Dasun Shanaka is a cricketer who plays internationally for Sri Lanka and domestically for Sinhalese Sports Club in Sri Lanka. He is a right-handed batsman and right-arm fast bowler who can play in various formats of the game. He is the captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team in limited-overs cricket. He is known for his aggressive batting, bowling variations, and leadership skills.
Dasun Shanaka was born on September 9, 1991, in Negombo, Sri Lanka. He grew up in a cricket-loving family and started playing the game at the age of nine. His father, Madagamagamage Shanaka, is a businessman and his mother, Kumari Shanaka, is a housewife. He has an older brother, Dilshan Shanaka, who is also a cricketer and plays for Negombo Cricket Club.
Dasun Shanaka is married to Ayesha Fernando, who is a teacher and a cricket enthusiast. They tied the knot on December 29, 2019, in a grand ceremony attended by many cricketers and celebrities. They live in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He is fluent in Sinhala, English, and Tamil. He holds a bachelor's degree in sports management from Inholland University of Applied Sciences in Amsterdam. He is also a qualified cricket coach and has worked as a player-coach at Sinhalese Sports Club. He enjoys travelling, reading, and listening to music in his spare time.
Dasun Shanaka started playing cricket at Negombo Cricket Club, where he received guidance from former Sri Lankan cricketer Upul Chandana. He represented Sri Lanka at various age-group levels and was part of the squad that played in the 2010 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. He made his first-class debut for Sinhalese Sports Club against Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club in the 2011–12 Premier League Tournament and scored 54 runs on debut. He also made his List A debut for Sinhalese Sports Club against Colts Cricket Club in the same season and took one wicket.
Dasun Shanaka made his One Day International (ODI) debut for Sri Lanka against Ireland at Dublin on June 16, 2016. He scored 42 runs and took five wickets as Sri Lanka won by 76 runs. He made his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut for Sri Lanka against Pakistan at Colombo on August 1, 2015. He scored 12 runs and took one wicket as Sri Lanka won by two wickets.
He was part of the Sri Lankan squad that played in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup in England. He scored 122 runs and took two wickets in seven matches. He also captained the T20I team against Pakistan in 2019, leading Sri Lanka to a historic 3-0 series victory against Pakistan in Pakistan.
Dasun Shanaka has played 32 ODIs for Sri Lanka until October 2023, scoring 583 runs at an average of 24.29 and a strike rate of 104.47. He has hit no centuries and three half-centuries with a highest score of 68. He has also bowled 696 balls and taken 18 wickets at an average of 41.66 and an economy rate of 6.40. His best bowling figures are 5/43. He has also taken nine catches.
Dasun Shanaka has played 46 T20Is for Sri Lanka until November 2022, scoring 519 runs at an average of 17.30 and a strike rate of 133.42. He has hit no centuries and one half-century with a highest score of 54 not out. He has also bowled 282 balls and taken 12 wickets at an average of 36.66 and an economy rate of 9.36. His best bowling figures are 3/16. He has also taken ten catches.
Dasun Shanaka has not played any Test matches for Sri Lanka as he is yet to make his debut in the longest format of the game.
Dasun Shanaka has captained Sri Lanka in eight ODIs and 15 T20Is from 2019 to 2023. He has won four ODIs and lost four ODIs as captain. He has won ten T20Is and lost five T20Is as captain.
Dasun Shanaka has not been involved in any major controversies in his cricket career.
Dasun Shanaka is a cricketer who plays internationally for Sri Lanka and domestically for Sinhalese Sports Club in Sri Lanka. He is a right-handed batsman and right-arm fast bowler who can play in various formats of the game. He is the captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team in limited-overs cricket. He is known for his aggressive batting, bowling variations, and leadership skills. He has achieved several records and accolades for his performances and is one of the most valuable players for Sri Lanka.