New DelhiMalinda Pushpakumara, a former Test cricket player, reached a significant milestone in domestic cricket by taking 1000 wickets in first-class cricket. Pushpakumara is now only the third active player and fourth Sri Lankan to accomplish this feat.
Pushpakumara, 38, accomplished the feat while representing Badureliya Sports Club against Moors Sports Club in the three-day Sri Lanka Major League competition. Pushpakumara last played for Sri Lanka in 2018. Along with Muthiah Muralidaran (1374), Rangana Herath (1080), and Dinuka Hettiarachchi (1001), he is now the fourth Sri Lankan to reach this milestone.
The third active player to reach the milestone is Pushpakumara.The 38-year-old had 998 wickets going into the game, and he finished with 7/137 to reach 1005. Although he is only the third active player to reach 1000 wickets in the red-ball format, he is the 218th player to do so.
James Anderson of England and Simon Harmer of South Africa are the other two active players. Anderson accomplished the feat six years prior, in 2021, whereas Harmer did so last year. In terms of current players, Australia's spinner, who has taken 860 wickets in first-class cricket, is the next closest after Pushpakumara.
The global career of PushpakumaraPushpakumara has represented Sri Lanka in two ODIs and four Test matches. In August 2017, he played his first Test match against India. In a subsequent match against the Indian team, the spinner bowled two innings and claimed five wickets.
He took nine wickets in four innings during his two games against England. In November 2018, he played his final Test match against the England squad. In August and September of 2017, Pushpakumara participated in two One-Day Internationals (ODIs) against the Men in Blue.