri Lanka to carry his bat in Tests after Sidath Wettimuny, Marvan Atapattu and Russell Arnold. He also became the third Sri Lankan after Sanath Jayasuriya and Tillakaratne Dilshan to have made a hundred in their 50th Test. Sri Lanka won the match within three day, where South Africa was dismissed to their lowest team total since readmission. Karunaratne scored 60 runs in the second innings, which is also the highest score in the innings for Sri Lanka.
During the match, Karunaratne scored 218 runs, while South Africa made a combined total of 199 in both innings. He was the only man to score more than 50 runs in the match, where all other 21 players did not scored more than 40s. Due to his high class match winning performances, he won the man of the match award. He continued the best form in the second test as well, where he scored fifties in both innings for Sri Lanka with 53 and 85 respectively. Eventually, Sri Lanka won the second test by 199 runs and sealed the series 2-0. Due to his impressive batting performance throughout the series, he won the man of the match award and player of the series award. For his performances in 2018, he was named in the World Test XI by the ICC and ESPNCricinfo.
Blow to head 2019 During the second Test at Canberra, suffered a blow to the back of the neck when he failed to get out of the way of a 142 km/h Pat Cummins bouncer. He laid almost motionless as medical staff inspected and eventually stretchered him off the field, for medical attention. Both Sri Lankan physio and Australian physio came to the field for the support. He was rushed to the hospital for further tests. Following medical assessments, he was released from the hospital in late evening of Saturday and cleared to bat again. Next day, after Kusal Perera was injured by another bouncer from Jhye Richardson, Karunaratne came to the field to play his innings. He reached his 22nd test fifty and got out for 59 runs. In the second innings, he scored 8 runs and Sri Lanka lost the match and the series 2-0.
Captaincy
Due to poor performances throughout New Zealand and Australia tours, Dinesh Chandimal was dropped from the Test squad for South Africa tour. Karunaratne was named as the stand-in captain for the tour, while Chandimal was released to play domestic cricket and regain his form with the bat. On 13 February 2019, Karunaratne became the 17th Test captain for Sri Lanka. Under his captaincy, Sri Lanka won the match by 1 wicket courtesy of Kusal Perera's unbeaten century. In the match, during South Africa's first innings, an apparent DRS timing error cost Sri Lanka a wicket of Hashim Amla. Vishwa Fernando rapped Amla on the pads for a confident appeal for lbw. Umpire Aleem Dar was unmoved, and after a short discussion Sri Lanka captain Karunaratne asked for a review - but Dar turned down the request on the basis that the visitors had taken too long to ask for it. However commentators confirmed that it took only 13 seconds when Karunaratne asked for the review.
Sri Lanka won the second match at Port Elizabeth comfortably to seal the series 2-0. This was Sri Lanka's fourth consecutive win over South Africa as well. With this win, Sri Lanka became the first Asian team to win a Test series in South Africa and third overall after England and Australia.