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| Ranjan Madugalle | |
|---|---|
| Name | Ranjan Madugalle |
| Fullname | Weerakkody Vithanage Ranjan Madugalle |
| Birth date | 25 July 1959 |
| Birth place | Colombo, Ceylon |
| Role | Batter, Umpire, Match Referee |
| Internationalspan | 1982–1990 |
Ranjan Madugalle is a former Sri Lankan international cricketer who became a leading international umpire and match referee. He played first-class and Test cricket for Sri Lanka before transitioning to an influential role in international cricket administration and adjudication. Madugalle's career links him to multiple eras of Test cricket, One Day International development, and the expansion of regulatory frameworks within the International Cricket Council.
Born in Colombo, Ceylon, Madugalle attended Royal College, Colombo where he played in school cricket fixtures against S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia and participated in the Royal–Thomian encounter. He proceeded to the University of Colombo and was involved with club cricket at Colts Cricket Club and Sinhalese Sports Club while coming through youth pathways that included matches against touring teams such as MCC and provincial sides representing Sri Lanka A. Early influences included contemporaries and predecessors from Sri Lanka's inaugural Test cricket era.
Madugalle debuted in first-class cricket during the period when Sri Lanka was consolidating status following recognition by International Cricket Council affiliates and before full Test status elevation. He played domestic cricket for clubs including Colts Cricket Club and featured in representative matches for Sri Lanka in the early 1980s. Madugalle appeared in Test cricket and One Day International fixtures, sharing dressing rooms with players like Aravinda de Silva, Duleep Mendis, Roy Dias, Bandula Warnapura, and Hashan Tillakaratne. His batting and fielding contributions occurred in tournaments and tours involving teams such as Australia national cricket team, England cricket team, India national cricket team, and Pakistan national cricket team. He retired from international playing as Sri Lanka began broader participation in Cricket World Cup cycles.
After retirement, Madugalle qualified as an umpire and was appointed to panels under the aegis of the International Cricket Council. He served on elite umpiring panels alongside officials including David Shepherd, Simon Taufel, Daryl Harper, and Aleem Dar, officiating in Test cricket, One Day International, and Twenty20 International matches. Madugalle stood in matches involving franchises and national teams from Indian Premier League, Big Bash League, Caribbean Premier League, as well as bilateral series between Sri Lanka national cricket team and touring sides from England cricket team, New Zealand national cricket team, South Africa national cricket team, and West Indies cricket team. His umpiring tenure coincided with technological integrations such as the Decision Review System, the expansion of the Umpire Decision Review System, and the professionalization of match official pathways managed by the ICC Umpires and Referees Panel.
Transitioning into governance, Madugalle was appointed as an International Cricket Council match referee and later took senior appointments overseeing disciplinary, regulatory, and match management functions. He presided over international fixtures, ICC Champions Trophy matches, and ICC Cricket World Cup fixtures as match referee, interacting with teams like Australia national cricket team, India national cricket team, England cricket team, Pakistan national cricket team, and South Africa national cricket team. In administrative roles he worked with bodies such as Sri Lanka Cricket and contributed to protocols that intersected with entities like Marylebone Cricket Club, the World Anti-Doping Agency, and national cricket boards including the Board of Control for Cricket in India and Cricket Australia. His governance period covered issues related to anti-corruption frameworks under the International Cricket Council Anti-Corruption Unit and match regulation reforms implemented after high-profile incidents in international franchise and bilateral competitions.
Madugalle has been recognized by cricket institutions for service to the sport and for contributions spanning playing, officiating, and governance. He received acknowledgments from national and international bodies and was involved in mentoring programs for emerging umpires and referees alongside administrators from ICC Development Programme and regional associations such as Asian Cricket Council. Outside cricket he has familial ties in Colombo and has maintained connections with clubs including Sinhalese Sports Club and Colombo Cricket Club. His career is cited in histories of Sri Lankan cricket development and in records documenting the professionalization of match officials during the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Category:Sri Lankan cricket umpires Category:Sri Lankan Test cricketers Category:1959 births Category:Living people