Sri Lankan Squad

Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas

Born: 27 January 1974, Mattumagala
Major Teams: Colts Cricket Club, Sri Lanka
Known As: Chaminda Vaas
Pronounced: Chaminda Vaas
Batting Style: Left Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Left Arm Fast Medium
Test Debut: Sri Lanka v Pakistan at Kandy, 3rd Test, 1994/95
Latest Test: Sri Lanka v South Africa at Centurion, 2nd Test, 2002/02
ODI Debut: Sri Lanka v India at Rajkot, 1st ODI, 1993/94 
Latest ODI: Sri Lanka v Australia at Perth, VB Series, 2002/03

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Profile:

Chaminda Vaas, an enthusiastic amateur vocalist, once disclosed a desire to become a catholic priest, but the ambition was sidelined as he became Sri Lanka's most successful fast bowler ever. At 20 years of age he made his debut against Pakistan at Kandy in 1994/5 before becoming the first ever Sri Lankan bowler to take ten wickets in a Test match when he toured New Zealand in 1995. A left arm bowler, who bowls with a rhythmical run up and a smooth sideways on action, he swings the ball both ways and has recently developed the ability to reverse swing the old ball, a skill used to devastating effect last year when he claimed 14 wickets for 191 against the West Indies. Holds the record for the best ever figures in an ODI (8 for 19 against Zimbabwe, 2002). During the recent Sri Lanka tour to England he passed 200 Test wickets. Has also developed into a useful lower order batsman.