Arjuna Ranatunga

Arjuna Ranatunga, born on April 1, 1963, in Galle, Sri Lanka, is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who captained the team to their historic victory in the 1996 Cricket World Cup. As a left-handed batsman, he played 93 Tests and 193 ODIs for Sri Lanka, scoring over 5,000 Test runs and 3,000 ODI runs. Ranatunga was known for his aggressive captaincy and his role in transforming Sri Lanka from minnows to world champions. He was also known for his confrontations with opponents and umpires on the field. After cricket, he entered politics and served as a Member of Parliament and Minister of Tourism. He has been a vocal critic of administration in Sri Lankan cricket and has advocated for better treatment of former cricketers. His captaincy of the 1996 World Cup remains one of the most remarkable achievements in cricket history.