Bandula Warnapura, Sri Lanka's first Test captain who later became national coach and an SLC administrator, passed away on 18 October while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo. He was aged 68.
He had been admitted to ICU after he was diagnosed with high sugar levels, hindering blood circulation.
Warnapura captained during Sri Lanka's maiden Test against England in Colombo in 1982. In total, he played four Test matches (96 runs) and 12 ODIs (180 runs, 8 wickets). His short cricketing career came to an end when he was handed a life ban for touring apartheid South Africa in 1982/83.
In 1991, Warnapura was appointed national coach and an administrator of Sri Lanka Cricket. Three years later, he became Director of Coaching. In 2001, he became the Director of Operations of SLC. He also worked as Development Manager of the Asian Cricket Council, and referred in two Test matches and three ODIs in 2001 as well.
An opening batter and a medium pace bowler, Warnapura also led Sri Lanka to their historic win against India during the 1979 Cricket World Cup. In fact, he took the wicket of Sunil Gavaskar to trigger the Indian collapse that day. It was their only ODI win until they attained Test status.