Bhanuka Rajapaksa is a Colombo-born left-handed batsman and also the relative of the former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Having sporting interests in squash and swimming, the southpaw chose to play cricket over any other sport. Bhanuka started playing cricket in his college days representing the Royal College Colombo. After becoming a key member of his college team, Bhanuka made his T20 and List A debut during his teenage in 2009 representing the Schools Invitation XI and Sinhalese Sports Club respectively and further advanced into Sri Lanka's U-19 team.
 
Bhanuka was also part of the 2010 Youth World Cup where he successfully showcased his skills by amassing 253 runs in the tournament. Before the 2010 U-19 World Cup, he had an exceptional tour in Australia where he smashed 154 off 111 deliveries for Sri Lanka U-19 and also ended up as the leading run-scorer of the series. Such extraordinary performances at the Youth level earned him the "Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year" award in 2011 and he was also felicitated with the Young Emerging Player of Under 19 Category.
 
Rajapaksa made his first-class debut for the Sinhalese Sports Club in 2011 and since then has been a regular face in the domestic circuit. Even though Bhanuka has been playing domestic cricket for years, he failed to grab the attention of the national selectors until 2019. Keeping in mind his three-dimensional abilities, the selectors named him in Sri Lanka's T20 squad for the Pakistan tour in September 2019 after most of the prime players opted out of the series due to security reasons.
 
Bhanuka didn't waste much time in impressing everyone with his batting ability. In the second T20I, he stroked a fluent 77 and was involved in a record third-wicket partnership for Sri Lanka. Rajapaksa finished as the leading run-scorer of the 3-match T20I series and proved his mettle with the bat.

bhanuka rajapaksa