Kusal Perera Profile 2026: CPL Stats & Records
Kusal Perera is a Sri Lankan left-handed wicketkeeper-batter, born 17 August 1990, best known for his match-winning 153* against South Africa in 2019 and for being part of Sri Lanka’s 2014 T20 World Cup-winning squad. He plays PSL cricket for the Hyderabad Kingsmen and has never featured in the CPL, despite that being a common misconception.
His signature achievement is a match-winning unbeaten 153 in a fourth-innings Test chase against South Africa in 2019, ranked among Wisden’s best innings of the decade. A 2014 T20 World Cup winner and former Sri Lanka ODI captain, he currently plays PSL cricket for the Hyderabad Kingsmen, having reached the 2026 final in the franchise’s debut season.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Mathurage Don Kusal Janith Perera |
| Nickname | KJP |
| Date of Birth | 17 August 1990 |
| Age | 36 (as of July 2026) |
| Birthplace | Kalubowila, Sri Lanka |
| Nationality | Sri Lankan |
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) |
| Batting Style | Left-handed |
| Bowling Style | Right-arm medium (occasional) |
| Playing Role | Wicketkeeper-Batter |
| Current International Team | Sri Lanka |
| Current Domestic Team | Wayamba / Ruhuna |
| CPL Team | Antigua & Barbuda Falcons |
| Current PSL Team | Hyderabad Kingsmen (2026) |
| Past IPL Team | Rajasthan Royals (2013) |
| Other Franchise Teams | Cumilla Warriors (BPL); Kandy Tuskers, Colombo Stars, Galle Gladiators, Dambulla Sixers (LPL); MI Emirates (ILT20); Lahore Qalandars (PSL, 2025) |
| International Debut | ODI & T20I: 13/26 January 2013 v Australia; Test: 28 August 2015 v India |
| Marital Status | Married (specific personal details below are unverified — see note) |
| Estimated Net Worth | Not reliably disclosed — see Net Worth section |
| Official Instagram | @kjp_130 |
| Official X (Twitter) | @kjp_130 |
Early Life
Kusal Perera was born on 17 August 1990 in Kalubowila, a suburb of Colombo. He came through Sri Lanka’s well-worn schools-cricket pipeline, representing the country at Under-19 level from 2007 and playing the 2008 Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia. Even at that age, his method stood out: a short backlift, powerful forearms, and a refusal to let the bowler settle — a game built in the image of Sanath Jayasuriya, his boyhood hero.
He made his first-class debut for Colts Cricket Club in 2009, scoring a fifty on debut, and quickly built a reputation as an aggressive top-order option who also kept wicket, giving Sri Lankan selectors a rare, high-value combination.
Domestic Career
Perera’s rise through Sri Lankan domestic cricket ran through Colts CC, before he went on to represent Wayamba and Ruhuna in the island’s provincial first-class and List A structures. His domestic performances — allied to eye-catching form in the 2011 Champions League T20 for Ruhunu — put him firmly on the international selectors’ radar by late 2012.
His breakthrough wasn’t a single innings but a pattern: fast starts, high strike rates, and a willingness to take the attack down even against the new ball in the powerplay, a trait that was unusual for Sri Lankan openers of that era outside of Jayasuriya and Tillakaratne Dilshan.
International Career
Perera made his ODI and T20I debut on the same tour, in January 2013, against Australia. He was part of the Sri Lanka squad that won the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 on home soil, an early highlight of his international résumé.
His Test debut came later, on 28 August 2015 against India, and he became only the second Sri Lankan batter to score two fifties on Test debut. But the innings that defines his career came on 26 February 2019 in Durban: with Sri Lanka needing an unlikely win against South Africa and last man Vishwa Fernando at the other end, Perera compiled an unbeaten 153, adding 78 runs for the last wicket to steal victory from a Test South Africa had all but won. Wisden later rated it the second-best Test innings of the 2010s.
He has also served as Sri Lanka’s ODI captain, and continued to add to his white-ball résumé into 2025 and 2026, including the fastest T20I century by a Sri Lankan (see Records section).
Career span at a glance:
- Test debut: 28 August 2015 v India (cap 130) — last Test: 22 January 2021 v England
- ODI debut: 13 January 2013 v Australia (cap 155) — last ODI: 9 November 2023 v New Zealand
- T20I debut: 26 January 2013 v Australia (cap 48) — still active, last T20I September 2025
Franchise Cricket Career
This is where several competitor profiles get sloppy — Perera’s franchise résumé is genuinely broad, but it does not include the Caribbean Premier League. Here’s the accurate picture, tournament by tournament.
| League | Team(s) | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Premier League (IPL) | Rajasthan Royals | 2013 |
| Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) | Cumilla Warriors | 2019–20 |
| Lanka Premier League (LPL) | Kandy Tuskers, Colombo Stars, Galle Gladiators, Dambulla Sixers | 2020–2024 |
| ILT20 (UAE) | MI Emirates | 2024–present |
| Pakistan Super League (PSL) | Lahore Qalandars, Hyderabad Kingsmen | 2025–present |
| Caribbean Premier League (CPL) | Antigua & Barbuda Falcons |
IPL: Perera’s only IPL stint came with Rajasthan Royals in 2013, where he played a handful of games without a sustained run in the XI — a squad member rather than a first-choice starter. He went unsold at the 2025 IPL mega auction at his base price.
BPL: He represented Cumilla Warriors in the 2019–20 Bangladesh Premier League season as part of the tournament’s overseas contingent.
LPL: Perera has been one of the more well-travelled domestic names in Sri Lanka’s own Lanka Premier League, turning out for four different franchises between 2020 and 2024 — Kandy Tuskers, Colombo Stars, Galle Gladiators, and Dambulla Sixers — reflecting both his consistent selection value and the league’s frequent squad reshuffles.
ILT20: Since 2024, he has been a regular for MI Emirates in the UAE’s ILT20, giving him a home in the January franchise window outside of the subcontinent leagues.
PSL: His most prominent current franchise role. He played for Lahore Qalandars in 2025, then moved to the newly formed Hyderabad Kingsmen for the league’s expanded eight-team 2026 season — a campaign that ended in the final.
PSL 2026 Deep Dive
The Hyderabad Kingsmen were one of two brand-new franchises added to the PSL for its 2026 season (alongside Sialkot), after the PCB expanded the league from six to eight teams. Coached by Jason Gillespie and captained by Marnus Labuschagne, the Kingsmen had an eye-catching debut campaign for a first-year side:
- Finished the group stage in the playoff places, then knocked out the defending champions on their way through the bracket.
- Reached the 2026 PSL final against Peshawar Zalmi at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, eventually finishing as runners-up.
- Perera opened the batting throughout the tournament, playing supporting and lead roles alongside Usman Khan, Saim Ayub, and Glenn Maxwell.
- Notable knocks included a 37 off 21 balls against Islamabad United in Eliminator 2, and a quick fifty-stand contribution in the Rawalpindi playoff-securing win.
- His campaign ended on a sour note in the final — run out for 1 in a contentious “obstructing the field”-adjacent dismissal involving Nahid Rana, upheld on review by the third umpire.
For a debutant franchise, reaching the final with an experienced campaigner like Perera anchoring the top order was a strong marker for where the Kingsmen project is heading into 2027.
Playing Style
Strengths: Perera’s game is built around taking the power play away from the bowling side. His short backlift lets him free his arms early and go through — or over — the covers and point region with unusual power for his height. Behind the stumps, he’s a tidy, unfussy gloveman rather than a flashy one, which suits sides wanting a keeper-opener combination without a defensive compromise.
Weaknesses: The same aggression that makes him dangerous also makes him streaky — his average across formats (low-to-mid 30s in Tests, low-to-mid 30s in ODIs, and around 26 in T20Is) reflects a player who often gets out playing the same shot that brought him quick runs, rather than building the longest innings possible.
Comparison with similar players: He’s most naturally compared to Jayasuriya for method, though statistically he sits closer to a modern-day aggressive keeper-opener template — in the same broad bracket as players like Quinton de Kock for role, if not output.
Career Statistics
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | Centuries | Fifties | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 22 | 1,177 | ~31 | — | — | 153* |
| ODI | 116 | 3,237 | ~30.5 | 6 | 17 | — |
| T20I | 95 | 2,313–2,335 | ~26 | 1 | 15 | 101 |
Notable individual numbers:
- Test high score: 153* vs South Africa, Durban, 2019
- T20I high score: 101 off 46 balls vs New Zealand, January 2025
- ODI strike-rate peak: a 17-ball fifty innings against Pakistan, the highest strike rate recorded in an ODI innings of 50+ runs
Records & Achievements
- Member of Sri Lanka’s 2014 ICC World Twenty20-winning squad.
- 153 not out vs South Africa (2019) rated the second-best Test innings of the 2010s by Wisden.
- Fastest T20I century by a Sri Lankan — 101 off 46 balls vs New Zealand (some trackers list a still-faster 44-ball version of the same knock).
- First Sri Lankan to reach 2,000 T20I runs, and the fastest Sri Lankan to 1,000 T20I runs (34 innings).
- Second-fastest fifty by strike rate in ODI history among 50+ run innings (17-ball fifty vs Pakistan).
- Only the second Sri Lankan to score two half-centuries on Test debut.
- Former Sri Lanka ODI captain.
- PSL 2026 runner-up with debutant franchise Hyderabad Kingsmen.
Latest Form
Perera remains an active white-ball player for Sri Lanka and in franchise cricket, having last featured internationally in a T20I series in late 2025 and a T20I against Zimbabwe in February 2026. His most recent high-profile assignment was the full PSL 2026 season with Hyderabad Kingsmen, running through to the runner-up finish in May 2026. He does not currently hold an active Test contract, having last played the format in January 2021.
Personal Life
Perera comes from a Buddhist family in Kalubowila, Colombo. His father, Kithsiri Perera, and mother, P.V. Swarnalatha, are consistently named across sources as his parents. He briefly served as a police officer in Sri Lanka, having been appointed to a Chief Inspector-level role, a path several Sri Lankan cricketers have taken as part of national sporting recognition schemes.
Net Worth
No verified, audited net worth figure for Kusal Perera exists in the public domain — figures circulating online range anywhere from roughly $2 million to $3 million, sourced from unverified celebrity-net-worth aggregators rather than financial disclosures. What can be stated with more confidence is his income sources:
- Sri Lanka Cricket central contract and match fees
- Franchise league contracts (PSL, ILT20, LPL, historic IPL/BPL deals)
- Domestic cricket fees (Wayamba/Ruhuna)
- Endorsements and sponsorships, scale undisclosed
Treat any specific dollar figure you see elsewhere as an unverified estimate, not a confirmed number.
Official Social Media
Always verify the checkmark/handle directly, as impersonator accounts exist for most international cricketers.
Interesting Facts
- Full name: Mathurage Don Kusal Janith Perera — “KJP” for short.
- Modelled his game explicitly on Sanath Jayasuriya.
- Debuted in ODIs and T20Is on the same Australia tour in January 2013.
- Part of Sri Lanka’s 2014 T20 World Cup-winning squad.
- Scored two fifties on Test debut in 2015 — only the second Sri Lankan to do so.
- His 153* vs South Africa in 2019 remains one of the great modern rescue-act Test innings.
- That innings featured a match-winning last-wicket stand of 78 with Vishwa Fernando.
- Has represented four different LPL franchises since 2020.
- His only IPL stint was with Rajasthan Royals in 2013.
- Went unsold at the 2025 IPL mega auction.
- Scored the fastest T20I century by a Sri Lankan, against New Zealand in January 2025.
- First Sri Lankan to pass 2,000 T20I runs.
- Also holds Sri Lanka’s fastest-to-1,000-T20I-runs mark.
- Has played for a new-look PSL franchise, Hyderabad Kingsmen, from their inaugural 2026 season.
- Reached the PSL final in the Kingsmen’s very first year in the league.
- Was dismissed in a contentious run-out/obstruction incident in the 2026 PSL final.
- Briefly held a Chief Inspector-level honorary role with the Sri Lanka Police.
- Has never played in the Caribbean Premier League, despite frequent confusion online.
- Doubles as a right-arm medium option, though rarely used with the ball for Sri Lanka.
- Has served as Sri Lanka’s ODI captain.
Career Timeline
- 2007–2008: Sri Lanka Under-19s, including the 2008 U19 World Cup
- 2009: First-class debut for Colts Cricket Club
- 2011: Champions League T20 with Ruhunu
- 2013: ODI and T20I debut vs Australia; IPL stint with Rajasthan Royals
- 2014: Wins ICC World Twenty20 with Sri Lanka
- 2015: Test debut vs India, twin fifties
- 2019: Iconic 153* vs South Africa in Durban
- 2019–20: BPL stint with Cumilla Warriors
- 2020–2024: Multiple LPL franchises (Kandy Tuskers, Colombo Stars, Galle Gladiators, Dambulla Sixers)
- 2021: Last Test appearance, vs England
- 2023: Last ODI appearance, vs New Zealand
- 2024: Joins MI Emirates in ILT20
- 2025: Fastest Sri Lankan T20I century vs New Zealand; joins Lahore Qalandars in PSL
- 2026: Joins new PSL franchise Hyderabad Kingsmen; reaches PSL final as runner-up
FAQs
How old is Kusal Perera?
He was born on 17 August 1990, making him 36 as of mid-2026.
How tall is Kusal Perera?
Listed at 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Who is Kusal Perera’s wife?
He is married, but publicly available sources give conflicting names and dates for his wife, so no single detail can be confirmed here with confidence.
What is Kusal Perera’s religion?
He comes from a Buddhist family background, per multiple biography sources, though he keeps his personal beliefs largely out of the public eye.
What is Kusal Perera’s net worth?
No verified figure exists; unverified online estimates range from roughly $2–3 million.
What is Kusal Perera’s current international team?
Sri Lanka, where he remains an active white-ball (ODI/T20I) player, though not currently in the Test setup.
