Former Sri Lankan cricketer Jayananda Warnaweera passed away on October 16, 2025, at the age of 64. Warnaweera was a right-arm off-spinner who represented Sri Lanka in 10 Test matches and six One-Day Internationals
between 1986 and 1994.
He made his Test debut against Pakistan in 1986 and played key roles in several series, including performances against India, New Zealand, and England. Known for his accuracy and ability to extract turn on subcontinental pitches, Warnaweera was a respected figure both on and off the field.
In domestic cricket, he had a remarkable 1990 season, leading the wicket-taking charts with 71 wickets at an impressive average. His best match bowling figures included 13 wickets for 147 runs, and he was instrumental in several Sri Lankan victories in the early 1990s.
In a 1990 Test against India, Warnaweera bowled a mammoth 46 overs in Chandigarh. He picked the wickets of Ravi Shastri and Kapil Dev in that match and got 3 wickets in total. Incidentally, Sachin Tendulkar was part of the Indian team in that Test match. In his ODI debut against India, Warnaweera managed two wickets and Kapil Dev was his victim in that encounter as well, and Sachin played that match as well.
After retiring from playing, Warnaweera served as the chief curator of the Galle International Cricket Stadium, one of Sri Lanka's iconic cricket venues. His tenure, however, was marked by a suspension by the ICC for failing to cooperate with an Anti-Corruption Unit investigation. He completed his suspension and expressed a desire to return to cricket administration to contribute to the game's betterment.
