KennyReveley866 at 02:41, 15 March 2026

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{{Short description|Sri Lankan cricket umpire (born 1971)}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| honorific_prefix = [[Deshabandu]]
| name = Kumar Dharmasena
| image =
| caption =
| fullname = Handunnettige Deepthi Priyantha Kumara Dharmasena
| nickname = Unanduwa
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|4|24|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Colombo]], Sri Lanka
| heightm = 1.72
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling = Right-arm offbreak
| role = [[All-rounder]], [[Umpire (cricket)|umpire]]

| international = true
| internationalspan = 1993–2004
| country = Sri Lanka
| testdebutdate = 6 September
| testdebutyear = 1993
| testdebutagainst = South Africa
| testcap = 59
| lasttestdate = 8 March
| lasttestyear = 2004
| lasttestagainst = Australia

| odidebutdate = 24 August
| odidebutyear = 1994
| odidebutagainst = Pakistan
| odicap = 82
| lastodidate = 25 February
| lastodiyear = 2004
| lastodiagainst = Australia
| odishirt = 66

| club1 = [[Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club]]
| year1 = 1988–2006
| clubnumber1 =
| club2 = [[Nondescripts Cricket Club]]
| year2 = 1992
| clubnumber2 =
| club3 = [[Moratuwa Cricket Club]]
| year3 = 1994
| clubnumber3 =

| umpire = true
| testsumpired = 93
| umptestdebutyr = 2010
| umptestlastyr = 2025
| odisumpired = 140
| umpodidebutyr = 2009
| umpodilastyr = 2026
| t20isumpired = 52
| umpt20idebutyr = 2009
| umpt20ilastyr = 2026
| wodisumpired = 1
| umpwodidebutyr = 2008
| umpwodilastyr =

| columns = 4
| column1 = [[Test cricket|Test]]
| matches1 = 31
| runs1 = 868
| bat avg1 = 19.72
| 100s/50s1 = 0/3
| top score1 = 62[[not out|*]]
| deliveries1 = 6,939
| wickets1 = 69
| bowl avg1 = 42.31
| fivefor1 = 3
| tenfor1 = 0
| best bowling1 = 6/72
| catches/stumpings1 = 14/–
| column2 = [[One Day International|ODI]]
| matches2 = 141
| runs2 = 1,222
| bat avg2 = 22.62
| 100s/50s2 = 0/4
| top score2 = 69[[not out|*]]
| deliveries2 = 7,009
| wickets2 = 138
| bowl avg2 = 36.21
| fivefor2 = 0
| tenfor2 = 0
| best bowling2 = 4/37
| catches/stumpings2 = 34/–
| column3 = [[First-class cricket|FC]]
| matches3 = 155
| runs3 = 6,550
| bat avg3 = 36.18
| 100s/50s3 = 9/37
| top score3 = 157
| deliveries3 = 25,549
| wickets3 = 495
| bowl avg3 = 20.77
| fivefor3 = 30
| tenfor3 = 5
| best bowling3 = 7/30
| catches/stumpings3 = 78/–
| column4 = [[List A cricket|LA]]
| matches4 = 206
| runs4 = 2,281
| bat avg4 = 26.21
| 100s/50s4 = 0/9
| top score4 = 94[[not out|*]]
| deliveries4 = 9,747
| wickets4 = 234
| bowl avg4 = 28.62
| fivefor4 = 3
| tenfor4 = 0
| best bowling4 = 5/14
| catches/stumpings4 = 50/–
|medaltemplates=
{{MedalSport|Men's [[Cricket]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{SRI}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[ICC Cricket World Cup]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[1996 Cricket World Cup|1996 India-Pakistan-Sri Lanka]]|}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[ICC Champions Trophy]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[2002 ICC Champions Trophy|2002 Sri Lanka]]|}}
| date = 24 November 2023
| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/srilanka/content/player/48469.html Cricinfo
}}

[[Deshabandu]] '''Handunnettige Deepthi Priyantha Kumar Dharmasena''' (born 24 April 1971) is a Sri Lankan [[cricket]] [[umpire (cricket)|umpire]] and former international cricketer.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/657430 |title=International cricketers turned umpires |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=7 April 2018}}</ref> He is a member of the [[Elite Panel of ICC Umpires]] and the first person to participate in an ICC Cricket World Cup final both as a player and an umpire. A right-handed batsman and a right-arm [[off break]] bowler, Dharmasena was a member of the Sri Lankan side that won the [[1996 Cricket World Cup]] and the side which were joint-winners of the [[2002 ICC Champions Trophy]] with India.

== Playing career ==
Dharmasena was born in Colombo on 24 April 1971.<ref name="Cricinfo-profile">{{cite web|author=Austin, Charlie|title=Kumar Dharmasena|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/srilanka/content/player/48469.html|access-date=16 December 2012|publisher=[[ESPNcricinfo]]}}</ref> He started his cricketing career as a teenager at [[Nalanda College Colombo]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=23 October 2020|title=Kumara Dharmasena now a planter of 'liquid gold'|url=http://archives1.sundayobserver.lk/2020/10/25/sports/kumara-dharmasena-now-planter-%E2%80%98liquid-gold%E2%80%99|access-date=22 April 2021|website=Sunday Observer|language=en}}</ref> His first foray into international cricket was in 1994 in a Test match against [[South African cricket team|South Africa]].<ref name="Cricinfo-profile" />

His obscure action made him perfect for bowling in one-day matches, yet Dharmasena also proved a useful batsman, especially after he was investigated in 1998 by the [[International Cricket Council|ICC]] for overstretching his bowling action to illegal proportions. Having been cleared in July 2000, he played for the one-day team on several occasions since, but rarely played Test cricket.<ref name="Cricinfo-profile" />

Dharmasena was the 59th Sri Lankan cricketer to receive a Test cap (Sri Lanka v South Africa at Colombo Sinhalese Sports Club 1993).

Kumar Dharmasena has the record for playing the most number of ODI innings before being dismissed for a duck (72 innings).<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/wi/content/records/284081.html|title=Records {{!}} One-Day Internationals {{!}} Batting records {{!}} Most innings before first duck {{!}} ESPN Cricinfo|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=22 February 2017}}</ref>

He along with [[Dulip Liyanage]] set the record for the highest 8th wicket runstand for Sri Lanka in ODI cricket (91).<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/fow/highest_partnerships_by_wicket.html?class=2;id=8;type=team|title=Cricket Records {{!}} Records {{!}} Sri Lanka {{!}} One-Day Internationals {{!}} Highest partnerships by wicket {{!}} ESPN Cricinfo|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=28 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/64556.html|title=Only ODI: West Indies v Sri Lanka at Port of Spain, Jun 6, 1997 {{!}} Cricket Scorecard {{!}} ESPN Cricinfo|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=28 March 2017}}</ref>

==Umpiring career==
Following his retirement as a cricketer in November 2006, Dharmasena announced plans to become a competitive umpire, as he wished to remain "close to the game which I love so dearly".<ref name="umpireannounce">{{cite web | url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/srilanka/content/story/267959.html | title=Kumar Dharmasena to pursue umpiring career | publisher=ESPNcricinfo | date=15 November 2006 | access-date=16 December 2012 | author=Thawfeeq, Sa'adi}}</ref> Prior to his retirement, he had already umpired several domestic matches in the Sara Trophy, the major first-class cricket tournament in Sri Lanka.<ref name="umpireannounce"/> He umpired his first international match in 2009, overseeing the [[one-day international]] between India and Sri Lanka at the Rangiri International Stadium in [[Dambulla]]:<ref>{{cite book | title=[[Wisden Cricketer's Almanack]] | publisher=John Wisden & Co | year=2010 | location=London | pages=1333 | chapter=Sri Lanka v. India, 2008–09 | isbn=978-1-4081-24642}}</ref> he remains the youngest ever Sri Lankan to umpire any international match.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.icc-cricket.com/the-icc/match_officials/panel_of_umpires.php |title=Match Officials – Emirates Elite Panel of Umpires |publisher=[[International Cricket Council]] |access-date=16 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121216100710/http://www.icc-cricket.com/the-icc/match_officials/panel_of_umpires.php |archive-date=16 December 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He umpired in the [[2011 Cricket World Cup]], and was appointed to the [[Elite Panel of ICC Umpires]] later that year.<ref name="Cricinfo-profile"/> Dharmasena was named the Umpire of the Year at the [[2012 ICC Awards]], receiving the [[David Shepherd (umpire)|David Shepherd]] Trophy.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/story/582366.html | title=Kumar Dharmasena voted Umpire of the Year | publisher=ESPNcricinfo | date=15 September 2012 | access-date=16 December 2012}}</ref>

He was selected as one of the twenty umpires to stand in matches during the [[2015 Cricket World Cup]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2014/media-releases/83319/icc-announces-match-officials-for-icc-cricket-world-cup-2015 |title=ICC announces match officials for ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 |publisher=ICC Cricket |date=2 December 2014 |access-date=12 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150330201852/http://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2014/media-releases/83319/icc-announces-match-officials-for-icc-cricket-world-cup-2015 |archive-date=30 March 2015 }}</ref> and umpired in [[2015 Cricket World Cup Final|the final]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-cricket-world-cup-2015/engine/match/656495.html |title=ICC Cricket World Cup, Final: Australia v New Zealand at Melbourne, Mar 29, 2015 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=29 March 2015 |access-date=29 March 2015}}</ref> In doing so he became the first to play in and to umpire World Cup finals.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/cricket-world-cup-kumar-dharmasena-first-to-play-and-umpire-in-final-20150327-1m9mne.html|title=Cricket World Cup: Kumar Dharmasena first to play and umpire in final|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|author=Jesse Hogan|date=28 March 2015|access-date=25 January 2016}}</ref> He stood in the [[2016 ICC World Twenty20 Final|final]] of the [[2016 ICC World Twenty20]].<ref name="2016T20">{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/951373.html |title=World T20, Final: England v West Indies at Kolkata, Apr 3, 2016 |access-date=10 April 2016 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref>

Kumar Dharmasena has worked as an umpire in 18 matches of ICC World T20, the most by any umpire from Sri Lanka.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/individual/most_matches_umpire.html?id=89;type=trophy|title=Cricket Records {{!}} Records {{!}} World T20 {{!}} Most matches as an umpire {{!}} ESPN Cricinfo|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=25 February 2017}}</ref>

In January 2019, he won the David Shepherd Trophy for the ICC Umpire of the Year at the 2018 [[ICC Awards]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/980940 |title=Finch, Macleod, Pant and Williamson named for ICC Player Awards |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=22 January 2019}}</ref> In April 2019, he was named as one of the sixteen umpires to stand in matches during the [[2019 Cricket World Cup]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/1198051 |title=Match officials for ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019 announced |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=26 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/1182149.html |title=Umpire Ian Gould to retire after World Cup |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=26 April 2019}}</ref> In July 2019, he was named as one of the two on-field umpires for the second semi-final match, between [[Australia national cricket team|Australia]] and [[England cricket team|England]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/1266863 |title=Officials appointed for ICC Men's Cricket World Cup semi-finals |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=7 July 2019}}</ref> Later the same month, he was also named as one of the two on-field umpires for the [[2019 Cricket World Cup Final|Cricket World Cup Final]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/27174119/kumar-dharmasena-umpire-final-jason-roy-controversy |title=Kumar Dharmasena to umpire final despite Jason Roy controversy |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=12 July 2019}}</ref> England won the match in a Super Over.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/jul/14/england-new-zealand-cricket-world-cup-final-match-report-super-over|title=England win Cricket World Cup after super-over drama against New Zealand |website=The Guardian|date=14 July 2019 |access-date=1 September 2019 |last1=Marks |first1=Vic }}</ref> He admitted an error at a critical moment in the match, but said he did not regret it. Had the right decision been made, England would have required 4 runs instead of 3 to win off the last 2 balls.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/firstcricket/sports-news/kumar-dharmasena-admits-his-error-in-world-cup-2019-final-overthrow-controversy-doesnt-regret-decision-7029611.html|title=Kumar Dharmasena admits 'error' in World Cup 2019 final overthrow controversy, doesn't regret decision|date=21 July 2019|agency=Agence France-Presse |website=Firstpost|access-date=1 September 2019}}</ref>

He also umpired the final match of the [[2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup]] between Pakistan and England.<ref>{{Cite web |title=These 2 umpires to assume on-field duties in Pakistan vs England T20 World Cup 2022 Final – Check |url=https://zeenews.india.com/cricket/pak-vs-eng-t20-world-cup-2022-final-marais-erasmus-and-kumar-dharmasena-to-assume-on-field-duties-confirms-icc-2534244.html |access-date=17 April 2023 |website=Zee News |language=en}}</ref>

In September 2023, he was named as one of the sixteen match officials for [[2023 Cricket World Cup]].<ref name="2023 Officials">{{cite news |title=Match officials for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 named |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/3676407 |access-date=22 September 2023 |work=icc-cricket.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=ICC announce Match Officials for ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/3676805 |access-date=22 September 2023 |work=icc-cricket.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Records==
* Dharmasena is the one of two people (alongside [[Richard Illingworth]]) to have played in a Final of the [[Cricket World Cup]] as well as officiated in the final of the World Cup. He had played in the [[1996 Cricket World Cup Final]] and featured as an on-field umpire twice in [[2015 Cricket World Cup Final|2015]] and [[2019 Cricket World Cup Final|2019]] World Cup finals.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kumar Dharmasena First to Play and Umpire in World Cup Final {{!}} Cricket News |url=https://sports.ndtv.com/icc-cricket-world-cup-2015/kumar-dharmasena-first-to-play-and-umpire-in-world-cup-final-1502948 |access-date=9 June 2022 |work=NDTVSports.com |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Test cricket umpires]]
* [[List of One Day International cricket umpires]]
* [[List of Twenty20 International cricket umpires]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{ESPNcricinfo|id=48469}}

{{ICC Umpire of the Year}}
{{Elite Panel of ICC Umpires}}
{{Navboxes
|title=Sri Lanka squads
|bg=blue
|fg=#FFCC00
|bordercolor=#FFCC00
|list1=
{{Sri Lanka Squad 1996 Cricket World Cup}}
{{Sri Lanka Squad 1997 Asia Cup}}
{{Sri Lanka Squad 2002 ICC Champions Trophy}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dharmasena, Kumar}}
[[Category:1971 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sri Lanka One Day International cricketers]]
[[Category:Sri Lanka Test cricketers]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan cricketers]]
[[Category:Cricketers at the 1996 Cricket World Cup]]
[[Category:Basnahira North cricketers]]
[[Category:Nondescripts Cricket Club cricketers]]
[[Category:Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club cricketers]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan Test cricket umpires]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan One Day International cricket umpires]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan Twenty20 International cricket umpires]]
[[Category:Alumni of Nalanda College, Colombo]]
[[Category:North Central Province cricketers]]
[[Category:Sri Lanka Cricket Combined XI cricketers]]
[[Category:Deshabandu]]
[[Category:Cricketers from Colombo]]

Kumar Dharmasena - Revision history

KennyReveley866 at 02:41, 15 March 2026