Dhananjaya de Silva Profile, Career & Stats

A technically sound top-order batter and a handy off-break bowler, Dhananjaya de Silva, a dynamic all-rounder, plays all forms of international cricket for Sri Lanka. 

Like most of the youngsters, he got his opportunity into the U-19 World Cup squad and rose through the ranks to become one of the most prolific top-order batter.

After a string of impressive domestic performances, Dhananjaya was further called up for the T20I series against Pakistan in July 2015 and got his maiden cap in July 2015. He made his ODI debut against Ireland in June 2016. The retirement of the veteran Tillakaratne Dilshan saw Dhananjaya de Silva promoted to the opening slot and he scored 76 runs.

In his first-ever Test series, against Australia at home, Dhananjaya de Silva was the highest run-getter. A stark highlight in it was his 211-run partnership with Dinesh Chandimal in the third Test, which bailed his team out of a tough spot, and eventually, Sri Lanka went on to win the match. He made a decent start in the 50-over format as well, having scored a couple of strong fifties in his first few games, but then experienced a dip in form. He’s been in-and-out of the side a lot, largely down to inconsistency, and found it difficult to impress whenever given a chance.

In 2017, De Sliva was initially shifted to the middle-order from an opener due to his inconsistency and eventually dropped from the ICC Champions Trophy squad. With Kusal Perera being injured, Dhananjaya de Silva was called to replace him during the tournament but again he failed to capitalize on that opportunity.

During the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, he was the surprise element in Sri Lanka’s squad. In a group match against England, Dhananjaya de Silva took 3 wickets in nine deliveries to secure a 20-run victory. Making his comeback from a wrist injury in a Test series against South Africa in December 2020, Dhananjaya scored 79 unbeaten after showing severe discomfort and collapsing to the ground. After an MRI scan, he confirmed a tear in his thigh and was immediately released from the squad.

Dhananjaya de Silva's consistent performances have also made him a valuable asset in the T20 franchise circuit. In October 2020, he was drafted by the Jaffna Stallions for the inaugural season of the Lanka Premier League, marking his entry into franchise-based cricket. Demonstrating leadership potential, he was appointed captain of the SLC Blues for the 2021 SLC Invitational T20 League in August that year. Continuing his journey in the LPL, de Silva was signed by the Jaffna Kings in July 2022 for the league’s third edition. His steady presence across domestic and franchise leagues highlights his adaptability and growing stature as a seasoned professional in the shorter formats of the game. 

Following the resignation of Dimuth Karunaratne in early 2024, de Silva was entrusted with the role of Sri Lanka’s 18th Test captain. He led from the front in his first assignment, guiding the team to victory in a one-off Test against Afghanistan in February 2024.

In March 2024, he produced a historic performance in the Test series against Bangladesh. In the first innings, de Silva struck a century and built a 202-run stand for the sixth wicket with Kamindu Mendis, who also brought up a hundred. Remarkably, both players scored identical knocks of 102. In the second innings, they repeated their heroics—each scoring another century and stitching together yet another 100+ partnership. This rare feat marked only the third time in Test history where two players from the same side scored twin centuries in the same match. Sri Lanka went on to win by a commanding margin of 328 runs, with de Silva deservedly named Player of the Match.

In May 2024, de Silva was included in Sri Lanka's squad for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, continuing to remain an integral part of the national setup across formats.

(As of April 2025)