Ranjan Madugalle first to complete half-century of T20is

Ranjan Madugalle of the ICC Emirates Elite Panel of Match Referees became the first match referee to complete a half-century of Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) when he walked on to the field for the toss in the ICC World Twenty20 Sri Lanka 2012 match between Australia and the West Indies at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Saturday.

Madugalle, a former Sri Lanka captain, now leads England’s Chris Broad by four T20Is and is all set to extend the gap over the Englishman who is not on duty in Sri Lanka for the event which runs until 7 October.

Madugalle, ICC’s chief match referee, is by far the most experienced match official having refereed 136 Tests, 81 Tests more than second-placed Jeff Crowe (55 Tests), and 265 ODIs, 52 ODIs more than second-placed Broad (213 ODIs) as well as his 50 T20Is.

Madugalle, who played 21 Tests and 63 ODIs between 1979 and 1988, made his debut as a match referee in Karachi when he officiated in the first Test in December 1993 between Pakistan and Zimbabwe. Three weeks later, Madugalle made his ODI match referee debut between the same two teams.