Arjun Ranatunga, the former Sri Lankan captain, is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen and leaders in the history of cricket. He led his country to their first and only World Cup triumph in 1996, and was known for his aggressive, innovative and confrontational style of play. He was also a handy part-time bowler, who could swing the ball and take crucial wickets. In this article, we will look at five of his best performances in ODIs, where he showcased his batting and bowling skills.
Arjun Ranatunga’s 131 vs India knock:
Arjun Ranatunga was the captain of Sri Lanka in the 1997 Asia Cup match against India in Colombo. He played a brilliant innings of 131 not out, which is the fifth-highest score by a captain in Asia Cup history. He came to bat when Sri Lanka were 35 for 2 in the ninth over, chasing a target of 228. He steadied the innings with Marvan Atapattu, who scored 83, and added 175 runs for the third wicket. He then finished the game with Lanka de Silva, who scored 25 not out, and took Sri Lanka to a comfortable six-wicket win with 32 balls to spare. Ranatunga’s knock was a display of controlled aggression and leadership, as he hit 17 fours in his 152-ball innings. He was awarded the man of the match for his match-winning performance.
Arjun Ranatunga’s 87 VS West Indies
Arjuna Ranatunga played a match-winning innings of 87 runs in 92 balls to lead Sri Lanka to a 7-wicket victory over West Indies in the 1st match of the Wills Quadrangular Tournament 1997/98. He came in to bat when Sri Lanka were 69/3, chasing a target of 238. He formed a crucial partnership with Roshan Mahanama (94*) to add 171 runs for the fourth wicket and take Sri Lanka to the brink of victory. Ranatunga finished the match off with a flourish, hitting a four and a six in the last over to seal the victory for his team.
Arjun Ranatunga’s 4/14 VS India
Arjuna Ranatunga was the player of the match in the 1st ODI between India and Sri Lanka on December 24, 1986. He scored 31 runs and took 4 wickets for 14 runs.His bowling performance was particularly impressive, as he dismissed four of India’s top six batsmen. He also played a useful role with the bat, scoring 31 runs in the middle order.Ranatunga’s performance helped Sri Lanka to win the match by a comfortable margin of 117 runs. It was a memorable performance from the young all-rounder, and it helped to set the tone for the rest of the series.
Arjun Ranatunga’s 102 VS Pakistan
He scored an unbeaten 102 off 112 balls, with nine fours, and carried his team to a respectable total of 233/5. He came to the crease when Sri Lanka were struggling at 48/3 and shared a crucial 137-run partnership with Asanka Gurusinha for the fourth wicket. He played with aggression and confidence, hitting some elegant shots all around the ground. He was also the most economical bowler for Sri Lanka, conceding only 14 runs in his two overs. However, his efforts were not enough to prevent Pakistan from winning the match by nine wickets, thanks to a century from debutant Saleem Elahi.
