Chaminda Vaas by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:

WPUJC Vaas

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DateLine: 28th April 2009

 

Chaminda Vaas is easily the most penetrative and successful new-ball bowler Sri Lanka have had, and he has served his country well.

 

In 2001-02 he made a quantum leap, taking 26 wickets in the 3-0 rout of West Indies, becoming only the second fast bowler, after Imran Khan, to take 14 wickets in a match in the subcontinent. He then went on to take the first-ever ODI eight-for, against Zimbabwe, which included a hat-trick. He also claimed a hat-trick with the first three balls of the match against Bangladesh in the 2003 World Cup. Vaas reached the 300-wicket milestone in Tests against India in 2005-06, having passed the mark in ODIs on the tour to Zimbabwe. In 2004 he also gained overdue recognition for his talent when he was selected for the World XI at the inaugural ICC Awards.

 

Vaas is easily Sri Lanka's second-most successful bowler - after Muttiah Muralitharan - in both forms of the game. His approach to his batting is equally sincere and in recent years he has gradually gained recognition as a useful all-rounder. He waited 97 Tests for his maiden century, against Bangladesh, and soon after, became the third Sri Lankan to play 100 Tests or more.