Ishara Amerashinghe

Ishara Amerashinghe, full name Merenna Koralage Don Ishara Amerasinghe, is a professional cricketer representing the country of Sri Lanka and is the second fastest bowler in the country after Lasith Malinga. He is a right-arm fast-medium bowler with a side-on action and bowls at a regular speed of 140kph.

Cricket was rooted in Ishara‘s mind since he was eight years old, and already shining at club level cricket playing for division II of Colombo CC. He did this before he even played for his school XI. Former Sri Lankan cricketer and now national selector, Jayantha Seneviratne saw the potential in young Ishara and encouraged him to join Nalanda College.

While at Nalanda Ishara took 68 wickets from 11 matches in his very first and only season, after which he joined Burgher RC and kept changing clubs from Colombo Colts, Nondescript CC, Galle CC and finally settling at Colts along with national colleague Chaminda Vaas.

Being a regular member of the Sri Lanka A squad since 1999, Ishara burst into a 58 wicket spree in the very first season of 1999 in just 12 matches with Premier League club Colombo Colts. Later he was selected, considering his performance in the league, to tour South Africa and England with the A team.

The 6’ tall potential talent was also selected to tour Australia in 2008 as a suited replacement for the injured Dilhara Fernando. He made his ODI debut against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi post 2007 World Cup.

Career Highlights

Ishara’s most impressive performance in international cricket scene was in the CB series of 2008 where he took 8 wickets at 35.75 each.