Profile: Michael Tissera

Michael Tissera has been a dominant figure in Sri Lankan cricket for more than 40 years, serving the team as a player, administrator and manager.

As captain of what was then Ceylon, Tissera led his country to both its first victory in an unofficial test match against Pakistan in 1964 and its first win in one day cricket, against MCC in 1969. He captained his country for a decade until 1974.

Long before Sanath Jayasuria was setting the cricket world alight with his spectacular batting on the way to the Sri Lankan victory in the 1996 World Cup, Tissera was vice-captain of a Sri Lankan team who were all making their One Day International debuts in the inaugural World Cup in 1975. They played against the formidable West Indies at Old Trafford and then in the second match of the three Sri Lanka played, Tissera scored 52 against an Australian side containing Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thompson.

After he retired, Tissera took on a variety of managerial and administrative roles within Sri Lankan cricket.

In 2002, he was appointed Chairman of Sri Lanka’s national team Selection Committee. After a stint as the manager of the Sri Lankan ‘A’ Team, Tissera was made Sri Lanka’s team manager for two years in 2005.

During his tenure, Sri Lanka secured a Test series draw and One Day International (ODI) 5-0 whitewash in England in 2006. In the 2007 World Cup Sri Lanka continued their improved ODI form, finishing runners-up to Australia in a reverse of the 1996 result.

He has called for Twenty20 cricket to be banned in Sri Lankan school matches so players learn to develop the requisite skills to succeed at the top level.