Born on 30th September 1976 in Moratuwa, is former ODI and T20 International player for Sri Lanka, Wannakawattawadune Hiruka Dilani Fernando.
Hiruka was a left-hand batter and left-arm slow bowler and made her international debut in an ODI against the Netherlands in Colombo in November 1997. In the third match of that series Hiruka was joined by her sister Rose, making her ODI debut. The series of ODI matches were preparation for the 1997 World Cup, the first time Sri Lanka took part in the tournament.
Sri Lanka’s first match in the World Cup was against India and was washed out. The second was against the West Indies which they won, just the fifth ODI ever played by the tiny nation. Hiruka was second top score in the run chase with 11.
Hiruka played in four World Cup campaigns, 1997, 2000, 2005 and 2009. She played in 60 ODI matches during her career, scoring 1015 runs, becoming the first Sri Lankan player to pass 1000 runs. Her tally is still third best all time for her nation. Hiruka also took 12 wickets (tenth all time for SL) with a best of 3-14.
Just a brief career in T20 International for Hiruka, four matches, all in the T20 World Cup of 2009. Significantly, Hiruka played in the first ODI and T20I matches for Sri Lanka as well as their first appearance in World Cups in both formats. A true pioneer of women’s cricket.
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