2024 was one of Sri Lanka’s best years in cricket

 Kamindu Mendis 1000 runs in Tests

Kusal Mendis top run-getter in ODIs and T20Is

Pathum Nissanka scored the only ODI double century for the year

Wanindu Hasaranga top wicket-taker in ODIs and T20Is

Review for the year

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

The two back to back defeats in the first T20 Internationals against New Zealand which marked the end of international cricket for Sri Lanka for 2024 would have been a bitter pill to swallow, but when you look at the overall picture, it was one of Sri Lanka’s best years.

In Test cricket they won 6 and lost 4 out of 10 matches giving them a win percentage of 60 which is equalled by South Africa and bettered only by Australia with 66.66.

Highlights of the year were beating England by 8 wickets at the Oval after 26 years and making a 2-0 sweep of the series against New Zealand. The disappointments were losing 2-0 to South Africa which somewhat dented their chances of qualifying for a place in the WTC final.

Sri Lanka’s low point in Test cricket was being shot out for their lowest ever total – 42 by South Africa at Durban. It was the lowest total achieved by any team for the year with India a close second when they were demolished for 46 by New Zealand at Bengaluru.

On the batting front Kamindu Mendis was Sri Lanka’s leading run-getter accumulating 1049 runs (avg. 74.92) from 9 Tests with 5 centuries and 3 fifties. He was one of six batsmen to make over 1000 Test runs for the year. Dinesh Chandimal (724 runs), Dhananjaya de Silva (710) and Angelo Mathews (681) were the other main run scorers for the year. In the bowling, left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya with 48 wickets (avg. 32.20) from 9 Tests was Sri Lanka’s leading wicket-taker while seamers Asitha Fernando (37 wickets), Lahiru Kumara (30) and Vishwa Fernando (29) all sported averages below 25. This quartet formed Sri Lanka’s main bowling line-up in Tests.

In One-Day Internationals, Sri Lanka went through one of their best years winning 12 out of 18 matches, losing 3, 1 tie and 2 no-results for a win percentage of 66.66 bettered only by Pakistan (77.77). Following a rather disappointing Cricket World Cup campaign in India where they failed to gain a place for the 2025 Champions Trophy, Sri Lanka went onto win 5 out of 6 series, the high point being beating India 2-0 at home for their first bilateral series win against them in 27 years.

Sri Lanka’s success in the ODIs is highlighted by the fact that the top three run-getters for the year are from Sri Lanka. Kusal Mendis finished 2024 as the leading light with 742 runs (avg. 53.00) and a strike rate of 90.59. He was followed by Pathum Nissanka (694 runs, st rate 106.44) and Captain Charith Asalanka (605 runs, st rate 97.11). Avishka Fernando also topped the 500-run mark scoring 515 runs. The highest individual score for the year was achieved by Pathum Nissanka whose 210* against Afghanistan at Pallekele made him the first Sri Lankan cricketer to score a double hundred in this format. Nissanka along with two others made the highest number of hundreds for the years - 3, while Kusal Mendis scored the most number of fifties with 6.

In bowling, leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga took the most wickets with 26 (avg. 15.61) and tied for the top spot with Canadian seamer Dilon Heyliger (26). Hasaranga also had the best bowling figures in a match with 7/19 against Zimbabwe at the R. Premadasa Stadium.

The fastest format in cricket – T20 Internationals is where Sri Lanka still lag behind. Of the 22 matches they played for the year, they won 10 and lost 11 with one tie. Sri Lanka won 4 out of 7 series losing 2 and drawing 1. That Sri Lanka’s problems lay in their batting is borne by the fact that their main run-getters are openers Kusal Mendis (628 runs, avg 29.90, st rt 127.64) and Pathum Nissanka (622 runs, avg 36.58, st rt 138.53). No other batsman crossed the 500-run mark, the next best was skipper Charith Asalanka with 378 runs. Hasaranga is once again Sri Lanka’s leading wicket-taker in this format as well with 38 wickets (avg. 14.28) and an economy rate of 7.11. Fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana was Sri Lanka’s next best with 30 wickets at an economy rate of 8.30.

For the first half of the year Sri Lanka’s success can be attributed to Head Coach Chris Silverwood, who was succeeded for the second half by former Captain Sanath Jayasuriya under whose guidance Sri Lanka has enjoyed an impressive string of victories. His impact is already evident with the team displaying purpose.