Romesh Kaluwitharana

Infobox Cricketer


nationality = Sri Lanka
country = Sri Lanka
country abbrev = SL
name = Romesh Kaluwitharana
picture = Cricket_no_pic.pngbatting style = Right-hand bat
bowling style = -
balls = true
tests = 49
test runs = 1933
test bat avg = 26.12
test 100s/50s = 3/9
test top score = 132*
test overs = -
test wickets = -
test bowl avg = -
test 5s = -
test 10s = -
test best bowling = -
test catches/stumpings = 93/26
ODIs = 189
ODI runs = 3711
ODI bat avg = 22.22
ODI 100s/50s = 2/23
ODI top score = 102*
ODI overs = -
ODI wickets = -
ODI bowl avg = -
ODI 5s = -
ODI 10s = -
ODI best bowling = -
ODI catches/stumpings = 132/75
date = 9 February
year = 2006
source = http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/49361.html

Romesh Shantha Kaluwitharana (born November 24, 1969, Colombo) is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who played in 49 Tests and 189 ODIs from 1990 to 2004. He was appointed as the interim cricket coach of Malaysia on the 17th of May 2008.

His early career made him look like a good Sri Lankan prospect, and the undoubted highlight of his career was the entertaining innings of 132 not out (including 26 boundaries) that he made on Test debut against a powerful Australian side in 1992. However, he failed to deliver on his promise in a declining Sri Lankan team (prior to the revival of Sri Lankan cricket at the 1996 World Cup).

Once in the national side, he sometimes threw his wicket away due to poor shot-selection and was suspect to the swinging delivery. However he relished pace and would often be quick to put away any delivery off line or length. His greatest contribution to ODIs came after he was promoted to the top of the batting order to partner opener Sanath Jayasuriya during the 1995-96 tour of Australia, helping to give birth to an aggressive batting approach in the first fifteen overs of fielding restrictions which has become known as pinch-hitting.

He was the perfect foil to Jayasuriya with his fearless and aggressive approach right from the start of his innings that no one had dared to try before. The two of them revolutionized the one day game during the 1996 world cup and paved the way for the modern game, providing inspiration to many openers such as Adam Gilchrist and Chris Gayle who have successfully emulated this style of opening an innings in limited over cricket.

Romesh has spent a number of years contributing to charity work in the impoverished Northern part of Sri-Lanka along with his long time cricket companion Muttiah Muralitharan.