Sanath Jayasuriya

Deshabandu Sanath Teran Jayasuriya, born on June 30, 1969, is a celebrated former cricketer and politician from Sri Lanka. Renowned for his explosive batting style, he is often hailed as one of the greatest all-rounders in the history of One Day International (ODI) cricket. Jayasuriya's career spanned over two decades, during which he made significant contributions as a left-handed batter, left-arm orthodox spinner, and dynamic fielder.

Jayasuriya was instrumental in transforming ODI cricket in the mid-1990s alongside his opening partner, Romesh Kaluwitharana. Their aggressive batting approach set the stage for the modern-day hard-hitting strategies adopted by teams worldwide. He played a pivotal role in Sri Lanka's triumph at the 1996 Cricket World Cup and captained the team to joint victory in the 2002 Champions Trophy.

Throughout his illustrious career, Jayasuriya achieved remarkable milestones, including being the only player to score over ten thousand runs and take more than three hundred wickets in a single format of international cricket. His accolades include being named the Most Valuable Player of the 1996 Cricket World Cup and receiving recognition from Wisden Cricketers' Almanack as one of the Five Cricketers of the Year in 1997.

After retiring from Test cricket in December 2007 and limited-overs cricket in June 2011, Jayasuriya continued to contribute to the sport as the head coach of the Sri Lanka national cricket team and later as the chairman of the cricket selection committee. Under his leadership, Sri Lanka won the ICC World Twenty20 for the first time in 2014.

In addition to his cricketing achievements, Jayasuriya ventured into politics, winning a seat in the 2010 Sri Lankan general elections. He served as the deputy minister of Postal Services and later as the Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development. Although he did not contest in the 2015 general election, his impact on both cricket and politics remains significant.