Quick answer
Sri Lanka's cricket legends come from all over the island: Muttiah Muralitharan from Kandy, where he attended St Anthony's College; Kumar Sangakkara from Matale, near Kandy, schooled at Trinity College; Sanath Jayasuriya from Matara on the south coast; Lasith Malinga from Rathgama, near Galle; and Mahela Jayawardene, Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga from Colombo's cricket schools. Most hometowns are within an hour of a ground or a major sight.
Key takeaways
- Muttiah Muralitharan, Test cricket's leading wicket-taker with 800 wickets, was born in Kandy.
- Kumar Sangakkara was born in Matale and educated at Trinity College, Kandy.
- Sanath Jayasuriya, the hero of the 1996 World Cup, comes from Matara on the south coast.
- Lasith Malinga grew up in Rathgama, a coastal village a short drive north of Galle.
- Mahela Jayawardene, Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga all came through Colombo schools.
Kandy and Matale: Murali and Sangakkara
Kandy is the home of Muttiah Muralitharan, who was born there in 1972 and attended St Anthony's College at Katugastota, on the edge of the city. He went on to take 800 Test wickets, more than any other bowler, many of them against Australia.
Kumar Sangakkara was born in Matale, about 45 minutes north of Kandy, and went to Trinity College, Kandy, whose ground is the Asgiriya Stadium. Matale is known for its spice gardens and the Aluvihare rock temple, where Buddhist scriptures were first written down, and lies on the road from Kandy to Sigiriya.
There are no formal museums to either player, but their schools and towns are easy to see on a Pallekele leg, and locals are proud to point out the connections.
- →Kandy: Murali, St Anthony's College.
- →Matale: Sangakkara's birthplace, spice gardens.
- →Trinity College: Asgiriya Stadium.
Matara: Sanath Jayasuriya
Sanath Jayasuriya, the explosive opener who helped Sri Lanka win the 1996 World Cup, comes from Matara, a busy southern town about an hour east of Galle. He went to St Servatius' College in Matara, and remains a local hero there.
Matara is worth a stop on the south coast for its Dutch Star Fort, the island temple at Paravi Duwa, reached by a footbridge, and the Dondra Head lighthouse, about 15 minutes east, at the southernmost point of Sri Lanka.
Lankan Stays & Trails adds Matara to south coast days for cricket fans, combined with Mirissa and the lighthouse.
- →Jayasuriya: St Servatius' College.
- →Star Fort and Paravi Duwa.
- →Dondra Head lighthouse: the southern tip.
Rathgama and the coast near Galle: Malinga
Lasith Malinga, the fast bowler famous for his slinging action and yorkers, grew up in Rathgama, a coastal village a short drive north of Galle, and learned his cricket on the beaches and in the streets there. He went on to take hundreds of international wickets and two World Cup hat-tricks.
The stretch of coast around Rathgama, between Hikkaduwa and Galle, is a good place to see informal beach cricket at low tide, of exactly the kind where Malinga started. Galle's schools, Richmond College and Mahinda College, have produced many other national players.
- →Malinga: Rathgama, near Galle.
- →Beach cricket at low tide.
- →Richmond and Mahinda colleges in Galle.
Colombo's schools: Mahela, Aravinda and Arjuna
Many of Sri Lanka's great batters came through Colombo's cricket schools. Mahela Jayawardene went to Nalanda College, Arjuna Ranatunga, the 1996 World Cup captain, to Ananda College, and Aravinda de Silva, whose century won the 1996 final, to D. S. Senanayake College.
These schools are working schools, not museums, but their grounds can sometimes be visited with permission, and their big matches early in the year show where the stars began.
Colombo's club grounds, including the SSC and Nondescripts, are where many of these players went on to play first-class cricket.
- →Mahela Jayawardene: Nalanda College.
- →Arjuna Ranatunga: Ananda College.
- →Aravinda de Silva: D. S. Senanayake College.
Planning a cricket pilgrimage
A cricket pilgrimage fits naturally around a tour. Kandy and Matale fit a Pallekele leg, Matara and Rathgama fit a Galle Test, and the Colombo schools fit a white-ball leg in the capital. None needs a special trip.
Be respectful: these are towns and schools, not attractions. Ask before entering school grounds, and enjoy the conversations with local fans, who will happily share stories of their heroes.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Muttiah Muralitharan from?
Muttiah Muralitharan was born in Kandy in 1972 and attended St Anthony's College at Katugastota, on the edge of the city. He went on to take 800 Test wickets, the most in history. Kandy is about 30 to 40 minutes from Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
Where is Kumar Sangakkara from?
Kumar Sangakkara was born in Matale, about 45 minutes north of Kandy, and went to Trinity College, Kandy, one of Sri Lanka's best-known cricket schools, whose ground is the Asgiriya Stadium. Matale is on the road between Kandy and Sigiriya.
Where is Sanath Jayasuriya from?
Sanath Jayasuriya comes from Matara, a southern town about an hour east of Galle, and went to St Servatius' College there. He was a key player in Sri Lanka's 1996 World Cup win. Matara has a Dutch Star Fort, an island temple and the Dondra Head lighthouse nearby.
Where did Lasith Malinga grow up?
Lasith Malinga grew up in Rathgama, a coastal village a short drive north of Galle, and learned cricket on the local beaches and streets. The coast between Hikkaduwa and Galle is a good place to watch informal beach cricket at low tide.
Are there cricket museums in Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka has few formal cricket museums. The history is felt mostly through the grounds, such as Galle, the SSC, the P Sara Oval and Asgiriya, and the schools, whose pavilions often have honour boards and photographs. Ask locally about any small displays at club grounds.
Which school did Mahela Jayawardene go to?
Mahela Jayawardene went to Nalanda College in Colombo, one of the city's leading cricket schools. He went on to become one of Sri Lanka's greatest batters and captains. School grounds can sometimes be visited with permission, arranged through the school or a tour operator.
Can you combine a cricket pilgrimage with a tour?
You can easily. Kandy and Matale fit a Pallekele leg, Matara and Rathgama fit a Galle Test, and the Colombo schools fit a white-ball leg in the capital. Each is within about an hour of a ground or a major sight.