Dinesh Chandimal facts for kids
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name |
Lokuge Dinesh Chandimal
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| Born | 18 November 1989 Balapitiya, Sri Lanka |
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| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm off-break | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Wicket-keeper-batter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side |
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| Test debut (cap 122) | 26 December 2011 v South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 25 June 2025 v Bangladesh | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI debut (cap 144) | 1 June 2010 v Zimbabwe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last ODI | 30 November 2022 v Afghanistan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI shirt no. | 56 (previously 36, 17) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T20I debut (cap 33) | 30 April 2010 v New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last T20I | 27 February 2022 v India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T20I shirt no. | 56 (previously 36, 17) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–present | Sri Lanka Army | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2019 | Nondescripts Cricket Club | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Ruhuna | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | Chittagong Vikings | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–present | Colombo Stars | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | Sylhet Sunrisers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Source: ESPNcricinfo, 28 June 2025
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| Military career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Allegiance |  Sri Lanka |
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| Service/ |
 Sri Lanka Army |
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| Years of service | 2019–present | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank |  Major |
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| Unit | Sri Lanka Army Ordnance Corps | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lokuge Dinesh Chandimal (Sinhala: ලොකුගේ දිනේෂ් චන්දිමාල්) was born on November 18, 1989. He is a professional Sri Lankan cricket player. He used to be the captain of the Sri Lanka national cricket team. Dinesh is a right-handed middle-order batter. Sometimes, he also plays as the wicket-keeper. He led Sri Lanka during the early stages of the 2014 ICC World Twenty20, which Sri Lanka went on to win.
In September 2019, Dinesh Chandimal joined the Sri Lankan Army as a volunteer officer. This meant he could play for the Sri Lanka Army Sports Club. In August 2020, while playing for this club, he made the highest score in domestic first-class cricket in Sri Lanka. He scored an amazing 354 runs without being out against Saracens CC.
Contents
Early Cricket Days and Club Play
Dinesh Chandimal began his cricket journey as a teenager. He first played at Dharmasoka College in Ambalangoda. Later, he moved to Ananda College in Colombo. There, he became the captain of the under-17 team.
School Cricket Success
In 2008, Dinesh became the captain of his school's main team. He led them to 13 wins in one season. This was a new record in Sri Lankan school cricket. He was also the first schoolboy cricketer to score over 1,000 runs in a season. He scored a total of 1,580 runs. In 2009, he won the Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Award. After school, he joined the Nondescripts Cricket Club.
Wicket-keeping Records
Dinesh Chandimal holds a special record as a wicket-keeper for Sri Lanka. In Youth ODI history, he has made the most dismissals, with 51. He is also the only Sri Lankan wicket-keeper to be involved in over 50 dismissals in Youth ODI matches.
First-Class and Club Cricket
In his early first-class career, he scored 64, 4, and 109 runs in his first three games. He played for the Sri Lanka Cricket Development XI. Dinesh is known as an aggressive batter. He scored two centuries for his country's U-19 team, where he was the vice-captain. He also played for other teams in List A and Twenty20 games.
In 2012, the Rajasthan Royals bought him for $50,000 to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Later, he also played for the Chittagong Vikings in the Bangladesh Premier League.
Recent Club Achievements
In March 2018, he was chosen to be the captain of the Colombo team. This was for the 2017–18 Super Four Provincial Tournament. The next month, he also captained Colombo for the 2018 Super Provincial One Day Tournament. In August 2018, he was named Colombo's captain for the 2018 SLC T20 League.
In February 2019, Dinesh scored a century in the 2018–19 SLC Twenty20 Tournament. This happened just one day after he was not chosen for Sri Lanka's One Day International (ODI) team. In August 2020, he scored his record-breaking 354 not out. This was for the Sri Lanka Army Sports Club. It was the highest score ever in a domestic first-class match in Sri Lanka.
In October 2020, he joined the Colombo Kings for the first Lanka Premier League. In August 2021, he became the captain of the SLC Reds team. This was for the 2021 SLC Invitational T20 League tournament. In July 2022, he was signed by the Colombo Stars for the third season of the Lanka Premier League.
International Cricket Journey
Dinesh Chandimal started playing for Sri Lanka internationally in 2010.
Early International Years
He made his international debut during the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 in the West Indies. He played in group games against New Zealand and Zimbabwe. He also played against Australia in the "Super Eight" series.
After playing another Twenty20 match against New Zealand, Dinesh was picked for an ODI series in Zimbabwe. He made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe, scoring 10 runs. Then, he scored his first international century against India. He made 111 runs, helping his team win and knock India out of the tournament. He became the youngest Sri Lankan to score an ODI century.
Dinesh made his Test debut in December 2011 against South Africa. He scored half-centuries (58 and 54) in both innings. This made him the first Sri Lankan batter to score two half-centuries in his Test debut. This helped Sri Lanka win their first Test match in South Africa.
Dinesh was an important player in the team that finished second in the 2012 ICC World Twenty20. He was also part of the team that won the 2014 ICC World Twenty20. He led Sri Lanka in the first group stage of the 2014 tournament. He holds the record for taking the most catches in a single T20I as a fielder, with 4 catches.
During the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, he scored a fast 50 runs off 22 balls against Australia. This was the fastest fifty by a Sri Lankan in World Cup history at that time.
In the 2015 Test series against India, Dinesh played as the main wicket-keeper. He scored an amazing 162 runs without being out in one innings. This helped Sri Lanka win the match by 63 runs. He was named the man of the match for his great performance.
Comeback and Strong Performances
Dinesh scored his third ODI century in June 2016 against Ireland. He had a great run of scores during the series against England and Australia in 2016. He scored five half-centuries in a row in ODIs. This matched the record for most consecutive ODI fifties by a Sri Lankan player.
In September 2021, Dinesh was included in the squad for the series against South Africa. He played his 150th ODI match in the third game of the series. Sri Lanka won that match and the series. Later that month, he was chosen for Sri Lanka's squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
Leading the Team
In July 2013, Dinesh Chandimal became the youngest ODI captain for Sri Lanka. He led the team for the first two matches against South Africa. In 2013, he also became the captain of Sri Lanka's Twenty20 International team. He was also the vice-captain of the one day international team.
After some changes, Dinesh was named the permanent captain of the Test team for Sri Lanka in July 2017. His first Test as captain was against Zimbabwe in July 2017. He scored 55 runs in the first innings. Sri Lanka won the match by 4 wickets, chasing a large total of 388 runs. This was Sri Lanka's best chase in Tests and the best successful chase in Asia.
In September 2017, against Pakistan, Dinesh scored his first Test century as captain. He made 155 runs without being out. Sri Lanka won the match by 21 runs. In October 2017, Sri Lanka played their first day-night Test match against Pakistan. Dinesh scored 62 runs. Sri Lanka won the match and the series 2–0. This made Dinesh the first captain to win Sri Lanka's first day-night Test.
In 2018, Dinesh was appointed captain for the T20I team for the Bangladesh tour. Under his leadership, Sri Lanka chased a record total of 193 runs and won the first match by 6 wickets.
After Captaincy Changes
In August 2018, Dinesh played as the wicket-keeper in a Twenty20 International against South Africa. South Africa was bowled out for 99 runs, their lowest T20I score. Dinesh stayed until the end, scoring 36 runs without being out, helping Sri Lanka win.
He was later dropped from the Test squad for the South Africa tour. Dimuth Karunaratne became the stand-in captain. In December 2019, Dinesh was called back for the Pakistan Test series.
In March 2021, during a T20I match against West Indies, Dinesh scored his fifth T20I half-century. He made 54 runs without being out. After this series, he was not chosen for some tours. However, after playing well in the SLC Invitational T20 League, he was back in the squad for the South African series in September 2021.
Strong Test Performances (2022-Present)
In May 2022, during a Test match against Bangladesh, Dinesh scored his twelfth Test century. He made a 199-run partnership with Angelo Mathews. Sri Lanka won the series 2–0. In July 2022, against Australia, Dinesh scored an amazing 206 runs without being out in the second Test. This made him the first Sri Lankan to score a double century against Australia. Sri Lanka won the match by an innings and 39 runs. This was Sri Lanka's first-ever innings victory against Australia in Test cricket.
In 2022, Dinesh played in 6 Test matches and scored 719 runs. His average was 102.71, including his double century. In February 2024, against Afghanistan, Dinesh scored his 15th Test century. He made a 232-run partnership with Angelo Mathews. Sri Lanka won the match by 10 wickets.
In September 2024, Dinesh was promoted to bat at number 3 for the New Zealand tour of Sri Lanka. In the second Test against New Zealand, he scored his 16th century. Sri Lanka scored a huge 602 runs in their first innings. Sri Lanka won the match by an innings and 154 runs. This helped Sri Lanka move up to third place in the 2023–2025 World Test Championship table.
International Centuries
Dinesh Chandimal has scored 20 international centuries. He has 16 centuries in Test cricket and 4 in One Day International (ODI) matches.
Test Centuries
| No. | Score | Against | Pos. | Inn. | Test | Venue | H/A/N | Date | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 116* |  Bangladesh |
6 | 1 | 1/2 | Galle International Stadium, Galle | Home | 13 March 2013 | Drawn | |
| 2 | 102 | Bangladesh |
6 | 2 | 2/2 | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo | Home | 16 March 2013 | Won | |
| 3 | 100* | Bangladesh |
5 | 3 | 2/2 | Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram | Away | 4 February 2014 | Drawn | |
| 4 | 162*  |
 India |
6 | 3 | 1/3 | Galle International Stadium, Galle | Home | 12 August 2015 | Won | |
| 5 | 151 |  West Indies |
4 | 1 | 1/2 | Galle International Stadium, Galle | Home | 14 October 2015 | Won | |
| 6 | 126 |  England |
6 | 3 | 2/3 | Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street | Away | 27 May 2016 | Lost | |
| 7 | 132 |  Australia |
6 | 1 | 3/3 | Singhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground, Colombo | Home | 13 August 2016 | Won | |
| 8 | 138 | Bangladesh |
4 | 1 | 2/2 | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo | Home | 15 March 2017 | Lost | |
| 9 | 155*  |
 Pakistan |
5 | 1 | 1/2 | Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi | Neutral | 28 September 2017 | Won | |
| 10 | 164 |
India |
5 | 1 | 3/3 | Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, Delhi | Away | 2 December 2017 | Drawn | |
| 11 | 119^ |
West Indies |
5 | 1 | 2/3 | Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Gros Islet | Away | 14 June 2018 | Drawn | |
| 12 | 124 | Bangladesh |
7 | 2 | 2/2 | Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Mirpur | Away | 23 May 2022 | Won | |
| 13 | 206* | Australia |
5 | 2 | 2/2 | Galle International Stadium, Galle | Home | 8 July 2022 | Won | |
| 14 | 102* |  Ireland |
5 | 1 | 1/2 | Galle International Stadium, Galle | Home | 16 April 2023 | Won | |
| 15 | 107 |  Afghanistan |
5 | 2 | 1/1 | Singhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground, Colombo | Home | 2 February 2024 | Won | |
| 16 | 116 |  New Zealand |
3 | 1 | 2/2 | Galle International Stadium, Galle | Home | 26 September 2024 | Won |
One Day International Centuries
| No. | Score | Against | Pos. | Inn. | S/R | Venue | H/A/N | Date | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 111 |
India |
3 | 2 | 94.06 | Harare Sports Club, Harare | N | 5 June 2010 | Won | |
| 2 | 105* |
England |
3 | 2 | 83.33 | Lord's, London | A | 3 July 2011 | Won | |
| 3 | 100* |
Ireland |
4 | 1 | 93.45 | Malahide Cricket Club Ground, Dublin | A | 16 June 2016 | Won | |
| 4 | 102 | Australia |
4 | 1 | 78.46 | Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla | H | 28 August 2016 | Lost |
Personal Life
On December 26, 2004, when Dinesh was 14, his family home was destroyed. This happened during the Indian Ocean Tsunami tragedy. He still visits Balapitiya to remember this sad event that affected his family.
Dinesh Chandimal's younger brother, Kamesh Nirmal, also plays cricket. In 2017, Kamesh scored a century in a school tournament. This helped his team, Ananda, win the match. Kamesh followed in his brother's footsteps by scoring a century in the 89th Battle of the Maroons.
Dinesh Chandimal married his long-time partner, Ishika Jayasekara, on May 1, 2015, in Colombo. In October 2020, he became a Major in the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force. He is part of the Sri Lanka Army Ordnance Corps.
