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{{short description|Sri Lankan cricketer}}
{{use dmy dates|date=May 2026}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Sachithra Senanayake
| image =
| country = Sri Lanka
| full_name = Senanayake Mudiyanselage Sachithra Madhushanka Senanayake
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|2|9|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Colombo]], Sri Lanka
| heightft = 6
| heightinch = 0
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling = Right-arm [[off spin|off break]]
| role = [[Bowler (cricket)|Bowler]]
| family =
| international = true
| onetest = yes
| internationalspan = 2012–2016
| testdebutdate = 31 December
| testdebutyear = 2013
| testdebutagainst = Pakistan
| testcap = 125
| odidebutdate = 20 January
| odidebutyear = 2012
| odidebutagainst = South Africa
| odicap = 150
| lastodidate = 28 December
| lastodiyear = 2015
| lastodiagainst = New Zealand
| T20Idebutdate = 1 June
| T20Idebutyear = 2012
| T20Idebutagainst = Pakistan
| T20Icap = 43
| lastT20Idate = 9 September
| lastT20Iyear = 2016
| lastT20Iagainst = Australia
| odishirt = 18

| club1 = [[Sinhalese Sports Club]]
| year1 = 2006–
| clubnumber1 =
| club2 = [[Basnahira cricket team]]
| year2 = 2012–
| clubnumber2 =
| club3 = [[Sydney Sixers]]
| year3 = 2013/14
| clubnumber3 =
| club4 = [[Kolkata Knight Riders]]
| year4 = 2013
| clubnumber4 =
| club5 = [[Worcestershire County Cricket Club|Worcestershire]]
| year5 = 2015
| club6 = [[Rangpur Riders]]
| year6 = 2015
| clubnumber6 =

| columns = 4
| column1 = [[Test cricket|Test]]
| matches1 = 1
| runs1 = 5
| bat avg1 = 5.00
| 100s/50s1 = 0/0
| top score1 = 5
| deliveries1 = 138
| wickets1 = 0
| bowl avg1 = –
| fivefor1 = –
| tenfor1 = –
| best bowling1 = –
| catches/stumpings1 = 1/–
| column2 = [[One Day International|ODI]]
| matches2 = 49
| runs2 = 290
| bat avg2 = 13.18
| 100s/50s2 = 0/0
| top score2 = 42
| deliveries2 = 2,358
| wickets2 = 53
| bowl avg2 = 34.35
| fivefor2 = 0
| tenfor2 = 0
| best bowling2 = 4/13
| catches/stumpings2 = 19/–
| column3 = [[First-class cricket|FC]]
| matches3 = 107
| runs3 = 2,614
| bat avg3 = 23.76
| 100s/50s3 = 2/9
| top score3 = 120
| deliveries3 = 23,292
| wickets3 = 537
| bowl avg3 = 20.81
| fivefor3 = 38
| tenfor3 = 7
| best bowling3 = 8/70
| catches/stumpings3 = 112/–
| column4 = [[List A cricket|LA]]
| matches4 = 167
| runs4 = 1,582
| bat avg4 = 21.67
| 100s/50s4 = 1/6
| top score4 = 150
| deliveries4 = 8,014
| wickets4 = 243
| bowl avg4 = 21.76
| fivefor4 = 3
| tenfor4 = 0
| best bowling4 = 5/23
| catches/stumpings4 = 82/–
| date = 3 November
| year = 2019
| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/srilanka/content/player/273439.html ESPNcricinfo
}}

'''Senanayake Mudiyanselage Sachithra Madhushanka Senanayake''' ({{langx|si|සචිත්‍ර සේනානායක}}; born 9 February 1985) is a Sri Lankan playback singer and former professional cricketer who played all three formats of the game. He is [[first-class cricket]]er, who currently plays limited overs cricket. A bowling [[all-rounder]], he bats right-handed and bowls [[off spin]]. He has played first-class cricket for the [[Sinhalese Sports Club]] since 2006.<ref name="cricinfo profile">{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/srilanka/content/player/273439.html|title=Sachithra Senanayake: Sri Lanka|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=20 January 2012}}</ref>

He is the 150th ODI cap for Sri Lanka. Senanayake was a key member of [[2014 ICC World Twenty20]] winning team.

Senanayake was arrested on 6 September 2023 on match-fixing charges<ref name="ESPN-6S" /> and was subsequently indicted on 5 June 2025.<ref name="AD-5J" />

==Domestic career==
His call-up followed a domestic season in which he had taken the most wickets in the [[Sri Lankan Premier League]] limited overs tournament.<ref name="cricinfo profile"/> During the 2013 [[Indian Premier League]] auction he was bought by [[Kolkata Knight Riders]] for $15,000. On 2015, he contracted for [[2014 NatWest t20 Blast]] in England for the team [[Worcestershire County Cricket Club|Worcestershire]].

In March 2018, he was the leading wicket-taker in the [[2017–18 Premier Limited Overs Tournament]], with seventeen dismissals in eight matches.<ref name="PLO1718">{{Cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/bowling/most_wickets_career.html?id=12275;type=tournament |title=Premier Limited Over Tournament, 2017/18: Most Wickets |access-date=25 March 2018 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> Later the same month, he was named in Dambulla's squad for the [[2017–18 Super Four Provincial Tournament]].<ref name="STimes">{{cite news |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/article/1041112/cricket-mixed-opinions-on-provincial-tournament |title=Cricket: Mixed opinions on Provincial tournament |publisher=Sunday Times (Sri Lanka) |date=26 March 2018 |access-date=27 March 2018 |archive-date=27 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327035550/http://www.sundaytimes.lk/article/1041112/cricket-mixed-opinions-on-provincial-tournament |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="DailyS">{{cite news |url=https://dailysports.lk/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-sl-super-provincial-tournament/ |title=All you need to know about the SL Super Provincial Tournament |publisher=Daily Sports |date=26 March 2018 |access-date=27 March 2018}}</ref> The following month, he was also named in Dambulla's squad for the [[2018 Super Provincial One Day Tournament]].<ref name="2018ODT">{{cite news |url=http://www.thepapare.com/slc-super-provincial-50-tournament-squads-fixtures/ |title=SLC Super Provincial 50 over tournament squads and fixtures |work=The Papare |access-date=27 April 2018}}</ref>

In February 2019, [[Sri Lanka Cricket]] named him as the Best Bowler in the [[2017–18 Premier Limited Overs Tournament]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thepapare.com/best-performers-in-last-domestic-season-rewarded/ |title=New contracts for domestic players; 2017/18 best performers rewarded |work=The Papare |date=20 February 2019 |access-date=21 February 2019}}</ref> In March 2019, he was named in Kandy's squad for the [[2019 Super Provincial One Day Tournament]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thepapare.com/squads-fixtures-announced-for-slc-provincial-50-overs-tournament-2019/ |title=Squads, Fixtures announced for SLC Provincial 50 Overs Tournament |work=The Papare |date=19 March 2019 |access-date=19 March 2019}}</ref>

==International career==
Senanayake made his international debut for Sri Lanka in the fourth [[One Day International]] (ODI) of the [[Sri Lankan cricket team in South Africa in 2011–12|tour of South Africa]] in January 2012. From then, he was a regular part of Sri Lanka's spin attack in limited over cricket with [[Ajantha Mendis]] and occasionally with [[Seekkuge Prasanna]]. After a suspect bowling action, he showed poor bowling in later bilateral tournaments. However, he was included to the 15-men [[2015 ICC World Cup]] tournament as the main spinner of the team.

He was also named in the T20I XI by ESPNcricinfo for his performances in 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/review2013/content/story/705667.html|title = AB, Ajmal and Co}}</ref>

===Bowling action===
He was reported for bowling with a suspected [[illegal bowling action]] against England in June 2014 and subsequently banned from bowling in international cricket in July 2014. He was cleared to bowl in December 2014 and played in the fifth ODI [[English cricket team in Sri Lanka in 2014–15|against England]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Sachithra Senanayake & Kane Williamson cleared to bowl again |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/30394969 |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=11 December 2014 |access-date=11 December 2014 }}</ref>

===Mankading incident===
In 2014, he [[Mankading|Mankaded]] the English batsman [[Jos Buttler]] in a One Day International.<ref>{{cite news |last=Joshi |first=Pranav |date=5 June 2014 |title=Sri Lanka v/s England and the controversial history of 'Mankading' in world cricket |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/comment-sri-lanka-vs-england-and-the-controversial-history-of-mankading-in-world-cricket-1993628 |work=DNA |access-date=19 February 2017}}</ref>

===Remodel action===
Senanayake was cleared from the illegal bowling action with future notices and played in the 7-match ODI series against England at home. He was again called up for the [[2015 Cricket World Cup]] and did not have much impact in the pool match against Australia. He re-appeared in the fifth ODI against Pakistan in July 2015, where he took three crucial wickets.

The re-modeling action somewhat gave weaker performances in international arena to Senenayake.

==Beyond cricket==
Senananyake is a student of musician [[Sanath Nandasiri]] since school times. Due to cricketing career he missed music industry as he said. He is known to be a good singer and sang his first solo song ''Watina obage'' which was released in May 2016.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ1O1tpwC6U | title=Sachithra Senanayake in 'Watina Obage' music video | publisher=You Tube | access-date=27 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.islandcricket.lk/videos/sri-lanka/cricket/sachithra-senanayake-singing-with-his-team-mates | title=Sachithra Senanayake entertaining friends and team-mates | publisher=islandcricket.lk | access-date=27 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.ft.lk/article/517955/Yashan-releases-latest-music-video | title=Yashan releases latest music video | publisher=ft.lk | access-date=27 June 2016}}</ref> He also contributed for the cricket song ''Kirula Genemu'' by Centigradz, which was released prior to [[2015 Cricket World Cup]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.topsinhalamp3.com/songs/centigradz-mp3-songs/kirula-genemu-(cricket-world-cup-song-2015)-mp3-song.php | title=Kirula Genemu (Cricket World Cup Song 2015) by Centigradz ft Sachithra Senanayake | publisher=top Sinhala mp3 | access-date=27 June 2016}}</ref>

==Arrest and indictment for match-fixing==
On 6 September 2023, Senanayake was arrested on charges related to match-fixing. The alleged incident took place during the 2020 [[Lanka Premier League]].<ref name="ESPN-6S">{{Cite web |last=Fernando |first=Andrew Fidel |date=2023-09-06 |title=Senanayake arrested on charges related to match-fixing |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/sri-lanka-s-sachithra-senanayake-arrested-on-charges-related-to-match-fixing-1396578 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250530185937/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/sri-lanka-s-sachithra-senanayake-arrested-on-charges-related-to-match-fixing-1396578 |archive-date=2025-05-30 |access-date=2025-06-05 |website=espncricinfo.com}}</ref> He was subsequently indicted by the [[Attorney General of Sri Lanka|Attorney General]] at the [[High Court of Sri Lanka|Hambantota High Court]] on 5 June 2025.<ref name="AD-5J">{{Cite web |date=2025-06-05 |title=Former Sri Lanka cricketer Sachithra Senanayake indicted for match-fixing |url=https://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=109201 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250605074644/https://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=109201 |archive-date=2025-06-05 |access-date=2025-06-05 |website=www.adaderana.lk |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[One-Test wonder]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{cricinfo|id=273439}}

{{Navboxes
|title= Sri Lanka squads
|bg= blue
|fg= #FFCC00
|bordercolor=#FFCC00
|list1=
{{Sri Lanka Squad 2014 Asia Cup}}
{{Sri Lanka Squad 2014 ICC World Twenty20}}
{{Sri Lanka Squad 2015 Cricket World Cup}}
{{Sri Lanka Squad 2016 World Twenty20}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Senanayake, Sachithra}}
[[Category:1985 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sri Lanka Test cricketers]]
[[Category:Sri Lanka One Day International cricketers]]
[[Category:Sri Lanka Twenty20 International cricketers]]
[[Category:21st-century Sri Lankan sportsmen]]
[[Category:Sinhalese Sports Club cricketers]]
[[Category:Kolkata Knight Riders cricketers]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan expatriate cricketers in India]]
[[Category:Wayamba cricketers]]
[[Category:Ruhuna cricketers]]
[[Category:Uva Next cricketers]]
[[Category:Sydney Sixers cricketers]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan expatriate cricketers in Australia]]
[[Category:Cricketers at the 2015 Cricket World Cup]]
[[Category:Worcestershire cricketers]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan expatriate cricketers in England]]
[[Category:Kandy Crusaders cricketers]]
[[Category:Rangpur Riders cricketers]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan expatriate cricketers in Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Kandy District cricketers]]
[[Category:Cricketers from Colombo]]
[[Category:Sportspeople involved in betting scandals]]

Sachithra Senanayake - Revision history

FranklynDavitt2: Drafted.