Angelo Mathews is one of the most promising all-rounders Sri Lanka has produced in recent times. A genuine middle-order batsman, he is also more than a handy bowler along with being a livewire in the field.
An integral part of the Sri Lankan youth side since his debut in 2003. Mathews was handed the reins in 2005 for the tour to England. His unbeaten 123 in a losing cause in the third Test was much appreciated and with good performances in a triangular series involving England and Bangladesh, he soon made a name for himself. He debuted for Colts Cricket Club in the 2007-08 season. After an ordinary first season he came into his own in the second, scoring 696 runs at an average of 58 and was one of the stars on Sri Lanka A's tour of South Africa.
Mathews made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe in 2008. Although he struggled to take wickets in his first few matches, he performed well with the bat slamming a fifty in only his third ODI. He made his Test debut against Pakistan in 2009. Since then he has been a regular fixture in ODIs and is also making his presence felt in Tests.
Mathews is blessed with an excellent temperament and is also a good analyser of game situations. Despite his pace being only in the mid 130 kilometre mark, he keeps it tight and can also swing the ball under helpful conditions. In 2013, Mathews was handed ODI as well as Test captaincy, following Mahela Jayawardena's stepping down after their tour of Australia. Later that year, he was appointed captain of the IPL franchise Pune Warrriors for the tournament's sixth season.
SRI LANKA
