Nishad Tharanga Paranavitana (born 15 April 1982) is a former Sri Lankan Test cricketer. He is an opening batsman and an off-breakbowler. He retired from all forms of cricket in August 2020.[1]
He made his international debut in a Test match against Pakistan in February 2009. During the second Test match of that series, while heading for the third day's play, he became one of the Sri Lankan cricketers wounded when their team bus was attacked by terrorists in Lahore, Pakistan.[6]
Despite being attacked and badly injured, Paranavitana recovered to register his maiden Test century sixteen months later on 18 July 2010 against India at Galle, Sri Lanka. He was dropped from the Test team at the end of 2011, being replaced by Lahiru Thirimanne for Sri Lanka's third Test of their tour of South Africa.[7]
Paranavitana scored two centuries in Test matches. The first, a score of 111, was made against India at Galle in July 2010.[8] The second came in the same month in the following match of India's tour of Sri Lanka, Paranavitana scoring exactly 100 runs.[9]