On Thursday, January 2 Sri Lanka‘s keeper tendency Kusal Perera etched his name in cricket history by smashing an impressive century in the third T20I. New Zealand Sri Lanka tour 2024-25 Saxton Oval, Nelson. Perera’s knock of 101 off just 46 balls, 13 fours and 4 powerful sixes led his team to an impressive 7-run win and earned him the Man of the Match award. This feat places him in the elite club of Sri Lankan legends who have achieved centuries in T20 internationals.
List of Sri Lanka T20I centurions
Mahela Jayawardene
The first Sri Lankan to reach a T20I century was legendary Mahela Jayawardene. Known for his elegant batting in all formats, Jayawardene reached this milestone on 3 May 2010 during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Play against Zimbabwe At Providence, he made a magnificent 100 off 64 balls, including 10 fours and 4 sixes. His century was instrumental in Sri Lanka’s 14-run win and cemented his legacy as one of the best batsmen in the game.
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Tillakaratne Dilshan
The second Sri Lanka to score a T20I century was the opening all-rounder Tillakaratne Dilshan. On August 6, 2011 Australia Sri Lanka tour, Dilshan smashed an unbeaten 104 off 57 balls in Kandy. His knock of 12 fours and 5 sixes helped Sri Lanka to a huge victory by 35 runs. Known for his aggressive style and innovative shots, Dilshan’s century further cemented his reputation as a T20 specialist.
Kusal Perera
In the final chapter of Sri Lanka’s T20I history, Perera’s brilliant knock against New Zealand not only brought victory but also put him in the senior ranks. With this innings, Perera joins Jayawardene and Dilshan in the elite club of Sri Lankan T20I centurions. His record-breaking performance highlights his ability to get to the point and deliver.
Perera’s century marks only the third instance of a Sri Lankan batsman reaching the three-figure mark in T20Is, making him a standout performer in the format. The 34-year-old’s brilliant innings comes 13 years after his last Sri Lankan T20I century and further underlines the significance of his achievement. Perera’s consistent performances reaffirm his status as Sri Lanka’s leading run-scorer in the T20I format with 2,056 runs.
