This is a list of all men, boys and women who have captained a Sri Lankan national cricket team at official international level. Sri Lanka became a full member of the International Cricket Council on 21 July 1981. Previously they were an associate member of the ICC from 1965, which made them eligible to compete in the ICC Trophy, the leading one-day tournament for associate members. Just after Sri Lanka gained Test status in 1981 a team of rebel players toured apartheid South Africa under the banner "Arosa Sri Lanka" (the term "Arosa" being derived from the promoter's name). All players who toured Sri Lanka were banned from official cricket matches for life, thereby setting Sri Lanka's development back. Sri Lanka's greatest success in One Day Internationals was when they won the Cricket World Cup in 1996 under the captaincy of Arjuna Ranatunga.
Men's cricket
Test match captains This is a list of cricketers who have captained the Sri Lankan cricket team for at least one Test match. The table of results is complete including the first Test against Bangladesh which ended on 4 February 2018. Where a player has a dagger (†) next to a Test match series in which he captained at least one Test, that denotes that player captained this side for a minor proportion in a series.
Sri Lankan Test match captains Number Name Year Opposition Location Played Won Lost DrawnW% 1 Bandula Warnapura 1981/82 England Sri Lanka 1 0 1 00% 1981/82 Pakistan Pakistan 2 0 2 0 1982/83 India India 1 0 0 1 Total 4 0 3 1 2 Duleep Mendis 1981/82† Pakistan Pakistan 1 0 0 10% 1982/83 Australia Sri Lanka 1 0 1 0 0% 1983/84 New Zealand Sri Lanka 3 0 2 10% 1984 England England 1 0 0 10% 1985 India Sri Lanka 3 1 0 233% 1985/86 Pakistan Pakistan 3 0 2 10% 1985/86 Pakistan Sri Lanka 3 1 1 133% 1986/87 India India 3 0 2 10% 1986/87 New Zealand Sri Lanka 1 0 0 10% Total 19 2 8 910.53% 3 Somachandra de Silva 1982/83 New Zealand New Zealand 2 0 2 00% Total 2 0 2 0 4 Ranjan Madugalle 1987/88 Australia Australia 1 0 1 0 1988 England England 1 0 1 0 Total 2 0 2 0 5 Arjuna Ranatunga 1989/90 Australia Australia 2 0 1 10% 1990/91 India India 1 0 1 00% 1990/91 New Zealand New Zealand 3 0 0 30% 1992 Australia Sri Lanka 3 0 1 20% 1992/93 New Zealand Sri Lanka 2 1 0 150% 1992/93 England Sri Lanka 1 1 0 0100% 1993 India Sri Lanka 3 0 1 20% 1993 South Africa Sri Lanka 3 0 1 20% 1993/94 West Indies Sri Lanka 1 0 0 10% 1993/94 India India 3 0 3 00% 1994 Pakistan Sri Lanka 2 0 2 00% 1994/95 Zimbabwe Zimbabwe 3 0 0 30% 1994/95 New Zealand New Zealand 2 1 0 150% 1995/96 Pakistan Pakistan 3 2 1 066.67% 1995/96 Australia Australia 2 0 2 00% 1996/97 Zimbabwe Sri Lanka 2 2 0 0100% 1996/97 New Zealand New Zealand 2 0 2 00% 1996/97 Pakistan Sri Lanka 2 0 0 20% 1997 West Indies West Indies 2 0 1 10% 1997 India Sri Lanka 2 0 0 20% 1997/98 India India 3 0 0 30% 1997/98 Zimbabwe Sri Lanka 2 2 0 0100% 1997/98 South Africa South Africa 2 0 2 00% 1998 New Zealand Sri Lanka 3 2 1 066.67% 1998 England England 1 1 0 0100% 1998/99 India Sri Lanka 1 0 0 10% Total 56 12 19 2521.43% 6 Aravinda de Silva 1991 England England 1 0 1 00% 1991/92 Pakistan Pakistan 3 0 1 2 1995/96† Australia Australia 1 0 1 0 1998/99† Pakistan Bangladesh 1 0 1 0 Total 6 0 4 2 7 Hashan Tillakaratne 1998/99 Pakistan Pakistan 1 0 0 10% 2003 New Zealand Sri Lanka 2 0 0 20% 2003 West Indies West Indies 2 0 1 10% 2003/04 England Sri Lanka 3 1 0 233.33% 2003/04 Australia Sri Lanka 3 0 3 00% Total 11 1 4 69%8 Sanath Jayasuriya 1999 Australia Sri Lanka 3 1 0 233.3% 1999/2000 Zimbabwe Zimbabwe 3 1 0 233.33% 1999/2000 Pakistan Pakistan 3 2 1 066.67% 2000 Pakistan Sri Lanka 3 0 2 10% 2000 South Africa Sri Lanka 3 1 1 133.33% 2000/01 South Africa South Africa 3 0 2 10% 2000/01 England Sri Lanka 3 1 2 033.33% 2001 India Sri Lanka 3 2 1 066.67% 2001/02 Bangladesh1 Sri Lanka 1 1 0 0100% 2001/02 West Indies Sri Lanka 3 3 0 0100% 2001/02 Zimbabwe Sri Lanka 3 3 0 0100% 2001/02 Pakistan² Pakistan 1 1 0 0100% 2002 England England 3 0 2 10% 2002 Bangladesh Sri Lanka 2 2 0 0100% 2002/03 South Africa South Africa 1 0 1 00% Total 38 18 12 847.37% 9 Marvan Atapattu 2002/03† South Africa South Africa 1 0 1 00% 2004 Zimbabwe Zimbabwe 2 2 0 0100% 2004 Australia Australia 2 0 1 10% 2004 South Africa Sri Lanka 2 1 0 150% 2004/05 Pakistan Pakistan 2 1 1 050% 2004/05 New Zealand New Zealand 2 0 1 10% 2005 West Indies Sri Lanka 2 2 0 0100% 2005/06 Bangladesh Sri Lanka 2 2 0 0100% 2005/06 India India 3 0 2 10% Total 18 8 6 444.44% 10 Mahela Jayawardene 2005/06 Bangladesh Bangladesh 2 2 0 0100% 2005/06 Pakistan Sri Lanka 2 0 1 10% 2006 England England 3 1 1 133% 2006 South Africa Sri Lanka 2 2 0 0100% 2006/07 New Zealand New Zealand 2 1 1 050% 2007 Bangladesh Sri Lanka 3 3 0 0100% 2007/08 Australia Australia 2 0 2 00% 2007/08 England Sri Lanka 3 1 0 2 33% 2007/08 West Indies West Indies 2 1 1 0 50% 2008 India Sri Lanka 3 2 1 0 66% 2008/09 Bangladesh Bangladesh 2 2 0 0100% 2008/09 Pakistan Pakistan 2 0 0 20% 2011/12 England Sri Lanka 2 1 1 050% 2012 Pakistan Sri Lanka 3 1 0 233% 2012/13 New Zealand Sri Lanka 2 1 1 050% 2012/13 Australia Australia 3 0 3 00% Total 38 18 12 847.37% 11 Kumar Sangakkara 2009 Pakistan Sri Lanka 3 2 0 166% 2009 New Zealand Sri Lanka 2 2 0 0100% 2009/10 India India 3 0 2 10% 2010 India Sri Lanka 3 1 1 1 33% 2010/11 West Indies Sri Lanka 3 0 0 3 0% 2011† England England 1 0 0 10% Total 15 5 3 733.33% 12 Tillakaratne Dilshan 2011 England England 2 0 1 10% 2011 Australia Sri Lanka 3 0 1 20% 2011/12 Pakistan United Arab Emirates 3 0 1 20% 2011/12 South Africa South Africa 3 1 2 033% Total 11 1 5 59.09% 13 Angelo Mathews 2012/13 Bangladesh Sri Lanka 2 1 0 150% 2013/14 Pakistan United Arab Emirates 3 1 1 133% 2013/14 Bangladesh Bangladesh 2 1 0 150% 2014 England England 2 1 0 150% 2014 South Africa Sri Lanka 2 0 1 10% 2014 Pakistan Sri Lanka 2 2 0 0100% 2014/15 New Zealand New Zealand 2 0 2 00% 2015 Pakistan Sri Lanka 3 1 2 033% 2015 India Sri Lanka 3 1 2 033% 2015/16 West Indies Sri Lanka 2 2 0 0100% 2015/16 New Zealand New Zealand 2 0 2 00% 2016 England England 3 0 2 10% 2016 Australia Sri Lanka 3 3 0 0100% 2016/17 South Africa South Africa 3 0 3 00% Total 34 13 15 638.24% 14 Rangana Herath 2016/17 Zimbabwe Zimbabwe 2 2 0 0100% 2016/17 Bangladesh Sri Lanka 2 1 1 050% 2017 India Sri Lanka 1 0 1 00% Total 5 3 2 060% 15 Dinesh Chandimal 2017 Zimbabwe Sri Lanka 1 1 0 0100% 2017 India Sri Lanka 2 0 2 00% 2017/18 Pakistan United Arab Emirates 2 2 0 0100% 2017/18 India India 3 0 1 20% 2017/18 Bangladesh Bangladesh 2 1 0 150% 2018 West Indies West Indies 2 0 1 10% 2018/19 England Sri Lanka 1 0 1 00% 2018/19 New Zealand New Zealand 2 0 1 10% 2018/19 Australia Australia 2 0 2 00%2020/21EnglandSri Lanka20200% Total 19 4 10 521.05% 16 Suranga Lakmal 2018 West Indies West Indies 1 1 0 0100% 2018 South Africa Sri Lanka 2 2 0 0100% 2018/19 England Sri Lanka 2 0 2 00% Total 5 3 2 060% 17 Dimuth Karunaratne 2018/19 South Africa South Africa 2 2 0 0100% 2019 New Zealand Sri Lanka 2 1 1 050% 2019/20 Pakistan Pakistan 2 0 1 10% 2019/20 Zimbabwe Zimbabwe 2 1 0 150% 2020/21 South Africa South Africa 2 0 2 00% 2020/21 West Indies West Indies 2 0 0 20% 2020/21 Bangladesh Sri Lanka 2 1 0 150% 2021/22 West Indies Sri Lanka 2 2 0 0100% 2021/22 India India 2 0 2 00% 2022 Bangladesh Bangladesh 2 1 0 150% 2022 Australia Sri Lanka 2 1 1 050% 2022 Pakistan Sri Lanka 2 1 1 050% 2022/23 New Zealand New Zealand 2 0 2 00% 2022/23 Ireland Sri Lanka 2 2 0 0100% 2023 Pakistan Sri Lanka 2 0 2 00% Total 30 12 12 641.85% 18 Dhananjaya de Silva 2023/24 Afghanistan Sri Lanka 1 1 0 0100% 2023/24 Bangladesh Bangladesh 2 2 0 0100% 2024 England England 3 1 2 033.33%2024/25 New Zealand Sri Lanka 2200100%Total862075% Grand total 321 106 123 9233.02%
Notes: 1 Asian Test Championship ² Final of the Asian Test Championship
Updated 27 March 2022
Men's One-Day International captains
This is a list of cricketers who have captained the Sri Lankan cricket team for at least one One Day International. Sri Lanka's greatest success was when they won the 1996 cricket World Cup under the captaincy of Arjuna Ranatunga.
Sri Lankan ODI captains Number Name Year Played Won Lost NR TiedW% 1 Anura Tennekoon 1975–1979 4 0 4 0 0 0% 2 Bandula Warnapura 1979–1982 8 3 5 0 0 37.5% 3 Duleep Mendis 1982–1987 61 11 46 4 0 18.03% 4 Somachandra de Silva 1983 1 0 1 0 0 0% 5 Ranjan Madugalle 1988 13 2 11 0 0 15.38% 6 Arjuna Ranatunga 1988–1999 193 89 95 8 1 46.11% 7 Ravi Ratnayeke 1988 1 1 0 0 0 100% 8 Aravinda de Silva 1992–1996 18 5 12 1 0 27.78% 9 Roshan Mahanama 1994 2 0 2 0 0 0% 10 Sanath Jayasuriya 1998–2003 117 65 47 3 2 55.56% 11 Marvan Atapattu 2001–2006 63 35 27 1 0 55.56% 12 Mahela Jayawardene 2004–2013 126 68 49 8 1 53.97% 13 Chaminda Vaas 2006 1 0 1 0 0 0% 14 Kumar Sangakkara 2009–2011 45 27 14 4 0 60% 15 Tillakaratne Dilshan 2010–2012 26 11 15 0 0 42.31% 16 Angelo Mathews 2012–2018 104 49 49 5 1 47.12% 17 Dinesh Chandimal 2013-2018 12 6 5 0 1 50% 18 Lahiru Thirimanne 2015-2019 5 1 4 0 0 20% 19 Upul Tharanga 2016–2017 21 4 15 0 2 19.05% 20 Chamara Kapugedera 2017 1 0 1 0 0 0% 21 Lasith Malinga 2017–2019 9 0 9 0 0 0% 22 Thisara Perera 2017 3 1 2 0 0 33.33% 23 Dimuth Karunaratne 2019–2021 16 10 6 0 0 62.5% 24 Kusal Perera 2021 6 1 4 1 033.3% 25 Dasun Shanaka 2021–2023 41 23 17 1 058.9% 26 Kusal Mendis 2023–present 13 7 5 1 033.12% Grand total 915 420 450 40 5 45.88%
Updated 15 February 2024
Twenty20 International captains
This is a list of cricketers who have captained the Sri Lankan cricket team for at least one Twenty20 International.
+ Sri Lanka T20I captains No. Name First Last Mat Won Lost Tied NR Win% Ref. 2006 2012 19 12 6 1 0 65.78% 2008 2011 5 2 3 0 0 40.0% 2009 2012 22 13 9 0 0 59.09% 2011 2011 1 1 0 0 0 100% 2012 2021 16 6 9 0 1 40.00% 2013 2018 26 13 13 0 0 50.00% 2014 2020 24 7 15 1 1 32.60% 2017 2017 6 3 3 0 0 50.00% 2017 2018 9 0 9 0 0 00.00% 2019 2023 48 22 24 2 0 47.91% 2021 2021 3 0 3 0 0 0.00% 2023 2023 1 0 1 0 0 0.00% 2024 2024 10 6 4 0 0 60% 2024 2024 5 1 3 1 0 20% Total 192 85 100 4 2 45.76% Updated: 14 July 2024
ICC Trophy
The ICC Trophy is the leading one-day tournament from non-Test teams, and Sri Lanka participated in the tournament before they gained Test status. This is a list of the men who captained Sri Lanka in the ICC Trophy.
Sri Lankan ICC Trophy captains Number Name Year Played Won Tied Lost No result Where finished 1 Anura Tennekoon 1979 3 3 0 0 0 Winners 2 Bandula Warnapura 1979 1 1 0 0 0 Winners Grand total 4 4 0 0 0
Other Men's captains Rebel tours to South Africa In October and November 1982 a group of Sri Lankan cricketers went on a private tour of apartheid South Africa. It was the first time a tour comprising all non-white cricketers had toured white South Africa (a team of Kenyan Asians had previously visited the black areas of South Africa, and the International Wanderers XI
Women's cricket
Test match captains
This is a list of cricketers who have captained the Sri Lankan women's cricket team for at least one women's Test match. Sri Lanka have played only one women's Test.
Sri Lankan women's Test match captains Number Name Year Opposition Location Played Won Lost Drawn 1 Rasanjali Silva 1997 Pakistan Sri Lanka 1 1 0 0
Women's One-Day International captains
This is a list of cricketers who have captained the Sri Lankan women's cricket team for at least one women's one-day international. The table of results is complete to the women's ODI against South Africa in the World Cup in 2004/5. Sri Lanka have never reached the semi-final stage in women's World Cups.