Kaushal Lokuarachchi

Kaushal Lokuarachchi

Personal information
Full name	Kaushal Samaraweera Lokuarachchi
Born	20 May 1982 (1982-05-20) Colombo, Sri Lanka
Nickname	Loku
Batting style	Right-handed
Bowling style	Right arm leg spin
Role	All-rounder
International information
National side	Sri Lanka
Test debut (cap 94)	25 April 2003 v New Zealand
Last Test	16 March 2004 v Australia
ODI debut (cap 115)	6 April 2003 v Kenya
Last ODI	13 October 2007 v England
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2000/01–2004/05	Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club
2005/06–present	Sinhalese Sports Club
Career statistics
Competition	Tests	ODIs	FC	List A
Matches	4	21	80	97
Runs scored	94	210	2,623	1,208
Batting average	23.50	14.00	26.23	20.82
100s/50s	0/0	0/1	2/10	0/6
Top score	28*	69	101*	77*
Balls bowled	594	1,011	12,414	4,421
Wickets	5	31	232	141
Bowling average	59.00	23.38	23.16	22.28
5 wickets in innings	0	0	7	1
10 wickets in match	0	n/a	1	n/a
Best bowling	2/47	4/44	7/17	5/27
Catches/stumpings	1/–	5/–	38/–	32/–
Source: CricketArchive, 27 September 2008

Kaushal Samaraweera Lokuarachchi (born May 20, 1982 in Colombo) is a Sri Lankan former cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a legbreak bowler.

Lokuarachchi is unfortunate that he belongs to an era where there are two other right-arm legspinners are also vying for a berth in the national team. The presence of Upul Chandana and Malinga Bandara meant that 'Loku', as he is referred to by team-mates, had no place in the national team which also has the inimitable offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan.

It seems Loku has somewhat decided that his best chance to play in the national team is in the shorter version of the game. He says he loves to play one-day cricket and his style of bowling and batting is most suited to it. "It is difficult to play one-day cricket than Test cricket because the intensity is great. I love the challenge," Loku said.

He believes as a legspinner he has a lot to learn, but admits gaining experience each time he plays for his country. He is also a useful batsman down the order with two first-class centuries and a batting average of 27.

He had an outstanding career at St. Peter's College where he won the best bowler's prize and was also voted Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year. Loku then joined Bloomfield in 1999 and represented them till last season when he changed clubs and went to SSC where he took 14 wickets in the Premier league semi-final against Colts and followed it up with a century which is the best performance of his career so far.

Has benefited from attending Sri Lanka Spin Academy headed by former Sri Lanka offspinner Ruwan Kalpage and from coaching received from Sri Lanka A-team coach Chandika Hathurusingha.

External links

• Player profile: Kaushal Lokuarachchi from ESPNcricinfo
• Player profile: Kaushal Lokuarachchi from CricketArchive