Chandrasekara Arachchilage

Chandrasekara Arachchilage Kasun Rajitha (born 1 June 1993) is a professional Sri Lankan cricketer, who plays all formats of the game in international level for Sri Lanka. He is an old boy of St. Servatius’ College, Matara.
Virtually unheard of before 2015, the first inkling of right-arm seamer Kasun Rajitha’s potential came during a three-dayer against the touring Indians in August of that year. He took 5 for 68 on a spicy Khettarama deck in that match, dismissing Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in a single spell, before claiming Kohli’s wicket in the second innings as well.

Achieving appreciable seam movement at a sharp pace, and from a high release point, Rajitha proved to be a penetrative T20 bowler in the following domestic season. He was the second-highest wicket-taker in the Super T20 Provincial Tournament, with 10 scalps in six matches. That performance earned him an international T20 debut, where he claimed two wickets in his first over, against India in Pune.
National side
Sri Lanka (2016–present)
Test debut (cap 146)
14 June 2018 v West Indies
Last Test
17 March 2023 v New Zealand
ODI debut (cap 188)
1 August 2018 v South Africa
Last ODI
12 September 2023 v India
ODI shirt no.
65
T20I debut (cap 62)
9 February 2016 v India
Last T20I
8 April 2023 v New Zealand
T20I shirt no.
65 (formerly 55)
He played in the tour match between Sri Lanka Board President’s XI vs Indian national cricket team in August 2015.In March 2018, he was named in Kandy’s squad for the 2017–18 Super Four Provincial Tournament. He was the leading wicket-taker for Kandy during the tournament, with ten dismissals in two matches.The following month, he was also named in Kandy’s squad for the 2018 Super Provincial One Day Tournament.In August 2018, he was named in Galle’s squad the 2018 SLC T20 League.[7] He was the leading wicket-taker in the tournament, finishing with thirteen dismissals in six matches. In March 2019, he was named in Kandy’s squad for the 2019 Super Provincial One Day Tournament. In October 2020, he was drafted by the Dambulla Viiking for the inaugural edition of the Lanka Premier League.He made his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut for Sri Lanka against India on 9 February 2016.[11] He took the wickets of two Indian top order batsmen in his very first over. At the end, with the help of other seamers, India were all out for 101 and Sri Lanka won the match comfortably to lead the 3 match series 1–0. For his bowling performance of 3 for 29 runs, Rajitha won man of the match as well. With this victory, Sri Lanka regained the number one spot in the T20I rankings.1In May 2018, he was named in Sri Lanka’s Test squad for their series against the West Indies.He made his Test debut for Sri Lanka against the West Indies on 14 June 2018. He took his first Test wicket by dismissing Kraigg Brathwaite.In March 2019, during the fourth ODI against South Africa, Rajitha and Isuru Udana made the highest partnership for the tenth wicket for Sri Lanka in an ODI match, with 58 runs. However, Rajitha did not score any runs in the partnership, finishing the innings not out without scoring.In June 2019, he was added to Sri Lanka’s squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup, for the team’s last two matches of the tournament. He replaced Nuwan Pradeep, who had contracted chickenpox.On 27 October 2019, in the first T20I match against Australia, Rajitha conceded 75 runs from his four overs, and were the most expensive bowling figures in a T20I match.In July 2018, he was named in Sri Lanka’s One Day International (ODI) squad for their series against South Africa. He made his ODI debut for Sri Lanka against South Africa on 1 August 2018. He took his first ODI wicket by dismissing Quinton de Kock.
Chandrasekara Arachchilage Kasun Rajitha, a right-hand medium-fast bowler from Sinhala, plays all forms of international cricket for Sri Lankan national team. A fiery quickie from an Island where fast bowlers were never in abundance, he was an immensely talented pacer who could get seam movement at a sharp pace, and from a high release point.

He made his List A Debut on Dec 5, 2014, playing for Badureliya Sports Club against Sri Lanka Army Sports Club at Maggona. Later in August 2015, he represented the Sri Lankan Board President’s XI against Indian National Cricket Team. The Matara-born rose to fame after picking a fifer against the touring Indians which included the ever-reliable top-order of Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, and Virat Kohli.Following his success in the domestic T20 league taking 10 wickets in 6 matches for Kandy in the Super T20 Provincial Tournament, he made his Twenty20 International debut against India on 9 February 2016, taking two top-order wickets and dismissing India on 101. His bowling figures of 3/29 won him the man of the match in his first T20I game.

With his tall stature and high-arm bowling action, he was able to clock 140 kmph quite often but the lack of accuracy proved to be a nightmare for the young fast bowler who was being dropped more often than not.

Despite the shortcomings in his skillset, he bounced back even stronger in the Super Four Provincial Tournament in 2017-18. He was the leading wicket-taker with ten dismissals in two matches. After a breathtaking domestic season, he made a comeback to Sri Lanka’s Test squad against the West Indies. The seamer made his debut against Maroon Caps itself on 14 June 2018.

The same year, he was named in Sri Lanka’s ODI squad against South Africa. Eventually, he made his ODI debut against South Africa on 1 August 2019, and picked the prized scalp of Quinton De Cock as his maiden wicket

In June 2019, he was added to Sri Lanka’s squad for the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup for the last two matches, replacing Nuwan Pradeep who contracted Chicken Pox.

The pacer is also remembered for his most expensive spell in a T20I game against Australia conceding 75 runs in his 4 overs.However, with his speed, agility, and skillset, he offers Sri Lanka a utility that is intimidating.