21 Facts About Bhanuka Rajapaksa

Bhanuka Rajapaksa is a left-handed batsman who bowls right-arm medium.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa began his cricket career as a student of Royal College Colombo.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa was a key player in the Royal College team as both a batsman as well as a dependable medium pace bowler.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa was selected for the 2010 Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand as a batsman.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa finished as the leading run-scorer for Sri Lanka in the tournament with 253 runs.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa had an excellent tour of Australia with the U19 team in 2009, smashing 154 off 111 balls in the second U19 ODI, and ending the series as the leading run-scorer.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa was the first Sri Lankan U19 cricketer to score 150 in a U19 ODI innings.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa was the first Sri Lankan U19 player to amass 1000 Youth ODI runs.

In 2011, Bhanuka Rajapaksa became only the fourth individual to be adjudged as the 'Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year' twice in the country's premier school sector awarding ceremony, the Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa was adjudged the Young Emerging Player of the Under 19 Category at the CEAT Sri Lanka Cricket Awards 2011.

In domestic cricket, Bhanuka Rajapaksa initially represented the Sinhalese Sports Club in Sri Lankan domestic cricket and has played for Barisal Blazers in Bangladesh's NCL T20 Bangladesh.

In February 2023, Bhanuka Rajapaksa made his Pakistan Super League debut with Peshawar Zalmi.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa made his T20I debut for Sri Lanka against Pakistan on 5 October 2019, scoring 32 runs off 22 balls in a 64 run victory.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa was adjudged the player of the match for his batting performance.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa made his One Day International debut on 18 July 2021, for Sri Lanka against India.

In September 2021, Bhanuka Rajapaksa was named in Sri Lanka's squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

On 5 January 2022, Bhanuka Rajapaksa announced his international retirement at the age of 30 in a letter written to the SLC which cited:.

However, Bhanuka Rajapaksa made two match-winning partnerships with Wanindu Hasaranga and Chamika Karunaratne, where Sri Lanka posted 170 runs.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa was adjudged player of the match for his performance.

However, Sri Lanka cricket head coach Mickey Arthur criticized Bhanuka Rajapaksa calling him a "comfort zone cricketer" on the field and revealed that he has failed to comply with the skin fold tests in order to fulfill the required fitness levels to play in international cricket matches.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa is married to his longtime partner Sandrine Perera, where the wedding was celebrated on 5 April 2021.