Career Highlights
A graduate of the prestigious St. Joseph's College, Colombo, Vaas made his first class debut for Colts Cricket Club against Galle Cricket Club in December 1990 aged 16. Nearly 4 years later, after just 13 first class matches, he made his Test debut for the Sri Lankan cricket team against Pakistan at Kandy in August 1994. Within his first year in the national side, he made a great impact guiding Sri Lanka to their maiden Test Match away victory against New Zealand at Napier, taking 5-47 & 5-43 and scoring 33 & 36 and being nominated Man of the Match.
He was a regular member of the ODI side during the 1996 World Cup, playing in all six matches including the Final, where Sri Lanka defeated Australia to become world champions for the very first time.
In 2001-02, he took 26 wickets in a series win against the West Indies. This included one match-haul of 14 wickets, a feat only achieved by two fast bowlers in the subcontinent, the other being Imran Khan. At the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup, held in South Africa, Vaas picked up 23 wickets, becoming the leading wicket taker in the tournament. This included a best of 6-25 against Bangladesh, where Vaas also took a hat-trick with the first three deliveries of the Bangladesh innings.
On 26 June 2007 at Colombo, he made his maiden test century against Bangladesh when he scored 100 not out in a total of 577-6 declared. This occurred in his 97th Test Match, which at the time was a record for the most number of Tests before scoring a maiden century (since overtaken by Anil Kumble). Soon after in November 2007, Vaas played his 100th Test match against England, in what was also Sanath Jayasuriya's final Test match for Sri Lanka.
He retired from Test Cricket after the 3rd Test against Pakistan in July 2009.
Read more about this topic: Chaminda Vaas
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