✦ Celebrity stories, facts and career updates. Explore F4U now →

Home › Biography › Bhanuka Rajapaksa

Bhanuka Rajapaksa biographyFeatured Biography

Image source: StarsUnfolded

Celebrities

Bhanuka Rajapaksa Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 28, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth24 October 1991

Age30 Years

BirthplaceColombo, Sri Lanka

ProfessionCricketer (Batsman)

NationalitySri Lankan

Marital statusMarried

SpouseSandrine Pereira

FamilyRelated to Mahinda Rajapaksa

Bhanuka Rajapaksa Biography

Left-handed Sri Lankan batsman Pramod Bhanuka Bandara Rajapaksa rose through the youth ranks to become a powerful limited-overs hitter for Sri Lanka and aT

Early life and background

Pramod Bhanuka Bandara Rajapaksa was born on 24 October 1991 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He grew up in the capital and attended Royal College, Colombo, where he first made his mark as a cricketer. As a youngster he was active in other sports, including swimming and squash, and has said that a serious illness in childhood led him to focus on cricket instead of diving.

Career

Rajapaksa emerged as a standout youth player for Sri Lanka. He featured in the national Under-19 side and was Sri Lanka's leading run-scorer in the 2010 Under-19 Cricket World Cup, finishing that tournament with 253 runs. He also became the first Sri Lankan U19 player to surpass 1,000 Youth ODI runs and twice won the Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year award.

He made his early senior appearances in domestic cricket for teams including Sinhalese Sports Club and was a regular performer across Sri Lanka's provincial and franchise competitions. His domestic teams have included Ruhuna, Uva Next, Galle, Dambulla and squads in the Lanka Premier League and other franchise tournaments. Rajapaksa has also played outside Sri Lanka for sides such as Comilla Victorians in Bangladesh, Deccan Gladiators and The Chennai Braves in Abu Dhabi T10 events, and was signed by the Indian Premier League franchise Punjab Kings.

At international level, Rajapaksa is a left-handed batsman and occasional right-arm medium bowler. He made his T20 international debut against Pakistan on 5 October 2019 and earned his ODI debut on 18 July 2021 versus India at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium. He impressed early in his T20I opportunities, notably in the 2019 series in Pakistan where he produced a match-winning 77 off 48 balls and was named player of the match in the second game of that series.

Rajapaksa has also been a regular figure in domestic T20 competitions. He represented Galle Gladiators in multiple Lanka Premier League seasons, was part of the Galle side that reached the 2021 LPL final, and contributed to Dambulla and Kandy squads in Sri Lanka's provincial tournaments. In July 2021 he was selected for Sri Lanka's squad for the limited-overs series against India and later named to the squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. He made his IPL debut for Punjab Kings on 27 March 2022.

Public profile

Rajapaksa is known for his aggressive strokeplay in limited-overs cricket and for being a powerful hitter. He has spoken openly about the ups and downs of his journey to international cricket, describing how it took him about a decade from his domestic debut in 2009 to break into the national side. His comments on selection and fitness issues drew public attention and led to a dispute with national team management in 2021 over fitness standards and media interviews; disciplinary action was later taken by Sri Lanka Cricket.

Off the field, Rajapaksa is a family man. He married Sandrine Pereira on 5 April 2021 in a Catholic ceremony. He is also known as an animal lover and keeps several pet dogs. He has been photographed with his pets and his wife, and has shown an interest in improving his fitness over time, working with a personal trainer.

Latest updates

In late 2021 and into 2022 Rajapaksa remained active in franchise cricket and was bought by Punjab Kings at the 2022 IPL auction. He briefly announced his retirement from international cricket citing family reasons and a wish to prepare for fatherhood, but withdrew that retirement in January 2022 at the request of the sports minister. In 2022 he also took on a brand ambassador role for a Sri Lankan restaurant chain ahead of his IPL stint.

Throughout his career Rajapaksa has balanced domestic and international commitments, carving a reputation as a dynamic limited-overs batsman who reached international cricket after many years of persistence on the domestic circuit.
◈

Recent Work

Punjab Kings (Indian Premier League)

Signed at the IPL 2022 auction and made his IPL debut on 27 March 2022.

2022
Galle Gladiators (Lanka Premier League)

Played for Galle Gladiators in multiple LPL seasons, including the 2021 tournament where the team finished runners-up.

2021
Sri Lanka limited-overs squad

Named to Sri Lanka's squads for the July 2021 India series and the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

2021
✦

Career Highlights

  1. Leading run-scorer for Sri Lanka at the 2010 Under-19 Cricket World Cup
  2. First Sri Lankan U19 player to accumulate 1,000 Youth ODI runs
  3. Two-time Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year
  4. T20I match-winning 77 off 48 in Pakistan series (2019)
  5. Selected for Sri Lanka's squad at the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup
  6. Signed by Punjab Kings for the 2022 IPL and made IPL debut
?

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Bhanuka Rajapaksa born?

24 October 1991

What is Bhanuka Rajapaksa known for?

Cricketer (Batsman)

What is Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s marital status?

Married

Who is Bhanuka Rajapaksa married to?

Sandrine Pereira