Lahiru Milantha
{{Short description|Sri Lankan cricketer (born 1994)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Lahiru Milantha
| image =
| country = United States of America
| fullname = Bamunugama Koralalage Eshan Lahiru Milantha
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|5|28|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Kalutara, Sri Lanka
| batting = Left-handed
| role = Wicket-keeper Batter
| club1 = Ragama CC
| year1 = 2013/14 – 2017/18
|club2 = Galle Guardians
| year2 = 2015/16
| club3 = Prime Doleshwar SC
|year3 = 2016
|club4 = Tamil Union
|year4 = 2018/19
|club5 = Badureliya SC
|year5 = 2019/20
|club6 = Negombo CC
|year6 = 2020/21
|club7 = Morrisville Raptors
|year7 = 2021–2022
|club8 = Silicon Valley Strikers
|year8 = 2023
|club9 = Texas Super Kings
|year9 = 2023
|club10 = Washington Freedom
|year10 = 2024
|club11 = Janakpur Bolts
|year11 = 2024–present
|date = 27 July 2024
|source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/699483.html Cricinfo
|country2=Sri Lanka|column1=FC|matches1=66|runs1=4537|bat avg1=44.92|100s/50s1=12/21|top score1=252|deliveries1=806|wickets1=15|bowl avg1=28.93|best bowling1=4/33|catches/stumpings1=65/16|columns=3|fivefor1=0|tenfor1=0|column2=LA|column3=T20|matches2=44|matches3=46|runs3=1082|runs2=1394|bat avg2=34.00|bat avg3=25.76|100s/50s2=1/12|100s/50s3=0/4|top score2=112|top score3=78|deliveries2=204|deliveries3=–|wickets2=4|wickets3=–|bowl avg2=46.50|bowl avg3=–|fivefor2=0|fivefor3=–|tenfor2=0|tenfor3=–|best bowling2=2/43|best bowling3=–|catches/stumpings2=16/7|catches/stumpings3=18/5}}
Lahiru Milantha (born 28 May 1994) is a Sri Lankan-born American wicket-keeper batsman{{Cite web |title=Lahiru Milantha Profile – Cricket Player U.S.A. {{!}} Stats, Records, Video |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/lahiru-milantha-699483 |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}}who plays for Silicon Valley Strikers in the Pacific Conference{{Cite web |title=Minor League Cricket 2024: MLC Match Schedules, Scores, News & More |url=https://www.minorleaguecricket.com/teams |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=www.minorleaguecricket.com}}{{Cite web |title=Minor League Cricket 2023: MLC Match Schedules, Scores, News & More |url=https://www.minorleaguecricket.com/player?player_id=2225986&sid=15 |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=www.minorleaguecricket.com}}of Minor League Cricket .{{Cite web |title=Minor League Cricket 2024: MLC Match Schedules, Scores, News & More |url=https://www.minorleaguecricket.com/team?team_id=144&sid=15 |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=www.minorleaguecricket.com}}{{Cite web |title=Lahiru Milantha – Minor League Cricket |url=https://cricclubs.com/MiLC/viewPlayer.do?playerId=2225986&clubId=18036#parentHorizontalTab1 |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=cricclubs.com |language=en-US}}
Early life
He was born on 28 May 1994 in Kalutara, Sri Lanka.{{Cite web |title=Lahiru Milantha Profile – Cricket Player U.S.A. {{!}} Stats, Records, Video |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/lahiru-milantha-699483 |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}} He schooled in St. Peter's College, Colombo.{{Cite web |title=Lahiru Milantha Profile – Cricket Player U.S.A. {{!}} Stats, Records, Video |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/lahiru-milantha-699483 |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}} He started his career as an All-rounder who bowled Leg-Spin, but when he made it to college's First XI he played as a wicket-keeper batsman.{{Cite web |last=Vasudevan |first=Estelle |date=16 February 2016 |title=Lahiru Milantha: Ready to beat the best, to be the best |url=https://www.thepapare.com/lahiru-milantha-ready-to-beat-the-best-to-be-the-best/ |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=ThePapare |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=ThePapare Stats – |url=https://stats.thepapare.com/cricket/match/st-peters-college-colombo-v-lumbini-co |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=stats.thepapare.com}}
Sri Lankan career
Milantha made his List A debut for Ragama CC on 12 December 2013, against Colts CC{{Cite web |date=14 February 2014 |title=RAG vs CHLM Live score – Premier League Tournament 2014 February 14 – 16, 2014 Group A in Colombo |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/premier-league-tournament-2013-14-690379/ragama-cricket-club-vs-chilaw-marians-cricket-club-group-a-690433/live-cricket-score |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}} during the Premier Limited Overs Tournament, 2013. Soon, he made his first-class debut on 14 February 2014, against Chilaw Marians CC,{{Cite web |title=COLT vs RAG Cricket Scorecard, Group A at Colombo, December 12, 2013 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/premier-limited-over-tournament-2013-14-687801/colts-cricket-club-vs-ragama-cricket-club-group-a-687863/full-scorecard |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}} in Premier League Tournament 2013/14. On 1 April 2015, he made his T20 Debut, against Colombo CC,{{Cite web |title=RAG vs CCC Cricket Scorecard, Group A at Panagoda, April 01, 2015 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/slc-twenty-20-tournament-2014-15-854813/ragama-cricket-club-vs-colombo-cricket-club-group-a-854821/full-scorecard |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}} during the SLC Twenty-20 Tournament 2014/15.{{Cite web |title=Lahiru Milantha Debut and last played matches in Tests, ODIs, T20Is and other formats |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/lahiru-milantha-699483/matches |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}}
In March 2018 he was the leading run-scorer in the 2017–18 Premier Limited Overs Tournament, with 448 runs from six matches.{{Cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/batting/most_runs_career.html?id=12275;type=tournament |title=Premier Limited Over Tournament, 2017/18: Most Runs |accessdate=25 March 2018 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}}
In March 2018 he was named in Galle's squad for the 2017–18 Super Four Provincial Tournament.{{cite news |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/article/1041112/cricket-mixed-opinions-on-provincial-tournament |title=Cricket: Mixed opinions on Provincial tournament |publisher=Sunday Times (Sri Lanka) |date=26 March 2018 |accessdate=27 March 2018 |archive-date=27 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327035550/http://www.sundaytimes.lk/article/1041112/cricket-mixed-opinions-on-provincial-tournament |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |url=https://dailysports.lk/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-sl-super-provincial-tournament/ |title=All you need to know about the SL Super Provincial Tournament |publisher=Daily Sports |date=26 March 2018 |accessdate=27 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327213128/https://dailysports.lk/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-sl-super-provincial-tournament/ |archive-date=27 March 2018 |url-status=dead }} The following month, he was also named in Galle'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 |accessdate=27 April 2018}}
In August 2018 he was named in Galle'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 |accessdate=16 August 2018}} In February 2019, Sri Lanka Cricket named him as the Best Batsman in the 2017–18 Premier Limited Overs Tournament.{{cite web|url=http://www.thepapare.com/best-performers-in-last-domestic-season-rewarded/ |title=New contracts for domestic players; 2017/18 best performers rewarded |work=The Papare |date=20 February 2019 |accessdate=21 February 2019}} In February 2020, he scored a double century in the 2019–20 Premier League Tournament, making 252 runs for Badureliya Sports Club.{{cite web|url=http://www.thepapare.com/premier-league-tournament-tier-a-and-tier-b-5th-february-2020-roundup/ |title=Lahiru Milantha smacks a double ton vs Lankans CC |work=The Papare |date=5 February 2020 |access-date=5 February 2020}}
American career
Milintha was one of those several Sri Lankans who migrated USA during early 2020s.{{Cite web |title=Lahiru Milantha leaves for the USA – Sports {{!}} Daily Mirror |url=https://www.dailymirror.lk/sports/Lahiru-Milantha-leaves-for-the-USA/244-218978 |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=www.dailymirror.lk |language=English}}{{Cite web |last=WZRD |date=25 August 2021 |title=Lahiru Milantha migrates to America |url=https://www.islandcricket.lk/news/lahiru-milantha-leaves-for-the-usa/ |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=Island Cricket |language=en-GB}}
He made his MiLC debut with Morisville Raptors on 28 August 2021,{{Cite web |title=Lahiru Milantha – Minor League Cricket |url=https://cricclubs.com/MiLC/viewPlayer.do?playerId=2225986&clubId=18036#parentHorizontalTab1 |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=cricclubs.com |language=en-US}} against Orlando Galaxy.{{Cite web |title=League: Orlando Galaxy vs Morrisville – Minor League Cricket |url=https://cricclubs.com/MiLC/viewScorecard.do?matchId=114&clubId=18036 |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=cricclubs.com |language=en-US}} In 2023 Milantha moved to Silicon Valley Strikers and he was their top scorer with 267 runs, in MiLC Pacific Division 2023.
In March 2023 Milantha was drafted in Round 3 for the Texas Super Kings as the wicket-keeper for the inaugural season of Major League Cricket.{{Cite web |title=MLC Draft |url=https://www.majorleaguecricket.com/news/7 |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Major League Cricket}}
In the 2024 MLC he was signed in the 10th round of domestic draft by Washington Freedom.{{cite web | url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/major-league-cricket-2024-1432722/washington-freedom-squad-1441618/series-squads | title=Washington Freedom Squad - Major League Cricket, 2024 Squad }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{cricinfo|id=699483}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Milantha, Lahiru}}
Category:Sri Lankan cricketers
Category:Badureliya Sports Club cricketers
Category:Galle Guardians cricketers
Category:Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club cricketers
Category:Ragama Cricket Club cricketers
Category:Cricketers from Kalutara
Category:21st-century Sri Lankan sportsmen
{{SriLanka-cricket-bio-1990s-stub}}