| Ajit de Silva | |
| Fullname: | Ginigalgodage Ramba Ajit de Silva |
| Birth Place: | Ambalangoda, Sri Lanka |
| Country: | Sri Lanka |
| Batting: | Left-handed |
| International: | true |
| Internationalspan: | 1975–1982 |
| Testdebutdate: | 17 February |
| Testdebutyear: | 1982 |
| Testdebutagainst: | England |
| Testcap: | 3 |
| Lasttestdate: | 17 September |
| Lasttestyear: | 1982 |
| Lasttestagainst: | India |
| Odidebutdate: | 14 June |
| Odidebutyear: | 1975 |
| Odidebutagainst: | Pakistan |
| Odicap: | 13 |
| Lastodidate: | 15 September |
| Lastodiyear: | 1982 |
| Lastodiagainst: | India |
| Columns: | 4 |
| Matches1: | 4 |
| Runs1: | 41 |
| Bat Avg1: | 8.19 |
| 100S/50S1: | 0/0 |
| Top Score1: | 14 |
| Deliveries1: | 962 |
| Wickets1: | 7 |
| Bowl Avg1: | 55.00 |
| Fivefor1: | 0 |
| Tenfor1: | 0 |
| Best Bowling1: | 2/38 |
| Catches/Stumpings1: | 0/0 |
| Matches2: | 6 |
| Runs2: | 9 |
| Bat Avg2: | 4.50 |
| 100S/50S2: | 0/0 |
| Deliveries2: | 305 |
| Wickets2: | 9 |
| Bowl Avg2: | 29.11 |
| Fivefor2: | 0 |
| Tenfor2: | 0 |
| Best Bowling2: | 3/41 |
| Catches/Stumpings2: | 2/0 |
| Column3: | FC |
| Matches3: | 53 |
| Runs3: | 317 |
| Bat Avg3: | 7.73 |
| 100S/50S3: | 0/1 |
| Top Score3: | 75 |
| Deliveries3: | 11,736 |
| Wickets3: | 161 |
| Bowl Avg3: | 27.44 |
| Fivefor3: | 4 |
| Tenfor3: | 0 |
| Best Bowling3: | 6/30 |
| Catches/Stumpings3: | 21/0 |
| Column4: | LA |
| Matches4: | 15 |
| Runs4: | 20 |
| Bat Avg4: | 5.00 |
| 100S/50S4: | 0/0 |
| Top Score4: | 10 |
| Deliveries4: | 822 |
| Wickets4: | 19 |
| Bowl Avg4: | 27.21 |
| Fivefor4: | 0 |
| Tenfor4: | 0 |
| Best Bowling4: | 3/41 |
| Catches/Stumpings4: | 0/0 |
| Date: | 19 June |
| Year: | 2020 |
| Source: | https://www.espncricinfo.com/srilanka/content/player/48458.html ESPNcricinfo |
Ginigalgodage Ramba Ajit de Silva (born 12 December 1952), or Ajit de Silva, is a former Sri Lankan international cricketer, who played four Test matches and six One Day Internationals for Sri Lanka, bowling accurate slow left arm spin.[1] [2] [3] [4]
He proved an important member of the national squad for several years until 1982/83, when he toured with the rebel Arosa Sri Lanka team to South Africa. Due to this, he was excluded from world cricket, along with the rest of the players on that tour. This effectively finished his first-class career, beginning in November 1973, in which he claimed 161 wickets (av 27.44).
He played a crucial part in Sri Lanka's first ODI victory on home soil – against England in 1982. Sri Lanka had batted first, setting England 216 to win, and Graham Gooch and Geoff Cook had set a good platform as the score moved to 109 for no loss. However, de Silva removed both openers (stumped by Mahes Goonatilleke), four players were run out, and England lost by three runs.
In 1982 de Silva joined a "Rebel tour" to Apartheid-era South Africa. In the series the "AROSA" Sri Lankans were soundly beaten. de Silva himself struggled with stress and had a breakdown on tour.[5] He was given a 25-year ban by the Sri Lankan cricket authorities for participating in the rebel tour which was a breach of the boycott of South Africa by global sporting bodies.[6]