Somachandra de Silva
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| Full name | Dandeniyage Somachandra de Silva | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 11 June 1942 Galle, British Ceylon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 15 December 2025 (aged 83) London, England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname | DS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm leg break googly | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Test debut (cap 2) | 17 Feb 1982 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 23 Aug 1984 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI debut (cap 1) | 7 June 1975 v West Indies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last ODI | 27 February 1985 v West Indies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 14 August 2016 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dandeniyage Somachandra de Silva (11 June 1942 – 15 December 2025), also known as D. S. de Silva, was a Sri Lankan cricketer, who played Test and One Day International cricket in the 1970s and 1980s. He was the first ODI cap for Sri Lanka, second Test cap for Sri Lanka and was part of Sri Lanka's first Test team. He bowled leg spin, and on the tour of Pakistan in 1982 he became the first Sri Lankan bowler to take five wickets in a Test innings. He was also the oldest player to lead Sri Lanka in Test cricket during a Test tour to New Zealand in 1983. He is also regarded as the longest serving spinner to have played for Sri Lanka and considered one of the finest leg spinners to have emerged from Sri Lanka.