Isuru Udana

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Isuru Udana

| image =

| country = Sri Lanka

| fullname = Kande Arachchige Isuru Udana Tillakaratna

| nickname =Izy

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1988|2|17|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Balangoda, Sri Lanka

| heightft =

| heightinch =

| heightm = 1.82

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Left-arm medium

| role = All-rounder

| international = true

| internationalspan = 2009–2021

| testdebutdate =

| testdebutyear =

| testdebutagainst =

| testcap =

| lasttestdate =

| lasttestyear =

| lasttestagainst =

| odidebutdate = 24 July

| odidebutyear = 2012

| odidebutagainst = India

| odicap = 152

| lastodidate = 18 July

| lastodiyear = 2021

| lastodiagainst = India

| T20Idebutdate = 8 June

| T20Idebutyear = 2009

| T20Idebutagainst = Australia

| T20Icap = 29

| lastT20Idate = 28 July

| lastT20Iyear = 2021

| lastT20Iagainst = India

| club1 = Tamil Union

| year1 = 2008

| clubnumber1 =

| club2 = Wayamba

| year2 = 2009

| clubnumber2 =

| club3 = Duronto Rajshahi

| year3 = 2013

| club4 = Paktia Super Kings

| year4 = 2018

| club5 = Rajshahi Kings

| year5 = 2019

| club6 = Royal Challengers Bangalore

| year6 = 2020

| club7 = Colombo Kings

| year7 = 2020

| club8 = Galle Gladiators

| year8 = 2021

| club9 = Minister Dhaka

| year9 = 2022

| columns = 4

| column1 = ODI

| matches1 = 21

| runs1 = 237

| bat avg1 = 16.92

| 100s/50s1 = 0/1

| top score1 = 78

| deliveries1 = 909

| wickets1 = 18

| bowl avg1 = 52.77

| fivefor1 = 0

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 3/82

| catches/stumpings1 = 6/–

| column2 = T20I

| matches2 = 35

| runs2 = 256

| bat avg2 = 18.28

| 100s/50s2 = 0/1

| top score2 = 84*

| deliveries2 = 631

| wickets2 = 27

| bowl avg2 = 33.88

| fivefor2 = 0

| tenfor2 = 0

| best bowling2 = 3/11

| catches/stumpings2 = 4/–

| column3 = FC

| matches3 = 97

| runs3 = 2,687

| bat avg3 = 24.65

| 100s/50s3 = 2/13

| top score3 = 109*

| deliveries3 = 10,408

| wickets3 = 202

| bowl avg3 = 30.80

| fivefor3 = 3

| tenfor3 = 0

| best bowling3 = 7/58

| catches/stumpings3 = 61/–

| column4 = LA

| matches4 = 144

| runs4 = 1,707

| bat avg4 = 20.81

| 100s/50s4 = 0/5

| top score4 = 78

| deliveries4 = 5,592

| wickets4 = 173

| bowl avg4 = 28.57

| fivefor4 = 1

| tenfor4 = 0

| best bowling4 = 5/59

| catches/stumpings4 = 63/1

| date = 12 March 2023

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/srilanka/content/player/328026.html ESPNcricinfo

| module = {{Infobox medal templates | titlestyle = background-color: lightsteelblue; | expand=yes

| medals = {{MedalCountry| {{SRI}}}}

}}

|club10=Kandy Falcons|year10=2022}}

Kande Arachchige Isuru Udana Tillakaratna ({{langx|si|ඉසුරු උදාන}};{{cite tweet|number=1417414644700893187|user=OfficialSLC|title=ඉසුරු උදාන වෙනුවට කසුන් රජිත – ශ්‍රී...|date=20 July 2021}} born 17 February 1988) is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who represented Sri Lanka internationally in limited over formats. He currently plays domestic cricket for Tamil Union and Wayamba. Primarily a left arm fast bowler, Udana evolved as an all-rounder in late 2018. On 31 July 2021, Udana announced his retirement from international cricket.{{cite news |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2202631 |title=Sri Lanka paceman Isuru Udana announces international retirement|work=International Cricket Council |access-date=31 July 2021}}

Domestic and franchise career

Udana made his first-class and List A cricket debuts whilst playing for the Sri Lanka A team during their tour to South Africa in August and September 2008. He subsequently went on to play for Tamil Union in both forms during the 2008–09 season. He was then selected by Wayamba to play in both the first-class and Twenty20 portions of the Sri Lankan Inter-Provincial Cricket Tournament. In the Twenty20 final against Basnahira South he was named Man of the Match after taking 4–31, including 4 of the top 5 batsman.[http://www.cricinfo.com/srilankadomestic/engine/match/385776.html Basnahira South v Wayamba], ESPNcricinfo He was also named player of the tournament.[http://www.cricinfo.com/srilanka/content/story/398459.html Udana stars in Wayamba's title win], ESPNcricinfo

In the Sri Lanka Premier League which was held in August 2012, he managed to showcase his all-round talent by taking regular wickets for his team Wayamba United, and chipping in with the bat at times. His key performance came against Uva Next in the tournament semi final when he scored 42 which almost helped Wayamba to pull off an impossible chase from 27/7 to 151–8.{{Cite news|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/sri-lanka-premier-league-2012/content/story/579802.html|title=Oram stars as Uva upset Wayamba|work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=4 May 2017|language=en}} In that same semi final clash he along with Azhar Mahmood set the highest ever 8th wicket partnership in any forms of T20s. (120){{Cite news|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/571374.html|title=1st Semi Final: Wayamba United v Uva Next at Colombo (RPS), Aug 28, 2012. Cricket Scorecard |work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=4 May 2017}}{{Cite news|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/305252.html|title=Records. Twenty20 matches. Partnership records. Highest partnerships by wicket |work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=4 May 2017}}

On 22 September 2010, while playing for Wayamba in the 2010 Champions League T20, Udana completed a rare feat by taking a hat-trick of two (legal) deliveries. Mathew Sinclair, the second wicket of the hat-trick was out stumped off a wide-ball.[http://www.espncricinfo.com/t20champions2010/engine/match/465137.html Champions League 19th Match, 2010], ESPNcricinfo{{Cite news|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/t20champions2010/content/story/478294.html|title=Wayamba thrash Central Districts for consolation win|work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=12 April 2017|language=en}} Isuru Udana also became the first bowler to take a hattrick in Champions League T20 history.

In April 2018, he was named in Kandy's squad for the 2018 Super Provincial One Day Tournament.{{cite news |url=http://www.thepapare.com/slc-super-provincial-50-tournament-squads-fixtures/ |title=SLC Super Provincial 50 over tournament squads and fixtures |work=The Papare |access-date=27 April 2018}} He was the leading wicket-taker for Kandy in the tournament, with ten dismissals in six matches.{{cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=12332;team=6181;type=tournament |title=2018 Super Provincial One Day Tournament: Kandy Batting and Bowling Averages |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=22 May 2018}}

On 3 June 2018, he was selected to play for the Montreal Tigers in the players' draft for the inaugural edition of the Global T20 Canada tournament.{{cite web|url=https://www.crictracker.com/global-t20-canada-league-full-squads-announced/ |title=Global T20 Canada League – Full Squads announced |work=CricTracker |access-date=4 June 2018}}

In August 2018, he was named in Dambulla's squad the 2018 SLC T20 League.{{cite news |url=http://www.thepapare.com/slc-t20-league-2018-squads-finalized/ |title=SLC T20 League 2018 squads finalized |work=The Papare |access-date=16 August 2018}} In October 2018, he was the leading wicket-taker in the 2018–19 Afghanistan Premier League, with seventeen dismissals in eight matches.{{cite web |url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/bowling/most_wickets_career.html?id=12657;type=tournament |title=Afghanistan Premier League, 2018/19 - Most Wickets |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=21 October 2018 |archive-date=8 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008114354/http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/bowling/most_wickets_career.html?id=12657;type=tournament |url-status=dead }} The following month, he was named in the squad for the Rajshahi Kings team, following the draft for the 2018–19 Bangladesh Premier League.{{cite web|url=http://www.tigercricket.com.bd/2018/10/29/full-players-list-of-the-teams-following-players-draft-of-bpl-t20-2018-19/ |title=Full players list of the teams following Players Draft of BPL T20 2018-19 |work=Bangladesh Cricket Board |access-date=29 October 2018}}

In March 2019, he was named in Dambulla's squad for the 2019 Super Provincial One Day Tournament.{{cite web|url=http://www.thepapare.com/squads-fixtures-announced-for-slc-provincial-50-overs-tournament-2019/ |title=Squads, Fixtures announced for SLC Provincial 50 Overs Tournament |work=The Papare |access-date=19 March 2019}} In June 2019, he was selected to play for the Montreal Tigers franchise team in the 2019 Global T20 Canada tournament.{{cite web|url=http://www.canadacricket.com/?p=12755 |title=Global T20 draft streamed live |work=Canada Cricket Online |access-date=20 June 2019}} In September 2019, he was named in the squad for the Paarl Rocks team for the 2019 Mzansi Super League tournament.{{cite web |url=https://cricket.co.za/news/31555/MSL-20-announces-its-T20-squads |title=MSL 2.0 announces its T20 squads |work=Cricket South Africa |access-date=4 September 2019 |archive-date=4 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904081427/https://cricket.co.za/news/31555/MSL-20-announces-its-T20-squads |url-status=dead }}

In the 2020 IPL auction, he was bought by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for {{INRConvert|50|l|-3}} ahead of the 2020 Indian Premier League.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/28338426/ipl-auction-analysis-do-eight-teams-their-best-xis-place? |title=IPL auction analysis: Do the eight teams have their best XIs in place? |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=20 December 2019}} In October 2020, he was drafted by the Colombo Kings for the inaugural edition of the Lanka Premier League.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/30148161/lanka-premier-league-2020-chris-gayle-andre-russell-shahid-afridi-big-names-taken-lpl-draft |title=Chris Gayle, Andre Russell and Shahid Afridi among big names taken at LPL draft |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=22 October 2020}}

Ahead of the 2021 Indian Premier League, he was released by Royal Challengers Bangalore.{{Cite web|title=IPL 2021 Player retentions list|url=https://www.iplt20.com/news/228284/ipl-2021-player-retentions-released-list/|access-date=21 January 2021|website=www.iplt20.com|language=en}} He was picked by Trinbago Knight Riders ahead of the 2021 Caribbean Premier League.{{Cite web|title=Tridents pick Morris in CPL 2021 draft, Hasaranga goes to Patriots|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/cpl-2021-draft-barbados-tridents-pick-chris-morris-st-kitts-nevis-patriots-bag-wanindu-hasaranga-1264399|access-date=2021-08-28|work=ESPNcricinfo|language=en}} He took his first wicket haul in T20 cricket during a league match against Barbados Royals in 2021 CPL season and also registered his career best T20 bowling figures of 5/21.{{Cite web|title=Kieron Pollard cuts loose to seal chase after Isuru Udana's five-wicket haul|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/caribbean-premier-league-2021-1264073/barbados-royals-vs-trinbago-knight-riders-4th-match-1269703/match-report|access-date=2021-08-28|work=ESPNcricinfo|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2021-08-28|title=Twitter Reactions: Isuru Udana, Kieron Pollard hand TKR maiden win of CPL 2021|url=https://www.crictracker.com/twitter-reactions-isuru-udana-kieron-pollard-hand-tkr-maiden-win-of-cpl-2021/|access-date=2021-08-28|website=CricTracker|language=en}}

In November 2021, he was selected to play for the Galle Gladiators following the players' draft for the 2021 Lanka Premier League.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/kusal-perera-angelo-mathews-miss-out-on-lpl-drafts-1288554 |title=Kusal Perera, Angelo Mathews miss out on LPL drafts |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=10 November 2021}} In July 2022, he was signed by the Kandy Falcons for the third edition of the Lanka Premier League.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/lpl-2022-draft-kandy-falcons-sign-wanindu-hasaranga-bhanuka-rajapaksa-to-turn-out-for-dambulla-giants-1323338 |title=LPL 2022 draft: Kandy Falcons sign Hasaranga; Rajapaksa to turn out for Dambulla Giants |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=6 July 2022}}

International career

Udana was selected in the Sri Lanka squad for the 2009 ICC World Twenty20.[http://www.cricinfo.com/srilanka/content/story/402855.html Isuru Udana in Sri Lanka's World Twenty20 squad], ESPNcricinfo He made his Twenty20 international debut on 8 June 2009 against Australia during the T20 World Cup tournament.{{Cite web|title=Full Scorecard of Australia vs Sri Lanka 8th Match, Group C 2009 - Score Report |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-world-twenty20-2009-335113/australia-vs-sri-lanka-8th-match-group-c-355998/full-scorecard|access-date=2021-08-28|work=ESPNcricinfo|language=en}} He played in 5 of Sri Lanka's 7 games in the tournament, including their loss in the final to Pakistan.[http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/356017.html Pakistan v Sri Lanka], ESPNcricinfo

Udana failed to continue his domestic success at the international level, and subsequently was dropped from the side after the home series against Pakistan in 2009. He made a comeback into the Sri Lankan squad in 2012 when the selection panel headed by Ashantha de Mel named him for the T20s against Pakistan at home. He was then selected for the ODIs against India which followed the Pakistan series and made his ODI debut on 24 July 2012 against India.{{Cite web|title=Full Scorecard of India vs Sri Lanka 2nd ODI 2012 - Score Report |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/india-tour-of-sri-lanka-2012-564778/sri-lanka-vs-india-2nd-odi-564782/full-scorecard|access-date=2021-08-28|work=ESPNcricinfo|language=en}} However, he again failed to deliver in a bilateral series. His only significant contribution in that series was a direct hit to run out Gautam Gambhir at a key moment in one of the games.

After a long scarce in international arena, Udana got a chance to play in Twenty20 International series against New Zealand in 2016. The comeback was very good at first few balls in the second T20I, where easy catch of Martin Guptill was dropped by Thisara Perera on Udana's bowling. Since then, Udana was brutally hit by New Zealanders and Udana gave 34 runs in his 3 overs, where New Zealand won the match by 9 wickets only in the 10th over.

In May 2018, he was one of 33 cricketers to be awarded a national contract by Sri Lanka Cricket ahead of the 2018–19 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/692671 |title=Sri Lanka assign 33 national contracts with pay hike |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=22 May 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/23570424/sri-lankan-players-receive-pay-hike |title=Sri Lankan players to receive pay hike |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=22 May 2018}}

In March 2019, during the fourth ODI against South Africa, Udana and Kasun Rajitha made the highest partnership for the tenth wicket for Sri Lanka in an ODI match, with 58 runs.{{cite web|url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/cricket/2019-03-13-tailender-isuru-udana-clubs--half-century-to-help-sri-lanka-reach-189-all-out-at-st-georges/ |title=Tailender Isuru Udana clubs half-century to help Sri Lanka reach 189 all out at St George's |work=Times Live |access-date=13 March 2019}}

On 22 March, during a T20I match against South Africa national cricket team, he broke the world record for highest individual score (84) batting at number eight in a T20I match.{{cite news|url=https://m.crictracker.com/south-africa-vs-sri-lanka-2019-2nd-t20i-statistical-highlights/|title=South Africa vs Sri Lanka, 2019: 2nd T20I – Statistical Highlights|work=CricTracker|access-date=31 July 2021|archive-date=27 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327085955/https://m.crictracker.com/south-africa-vs-sri-lanka-2019-2nd-t20i-statistical-highlights/|url-status=dead}}

In April 2019, he was named in Sri Lanka's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/26550814/lahiru-thirimanne-milinda-siriwardana-jeffrey-vandersay-picked-sri-lanka-world-cup-squad |title=Thirimanne, Siriwardana, Vandersay picked in World Cup squad |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=18 April 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1187360 |title=Jeevan Mendis, Siriwardana, Vandersay make comebacks in Sri Lanka World Cup squad |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=18 April 2019}} During the second T20I against India on 7 January 2020, Udana injured his back, causing him to be ruled out from the series{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/28445106/isuru-udana-ruled-third-t20i-india |title=Isuru Udana ruled out of third T20I against India |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=11 January 2020}}

On 31 July 2021, Udana announced retirement from International cricket.{{Cite news|title=Isuru Udana announces retirement from International cricket|work=SportsTiger|url=https://www.sportstiger.com/isuru-udana-announces-retirement-from-international-cricket/ | date=31 July 2021| access-date=31 July 2021}}{{Cite news|title=श्रीलंकाई ऑलराउंडर Isuru Udana ने इंटरनेशनल क्रिकेट से लिया संन्यास, भारत के खिलाफ थे सीरीज का हिस्सा |work=Cricketnmore|url=https://hindi.cricketnmore.com/cricket-news/sri-lanka-allrounder-isuru-udana-retired-from-international-cricket-80656|date=31 July 2021}}