Chamindu Wickramasinghe

International career

Chamindu Wickramasinghe was born on 6th September 2002 and is a professional cricketer from Sri Lanka. He plays for the national team in Twenty20 Internationals and for Sinhalese Sports Club and Dambulla Sixers in domestic cricket. As an all-rounder, Wickramasinghe contributes both with the bat and the ball.

Cricket became his career choice thanks to his grandfather. In a 2021 interview with Daily News, he explained that his grandfather, a former football player, encouraged him to take up the sport. Chamindu views his grandfather as a major influence on his decision to play cricket, along with support from his parents and cousins. He said, "I always loved to play cricket since I was small. My grandfather was the main reason I entered sports. He was a great football player during his days".

Chamindu hopes to become a key fast-bowling all-rounder for Sri Lanka. He believes the team needs a player in this role, and he aims to fill that gap. Since Angelo Mathews, Sri Lanka has lacked a fast-bowling all-rounder who made a lasting impact. He mentioned, "Sri Lanka requires a fast-bowling all-rounder. I am working hard to reach that position and win as many matches as possible for the country".

• ODI:
  • Debut: Sri Lanka vs New Zealand at Pallekele - November 19, 2024
  • Last Match: New Zealand vs Sri Lanka at Auckland - January 11, 2025
• T20I:
  • Debut: Sri Lanka vs India at Pallekele - July 30, 2024
  • Last Match: New Zealand vs Sri Lanka at Nelson - January 02, 2025
• 2020:
  • Chamindu was named in Sri Lanka's squad for the U19 World Cup, but he could not play because of an injury.
• 2022:
  • He played in the U19 World Cup and scored 75 runs in six innings.
• 2024:
  • ODI Debut: Chamindu debuted in ODIs against New Zealand on November 19, 2024, at Pallekele. He became the 215th player to represent Sri Lanka in ODIs.
  • T20I Debut: He made his T20I debut against India at Pallekele on July 30, 2024, taking his first wicket in his very first over by dismissing Sanju Samson.
• 2025:
  • Exclusion from Sri Lanka Squad: In February 2025, Chamindu was not included in Sri Lanka's squad for the two-match ODI series against Australia. The team management felt that the home conditions in Sri Lanka were better suited for other players.

Leagues Participation

In 2024, Chamindu Wickramasinghe participated in his first franchise tournament, playing for Dambulla Sixers in the Lanka Premier League (LPL). 

Lanka Premier League

Chamindu Wickramasinghe played his first franchise tournament with Dambulla Sixers in LPL 2024. He scored 181 runs in 6 innings, including two half-centuries, and took 7 wickets in 8 innings. Wickramasinghe impressed many with his performance, which led to a call-up to the national team.

He scored 186 runs in 6 innings for the Dambulla Sixers, with an average of 62 and a strike rate of 131.91. His best knock was 62 off 42 balls against Kandy Falcons in the first match of the tournament. He also helped the team reach a strong score of 179/4 by scoring 154 runs in a match against Kandy Falcons.

In another match, Wickramasinghe scored 56 runs against Galle Marvells, helping Dambulla Sixers recover from a tough position and finish at 160/8. For this effort, he won the Player of the Match award.

Despite the initial lack of interest from the old franchise owner, the change in ownership led to Wickramasinghe being picked in the LPL auction. This move helped him get a national call-up. He was named Best Player of the Season in the LPL 2024.

Year	Team	Notes
2024	Dambulla Sixers	Scored 186 runs and took 7 wickets; earned national call-up after strong LPL performance. Named Best Player of the Season.

Domestic career

Chamindu Wickramasinghe started his cricket career because of his grandfather, who was a former football player. He began playing at St. Anthony's College in Kandy. In school, he scored a century in his First XI debut and set the record for the fastest century in the inter-school limited-overs tournament. He also played for Sri Lanka’s under-19 team.

Wickramasinghe debuted in first-class cricket for Sinhalese Sports Club against Nugegoda SWC in the Major League Tournament on August 25, 2023. He scored 106 runs from 149 balls, with 13 fours, and was the top scorer for his team.

He made his List A debut on July 5, 2022, playing for Sinhalese Sports Club against KTC at Colombo SSC. He scored 83 runs from 55 balls, helping his team win by 229 runs.

His T20 debut came on March 4, 2021, for Sinhalese Sports Club in the 2020–21 SLC Twenty20 Tournament.

Before his professional debut, he had played 50 domestic games, scoring over 900 runs and taking 22 wickets.

Records and achievements

Chamindu Wickramasinghe showed strong performances in domestic and international cricket. His achievements are listed below:

• LPL Emerging Player of the Season – 2024: In a match against Kandy Falcons, his team lost four wickets for 25 runs in the powerplay. He played a key role in the recovery, scoring 62 off 42 balls in an unbeaten 154-run stand with Mark Chapman. His calmness under pressure was praised.
• Best Player of the Season in the LPL – 2024: He delivered consistent performances throughout the tournament.
• Player of the Match Against Galle Marvells – LPL 2024: His efforts helped the team win an important match.
• First-Class Debut – August 2023: Playing for Sinhalese Sports Club against Nugegoda SWC, he scored 106 runs from 149 balls with 13 fours and finished as the top scorer.
• List-A Debut – July 5, 2022: He played for Sinhalese Sports Club and scored 83 runs from 55 balls. His innings helped the team secure a 229-run victory.
• ODI Debut – November 19, 2024: His first One-Day International was against New Zealand. The last ODI is scheduled for January 5, 2025, against the same team.
• T20I Debut – July 30, 2024: His first T20 International was against India. The last match was played on October 13, 2024, against the West Indies.

Personal life

Chamindu Wickramasinghe does not share much about his personal life. Some details about his family, finances, and career decisions are known.

Family

In a 2021 interview, Wickramasinghe said that his grandfather played football. He was the one who pushed him toward cricket. His parents and cousins support him in his career. There is no public information about his wife or children.

Finances

According to peopleai.com, his net worth in 2023 was $442,000.

Scandals

In February 2025, Wickramasinghe was not included in Sri Lanka’s squad for the two-match series against Australia. Officials made this decision due to local pitch conditions, which suited spinners. The upcoming Champions Trophy was also a factor in this choice.

Fans

In July 2024, reports named him one of the most promising players in the Lanka Premier League (LPL). That year, he scored two fifties for the Dambulla Sixers. One of them came in a tough match. His Instagram audience reached 90,000 followers.