Athula Samarasekera will be best known for his pyrotechnics at the top of the order in the 1992 World Cup. He loved to dominate the bowlers and go aerial, thereby maximizing the field restrictions against the new ball. While Mark Greatbatch and later on, Sanath Jayasuriya are considered to have been the reasons for the change in approach of openers, Athula wasn’t far behind himself. He had a huge build, strong and tall, that intimidated bowlers and then, he let the bat do the talking. Sri Lanka were the first ever side to chase down 300 in an ODI and Athula was at the forefront of it with a blistering 61-ball 75, also stitching a rollicking 128-run stand with Roshan Mahanama in a famous run-chase. Arjuna Ranatunga’s unbeaten blitzkrieg is what most people remember, more due to his persona but Athula was a game changer too. His flashy approach with the bat meant that he didn’t produce consistent returns and was more of an impact player. Constant dip in form meant that he was in and out of the side before he quit the scene himself towards the mid-1990s. Later, he switched to Bangladesh to play club cricket. After his playing days, Athula settled down in Melbourne, Australia and has taken up various coaching assignments.

Written by Hariprasad Sadanandan