Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas (born 27 January 1974) is a former Sri Lankan international cricketer who has played all forms of the game and a former ODI captain, often described as the greatest fast bowler, the Sri Lanka due to his highly accurate lines, lengths and ability to swing the ball. Vaas currently holds the record for best bowling figures in ODI history and is the only bowler to score an 8-wicket move in ODIs.

Chaminda Vaas is a cricketer who plays for the Sri Lanka national cricket team. He has been part of the team since 1994 and has enjoyed a successful period with the squad. Chaminda Vaas was born on January 27, 1974 in Mattumagala. Chaminda Vaas made his debut with the Sri Lanka national cricket team in 1994 in the ODI/T20/Test format.

Chaminda Vaas plays for the Sri Lanka National Cricket Team ODI/T20/Test format. He represents Sri Lanka, Asia XI, Basnahira North, Colts Cricket Club, Deccan Chargers, Hampshire, Marylebone Cricket Club, Middlesex, Northamptonshire, Worcestershire team in national cricket.

Personal Life

Vaas is a Roman Catholic and is known to pray before every game. He wanted to be a priest from a young age but believed that God wanted him to play cricket instead. "I seriously thought about becoming a priest, which would have meant 12 to 14 years of study. But then cricket started to take over. I think God made me to be a cricketer, so I'm happy that's my calling. " He suffered some minor injuries during the 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka cricket team bus by gunmen in Lahore, which led to the abandonment of this Test series against Pakistan.

He is married to Wasana, whom he married in 1999, and the couple have three children, a daughter and two sons.

According to Bill Frindall, scorer and statistician for BBC Radio's Test Match Special, his initials should be WPUJC since Chaminda is actually his penultimate name. Vaas' full name is often cited in lists of the longest names in the cricket world.

Vaas hails from Mattumagala, a village near Wattala on the outskirts of Colombo. He attended St Anthony's College, Wattala for elementary school and is a graduate of St Joseph's College, Colombo, known as the alma mater of many cricketers and politicians. The "Murali Vaas Trophy" awarded to the winner of the annual cricket match between St Joseph's and historic rival St Anthony's College in Kandy was named after him and St Anthony's graduate Muttiah Muralitharan.

In 2015, Vaas and former Sri Lankan captain Marvan Atapattu were awarded Honorary Life Membership of Marylebone Cricket Club.

Domestic Career

Vaas joined Colts Cricket Club after leaving school and made his first-class debut against Galle Cricket Club in December 1990 aged 16. He joined Middlesex County Cricket Club for the 2007 cricket season as an overseas registry. In 2008, he signed a $200,000 contract with Deccan Chargers of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He played 4 games for the Deccan Chargers team and picked 4 wickets with an average of 26.61. In 2009 he played a few games in the P.Sen Trophy for Mohun Bagan.

He also joined Northamptonshire County Cricket Club for the 2010 T20 competition and found himself in the unusual position of opening batting despite having recorded well for three and a half centuries. He then signed a contract to join Northants for the entire 2011 and 2012 seasons.

In late 2011, after a great overall performance, he was named Player of the Season after beating the bowling average by taking 70 first-class wickets with an average of 21.44 apiece and also hitting 403 runs with a 403 average 26.9. Vaas was sacked by Northants at the end of the 2012 season due to persistent injury problems throughout the year.

International Career

Almost 4 years after his first class debut, after just 13 games, Vaas made his Test debut for Sri Lanka cricket team against Pakistan in August 1994 in Kandy. Within his first year with the national team, he made a huge impression guiding Sri Lanka to their first away win in a friendly against New Zealand in Napier, with 5-47 & 5-43, 33 & 36 points and a Man of the Match nomination. In the second Test at Dunedin, only his sixth Test, he took his third five-wicket haul and was again named man of the match.

He was a regular member of the ODI team during the 1996 World Cup, playing in all six matches including the final where Sri Lanka defeated Australia to become world champions for the first time.

In 2001-02 he took 26 wickets at home in a series win against the West Indies. That included a match-haul of 14 wickets in the third Test, a feat unmatched by only two fast bowlers in the subcontinent, the other being Imran Khan.

At the 2003 Cricket World Cup in South Africa, Vaas took 23 wickets to become the tournament's leading wicket-taker. That included a best of 6-25 against Bangladesh, where Vaas also had a hat-trick with Bangladesh's first three deliveries of innings. It is the first time in Test or One-Day history that a bowler has scored a hat trick with the first three balls of a game.

In August 2004, he conceded six wickets in the second innings at SSC to give Sri Lanka their first-ever series win over South Africa by delivering a comprehensive caning. Along with fast bowler Lasith Malinga, a sly Vaas, he exploits the conditions far better than the visitors and in the fourth innings the pair terrorize South Africa's batsmen.

In July 2005, Vaas capped off another superb match against the West Indies by conceding 13 wickets in a 2-0 drubbing to become Man of the Series.

In December 2005 he reached the 300-wicket milestone in Tests against India.

For his performances in 2004 and 2005 he was included in the World Test XI by the ICC. He was also voted into the ICC ODI Team of the Year in 2004 and 2007.

On June 26, 2007 in Colombo, he made his first Test century against Bangladesh when he scored 100 points not failing in a 577-6 aggregate. This came in his 97th Test match, which at the time was a record for most Tests before scoring a first century (since passed by Anil Kumble).

Shortly afterwards, in November 2007, Vaas played his 100th friendly against England, which also marked Sanath Jayasuriya's last friendly for Sri Lanka. During the historic 2007/08 West Indies Tour, Sri Lanka's first Test victory on Caribbean soil, he took a total of twelve wickets and was also named Man of the Match of the First Test. He notably sacked all-rounder Chris Gayle for the seventh time in as many Tests, knocking him out for a duck in the first Test.

Late Career

On August 27, 2008, Vaas Yuvraj Singh bowled a duck in his final ODI match, the fourth match of the ODI series against India to complete his milestone 400th ODI wicket. He joined Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and teammate Muttiah Muralitharan as only the fourth bowler in international cricket to have taken 400 ODI wickets.

He retired from Test cricket after the 3rd Test against Pakistan in July 2009.

World Records

Chaminda Vaas is Sri Lanka's most successful pace bowler, having won 355 Test wickets from 111 Tests. He led Sri Lanka's new ball attack for over a decade. He reached his 300th Test wicket on December 12, 2005 against India, becoming one of the three Sri Lankan bowlers to reach that milestone along with Muttiah Muralitharan and Rangana Herath.

Vaas has also taken 400 One Day International wickets, only the second Sri Lankan to do so, also after Muralitharan. Only three bowlers have taken more wickets in the history of ODI cricket. His partnership with Muralitharan is statistically one of the most prolific bowling duos in international cricket of any format.

Vaas holds the record for best bowling performance in one-day international cricket with his 8 for 19 from eight overs against Zimbabwe in December 2001 at the Sinhala Sports Club Ground. Vaas took the first eight wickets of Zimbabwe's then-record-low ODI innings of 38, with Muralitharan taking the last two wickets in his first over. It remains the only eight-wicket draw in the history of ODI cricket.

Vaas has scored two ODI hat-tricks in his career, the third of just four players to do so. The first was recorded as part of his 8/19 spell in 2001. Vaas is also one of only two bowlers to hit two five-wicket hauls at McLean Park.

Coaching Career

In October 2012 he was signed to coach the New Zealand fast bowlers during their tour of Sri Lanka which included two friendly matches. In May 2013 he was appointed as the bowling coach of the Sri Lankan team that competed in the Champions Trophy competition in England. He was Sri Lanka's bowling coach until April 2015.

In January 2016, Vaas was appointed bowling coach for the Irish cricket team. His short-term stint included two T20Is against United Arab Emirates cricket team in UAE and 2016 ICC World Twenty20 in India. After ending his contract, he was reinstated in August 2016 to act as a consultant for fast bowling in Sri Lanka.

On July 21, 2017, Vaas Champaka replaced Ramanayake as Sri Lanka's bowling coach. Sri Lanka Cricket announced that Vaas will mentor the team during the India tour of Sri Lanka in 2017.

On February 19, 2021, Vaas replaced David Saker as Sri Lanka's fast bowling coach. However, Vaas resigned on 21 February on the eve of Sri Lanka's departure for their West Indies tour, citing salary problems.

Retirement

In 2009, Vaas announced his retirement from Test cricket and subsequently retired from all forms of the game. He continued to be a part of the cricket world after his retirement.

In 2012 he coached New Zealand fast bowlers. The following year he was appointed bowling coach for Sri Lanka.

In 2016 he served as short-term coach for the Ireland team and was then reinstated as a consultant for Sri Lanka, later replacing Champaka Ramanayake as Sri Lanka's bowling coach.

Record in Numbers

Vaas holds the record for the only 8-fer in ODIs with his 8 for 19 in just eight overs against Bangladesh in the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup. This feat included a hat-trick scored on the first three balls of Bangladesh's innings.

It was the first time a hat-trick was scored on the first three balls. He was also the youngest bowler to win 300 wickets in ODI cricket.

Career Achievements

• Chaminda Vaas is the youngest pace bowler to win 300 wickets in ODI.
• He is one of four players to have twice hat-tricked ODI in his career.
• Chaminda Vaas holds the record for best bowling figures in ODI, 8/19 against Zimbabwe in 2001.
• The second highest wicket-taker at 300 wickets for Sri Lanka, who is next to Muttiah Muralitharan.
• First bowler to score a hat trick on the first three balls in a 2003 World Cup game.
• One of the two players to score two five-wicket hauls at McLean Park.