Farveez Maharoof
Encyclopedia
Mohamed Farveez Maharoof (born 7 September 1984 in Colombo
) is a Sri Lanka
n cricket
er. He first made his impression in the 2004 U19 World Cup in which he captained the Sri Lankan team. He enjoyed a prolific school career for Wesley College, with a highest score of 243 and best bowling figures of 8 for 20. An all-rounder
, he made his Test debut in 2004. He has featured more frequently in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and has played nearly 100 for Sri Lanka since 2004. At domestic level, he has represented Bloomfield
, Nondescripts
, Wayamba
, Delhi Daredevils
, and Lancashire
.
in Columbo, began as a wicketkeeper-batsman and only began bowling regularly from under-13 cricket onwards. Five players were absent with the flu in one match and Maharoof was called upon to bowl. He took six wickets, including a hat trick, and from then on concentrated on fast bowling.
In December 2003 and January 2004, at the age of 19, Maharoof toured India with the Sri Lanka A team for a tri-series with India A and Pakistan A. He took nine wickets in the series at an average
of 11.77, the best average of the tournament; Maharoof was named Man of the Match in the tournament's final, which Sri Lanka A won. A month later, Maharoof was appointed captain of Sri Lanka Under-19s for the Under-19 World Cup. He had some experience of leading teams, having captained school sides and the national youth sides. In one of the matches, Maharoof scored 56 to help his team to victory over Australia and was named Man of the Match.
for five ODIs and two Tests
. Two players, including Maharoof, made their ODI debut in the third match of the series while three of the Sri Lankan regulars were rested. He took three wickets as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 35, the lowest score in ODI history. In the final two matches of the series, Maharoof took another wickets, finishing the series with five at an average of 16.60. On the same tour, Maharoof made his Test debut. Across the two matches, he scored 40 runs from one innings and took four wickets at an average of just under 40.
Sri Lanka hosted the Indian Oil Cup
in July and August 2005; it was a tournament involving the hosts, India, and the West Indies. Ahead of the tournament Chaminda Vaas
, one of Sri Lanka's senior seam bowlers, sustained an injury and Maharoof was responsible for opening the bowling with Dilhara Lokuhettige
. Maharoof produced one of the most economical bowling displays in ODI history, conceding nine rune from ten overs against the West Indies for which he was named Man of the Match. He was reprimanded by the International Cricket Council
(ICC) for excessive appealing in the match as he began celebrating a dismissal before the batsman had been given out by the umpire. When Bangladesh toured for two Tests and three ODIs in August and September that year, Maharoof was against selected in Sri Lanka's squad, allowing senior players to be rested for some of the matches. Although he didn't play in either of the Tests, in the two ODIs Maharoof played he took six wickets at an average of 9.00, finishing equal with Tillakaratne Dilshan
as leading wicket-taker in the series. The Sri Lanka coach at the time, Tom Moody
, praised Maharoof's bowling, saying "Maharoof bowled superbly well in the Indian Oil series and has shown [against Bangladesh] that he going to be a more valuable bowler going into the future".
When Sri Lanka toured Indian in October to December 2005 for three Tests and seven ODIs, Maharoof was included in the squad. He played in six of the seven ODIs, taking six wickets at an average of 39.33 and scoring 60 runs from five innings. Sri Lanka lost the series and the captain at the time, Kumar Sangakkara
, described the experience as "a learning trip" for Maharoof, noting that he had bowled well at times. Maharoof played a single Test on the tour, taking three wickets for 77 runs and scoring just six runs. In the qualifying round of the 2006 Champions Trophy
, he picked up the best bowling analysis in the history of the tournament (6-14), which is also the ninth best analysis in all ODIs. That was against the defending champions West Indies, and was Maharoof's first five wicket haul in ODIs.
Maharoof took his maiden first-class five-wicket haul in November 2006 in a match for Bloomfield against Ragam
which ended in a draw. His 7 wickets for 73 runs beat his previous best bowling figures in first-class cricket of 4/12.
Maharoof took 4/23 against Bermuda to start the 2007 World Cup
and became the first Sri Lankan to take a 4 wicket haul on his World Cup debut. On 7 October 2007 Maharoof took his 100th wicket in his 75th ODI; at the time he was the fastest Sri Lankan to reach the landmark, beating Muttiah Muralitharan
by one match, however this record was later taken by fast bowler Lasith Malinga
in 2010 who reached 100 wickets in 68 matches.
(IPL), an eight-team domestic twenty20
competition, was held in 2008. Maharoof was bought by the Delhi Daredevils
for $225,000. He took 15 wickets in the tournament at an average of 16.60, making him the equal ninth-highest wicket-taker in competition. While playing for in the IPL in 2008, Maharoof was team mates with Australia seam bowler Glen McGrath; according to Marahroof, McGrath helped him with his bowling variations, making a "huge difference", and introduced more control to his slower ball. After the IPL, Maharoff joined the Sri Lanka squad in preparation for the 2008 Asia Cup
, however an abdominal strain prevented him from taking part.
The Castrol Asian Cricket Awards were held for the first time in June 2008, and Maharoof was named best ODI Asian bowler. Although selected to tour Pakistan for three ODIs and two Tests in January to March 2009
, Maharoof sustained a groin injury and was ruled out of the Tests.
Maharoof got married on Saturday July 18, 2009 at Colombo, Sri Lanka. Many Sri Lankan and Pakistani cricketers attended the all-rounder's wedding.
On 22 June 2010 Maharoof took his first hat trick
in One day International against India
in Asia Cup
2010. The auction for the 2011 IPL
was held in January that year, and although Maharoof was available he was not signed by a team.
for the entire English cricket season. He joined Lancashire with the intention of forcing his way back into Sri Lanka's Test team. He made his first-class debut for the club on 20 April, taking the place of injured captain and bowler Glen Chapple
. Batting at number eight Maharoof scored a century and took two wickets in the match as Lancashire won by an innings and 20 runs; it was just the seventh time a player had scored a century in their maiden first-class match with Lancashire. Sri Lanka embarked on a tour of England
in May. Five players selected in the squad chose to participate in the IPL instead of Sri Lanka's first warm-up match, and consequentially Maharoof was drafted in to provide cover until they arrived. Initially called up for a single tour match, Maharoof was added to the Test squad when seam bowlers Dilhara Fernando
and Nuwan Pradeep
sustained injuries. Having played in the first two Tests, Maharoof was left out of Sri Lanka's squad for the ODI leg of the tour. Stuart Law
, the team's coach, explained that "He hasn't quite set the world on fire but he hasn't done a lot wrong. It just hasn't worked for him at this stage." After the second Test, Maharoof returned to play for Lancashire. Towards the end of June he was forced to miss a County Championship due to a stiff back. A few days later he took his 50th T20 wicket when he dismissed Martin Guptill
in Lancashire's 10-wicket win against Derbyshire
, and in the process helped dismiss Derbyshire for their lowest total in the format. Maharoof was due to leave in mid-June to participate in the inaugural season of the Sri Lankan T20 Premier League, planning to return to Lancashire in August, however the tournament was postponed until 2012.
, complementing his accuracy. Under the advice of then Sri Lanka coach Tom Moody
, in 2006 Maharoof altered his bowling action slightly so that his front arm was coming down straight in delivery. Of Sri Lankan players who have bowled at least 2,000 balls in Tests, Maharoof's strike rate of one wicket every 117.6 deliveries per wicket is third worst behind Asoka de Silva (291.0) and Arjuna Ranatunga
(148.3). Maharoof has a sound batting technique and is able to adapt to many different scenarios. He is mostly known as a player who can score quick runs down the order, but he can also bat a more patient innings, especially if the top batting order collapses. In Tests Maharoof bowls more in the first innings than the second. Nearly three quarters of his deliveries have been in the opposition's first innings and his strike increases from 107.7 in the first innings to 157.2 in the second. Maharoof has taken five wickets in the second innings, with best bowling figures of 1/18.
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
) is a Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er. He first made his impression in the 2004 U19 World Cup in which he captained the Sri Lankan team. He enjoyed a prolific school career for Wesley College, with a highest score of 243 and best bowling figures of 8 for 20. An all-rounder
All-rounder
An all-rounder is a cricketer who regularly performs well at both batting and bowling. Although all bowlers must bat and quite a few batsmen do bowl occasionally, most players are skilled in only one of the two disciplines and are considered specialists...
, he made his Test debut in 2004. He has featured more frequently in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and has played nearly 100 for Sri Lanka since 2004. At domestic level, he has represented Bloomfield
Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club
Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club is a first-class cricket team based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is one of Sri Lanka's oldest cricket clubs founded in 1892 and competes in the Premier Trophy, which it has won eight times.-History:...
, Nondescripts
Nondescripts Cricket Club
Nondescripts Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It was founded in 1888...
, Wayamba
Wayamba cricket team
Wayamba cricket team is a Sri Lankan first class cricket team based in Kurunegala, that represents North Western Province. It draws cricketers from Sri Lanka Premier Trophy. The team competes in two provincial tournaments: the first class cricket competition known as the Inter-Provincial...
, Delhi Daredevils
Delhi Daredevils
Delhi Daredevils is the Delhi franchise for the Indian Premier League in cricket. The franchise is owned by the GMR Group.-Franchise history:...
, and Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
.
Early cricket
Born in Columbo, Farveez Maharoof began playing cricket around the age of nine. He also played football until he was twelve and touch rugby. Maharoof, who attended Wesley CollegeWesley College, Colombo
Wesley College, Colombo is a Methodist educational institution in Sri Lanka.In 1858 Rev. Joseph Rippon wanted to establish a superior educational institution for the Wesleyan Methodist Mission in South Ceylon. On March 2 1874 Wesley College, Colombo is a Methodist educational institution in Sri...
in Columbo, began as a wicketkeeper-batsman and only began bowling regularly from under-13 cricket onwards. Five players were absent with the flu in one match and Maharoof was called upon to bowl. He took six wickets, including a hat trick, and from then on concentrated on fast bowling.
In December 2003 and January 2004, at the age of 19, Maharoof toured India with the Sri Lanka A team for a tri-series with India A and Pakistan A. He took nine wickets in the series at an average
Bowling average
Bowling average is a statistic measuring the performance of bowlers in the sport of cricket.A bowler's bowling average is defined as the total number of runs conceded by the bowlers divided by the number of wickets taken by the bowler, so the lower the average the better. It is similar to earned...
of 11.77, the best average of the tournament; Maharoof was named Man of the Match in the tournament's final, which Sri Lanka A won. A month later, Maharoof was appointed captain of Sri Lanka Under-19s for the Under-19 World Cup. He had some experience of leading teams, having captained school sides and the national youth sides. In one of the matches, Maharoof scored 56 to help his team to victory over Australia and was named Man of the Match.
International breakthrough
In April and May 2004, Maharoof was part of the Sri Lanka team that toured ZimbabweSri Lankan cricket team in Zimbabwe in 2004
The Sri Lanka national cricket team toured Zimbabwe in April and May 2004 to play 2 Test matches and 5 Limited Overs Internationals.-Squads:-Test series summary:* 1st Test at Harare Sports Club – Sri Lanka won by an innings and 240 runs....
for five ODIs and two Tests
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
. Two players, including Maharoof, made their ODI debut in the third match of the series while three of the Sri Lankan regulars were rested. He took three wickets as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 35, the lowest score in ODI history. In the final two matches of the series, Maharoof took another wickets, finishing the series with five at an average of 16.60. On the same tour, Maharoof made his Test debut. Across the two matches, he scored 40 runs from one innings and took four wickets at an average of just under 40.
Sri Lanka hosted the Indian Oil Cup
Indian Oil Cup 2005
The Indian Oil Cup 2005 was a three-team cricket tournament which took place in Sri Lanka in July and August 2005, between the hosts Sri Lanka, India and West Indies. Sri Lanka were second in the ICC ODI Championship before this tournament, and fulfilled their position as favourites with an 18-run...
in July and August 2005; it was a tournament involving the hosts, India, and the West Indies. Ahead of the tournament Chaminda Vaas
Chaminda Vaas
Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas , usually known as Chaminda Vaas, is a Sri Lankan cricketer is regarded as the best fast bowler to have come out of the country - he has been described as the 'most penetrative and successful new-ball bowler Sri Lanka have had'...
, one of Sri Lanka's senior seam bowlers, sustained an injury and Maharoof was responsible for opening the bowling with Dilhara Lokuhettige
Dilhara Lokuhettige
Loku Hettige Danushka Dilhara is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler....
. Maharoof produced one of the most economical bowling displays in ODI history, conceding nine rune from ten overs against the West Indies for which he was named Man of the Match. He was reprimanded by the International Cricket Council
International Cricket Council
The International Cricket Council is the international governing body of cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from England, Australia and South Africa, renamed the International Cricket Conference in 1965, and took up its current name in 1989.The...
(ICC) for excessive appealing in the match as he began celebrating a dismissal before the batsman had been given out by the umpire. When Bangladesh toured for two Tests and three ODIs in August and September that year, Maharoof was against selected in Sri Lanka's squad, allowing senior players to be rested for some of the matches. Although he didn't play in either of the Tests, in the two ODIs Maharoof played he took six wickets at an average of 9.00, finishing equal with Tillakaratne Dilshan
Tillakaratne Dilshan
Tillakaratne Mudiyanselage Dilshan born October 14, 1976 in Kalutara, Sri Lanka is a Sri Lankan cricketer and captain of the Sri Lanka national cricket team since April 2011. He has been a member of the team since November 1999, and was also known as Tuwan Mohammad Dilshan prior to his conversion...
as leading wicket-taker in the series. The Sri Lanka coach at the time, Tom Moody
Tom Moody
Thomas Masson Moody is a former Australian cricketer and coach of the Sri Lankan cricket team. Today he is the coach for the IPL team Kings XI Punjab...
, praised Maharoof's bowling, saying "Maharoof bowled superbly well in the Indian Oil series and has shown [against Bangladesh] that he going to be a more valuable bowler going into the future".
When Sri Lanka toured Indian in October to December 2005 for three Tests and seven ODIs, Maharoof was included in the squad. He played in six of the seven ODIs, taking six wickets at an average of 39.33 and scoring 60 runs from five innings. Sri Lanka lost the series and the captain at the time, Kumar Sangakkara
Kumar Sangakkara
Kumar Sangakkara is a Sri Lankan, Sinhalese cricketer and the former captain of the Sri Lanka national cricket team. He is a left-handed top-order batsman...
, described the experience as "a learning trip" for Maharoof, noting that he had bowled well at times. Maharoof played a single Test on the tour, taking three wickets for 77 runs and scoring just six runs. In the qualifying round of the 2006 Champions Trophy
2006 ICC Champions Trophy
The 2006 ICC Champions Trophy was a One Day International cricket tournament held in India from 7 October to 5 November 2006. It was the fifth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy...
, he picked up the best bowling analysis in the history of the tournament (6-14), which is also the ninth best analysis in all ODIs. That was against the defending champions West Indies, and was Maharoof's first five wicket haul in ODIs.
Maharoof took his maiden first-class five-wicket haul in November 2006 in a match for Bloomfield against Ragam
Ragama Cricket Club
Ragama Cricket Club are a first-class cricket team based in Katunayake, Sri Lanka. Their home ground is the Free Trade Zone Sports Complex.-Partnership records:* 1st - 216 DA Ranatunga & HGSP Fernando * 2nd - 161 PHD Premadasa & EFMU Fernando...
which ended in a draw. His 7 wickets for 73 runs beat his previous best bowling figures in first-class cricket of 4/12.
Maharoof took 4/23 against Bermuda to start the 2007 World Cup
2007 Cricket World Cup
The 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup was the ninth edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup tournament that took place in the West Indies from 13 March to 28 April 2007, using the sport's One Day International format...
and became the first Sri Lankan to take a 4 wicket haul on his World Cup debut. On 7 October 2007 Maharoof took his 100th wicket in his 75th ODI; at the time he was the fastest Sri Lankan to reach the landmark, beating Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan , often referred to as Murali, is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who was rated the greatest Test match bowler ever by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack in 2002...
by one match, however this record was later taken by fast bowler Lasith Malinga
Lasith Malinga
Separamadu Lasith Malinga is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He is a fast bowler with a rare round-arm action, sometimes referred to as a sling action, which leads to his nickname, "Slinga Malinga"...
in 2010 who reached 100 wickets in 68 matches.
Out of the Test side
The inaugural edition of the Indian Premier LeagueIndian Premier League
The Indian Premier League is a professional league for Twenty20 cricket competition in India. It was initiated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , headquartered in Mumbai, and is supervised by BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla, who serves as the league's Chairman and Commissioner...
(IPL), an eight-team domestic twenty20
Twenty20
Twenty20 is a form of cricket, originally introduced in England for professional inter-county competition by the England and Wales Cricket Board , in 2003. A Twenty20 game involves two teams, each has a single innings, batting for a maximum of 20 overs. Twenty20 cricket is also known as T20 cricket...
competition, was held in 2008. Maharoof was bought by the Delhi Daredevils
Delhi Daredevils
Delhi Daredevils is the Delhi franchise for the Indian Premier League in cricket. The franchise is owned by the GMR Group.-Franchise history:...
for $225,000. He took 15 wickets in the tournament at an average of 16.60, making him the equal ninth-highest wicket-taker in competition. While playing for in the IPL in 2008, Maharoof was team mates with Australia seam bowler Glen McGrath; according to Marahroof, McGrath helped him with his bowling variations, making a "huge difference", and introduced more control to his slower ball. After the IPL, Maharoff joined the Sri Lanka squad in preparation for the 2008 Asia Cup
2008 Asia Cup
Cricket's 2008 Asia Cup took place in Pakistan in June 2008. The six teams which took part in the tournament were Bangladesh, India, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the UAE. This was the first Asia Cup hosted by Pakistan; previously political tensions between India and Pakistan did not permit...
, however an abdominal strain prevented him from taking part.
The Castrol Asian Cricket Awards were held for the first time in June 2008, and Maharoof was named best ODI Asian bowler. Although selected to tour Pakistan for three ODIs and two Tests in January to March 2009
Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan in 2008–09
-2nd ODI:-3rd ODI:-1st Test:-2nd Test:-Only Tour Match:Pakistan Cricket Board Patron's XI vs Sri Lankans:-References:...
, Maharoof sustained a groin injury and was ruled out of the Tests.
Maharoof got married on Saturday July 18, 2009 at Colombo, Sri Lanka. Many Sri Lankan and Pakistani cricketers attended the all-rounder's wedding.
On 22 June 2010 Maharoof took his first hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
in One day International against India
Indian cricket team
The Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
in Asia Cup
Asia Cup
The ACC Asia Cup is an international men's One Day International cricket tournament. It was established in 1983 when the Asian Cricket Council was founded as a measure to promote goodwill between Asian countries. It was originally scheduled to be held every two years...
2010. The auction for the 2011 IPL
2011 Indian Premier League
The 2011 Indian Premier League season, abbreviated as IPL 4 or the IPL 2011, was the fourth season of the Indian Premier League, a professional league for Twenty20 cricket competition conceived by Lalit Modi in 2007. The tournament was hosted in India and the opening and closing ceremonies were...
was held in January that year, and although Maharoof was available he was not signed by a team.
Return to the Test team
On 17 March 2011, it was announced that Maharoof would be joining Lancashire County Cricket ClubLancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
for the entire English cricket season. He joined Lancashire with the intention of forcing his way back into Sri Lanka's Test team. He made his first-class debut for the club on 20 April, taking the place of injured captain and bowler Glen Chapple
Glen Chapple
Glen Chapple is an English cricketer. He is an all-rounder, and represented the national team in a One Day International, as well as performing well for Lancashire over many years. He bowls right-arm fast-medium, and is a right-handed batsman...
. Batting at number eight Maharoof scored a century and took two wickets in the match as Lancashire won by an innings and 20 runs; it was just the seventh time a player had scored a century in their maiden first-class match with Lancashire. Sri Lanka embarked on a tour of England
Sri Lankan cricket team in England in 2011
-First-class: England Lions vs Sri Lankans:-First class: Essex vs Sri Lankans:-List A: Worcestershire Royals vs Sri Lankans:-1st Test:Jonathan Trott's score of 203 is the highest score by an English batsman against Sri Lanka, beating the previous score of 174 set by Graham Gooch in 1991. Sri...
in May. Five players selected in the squad chose to participate in the IPL instead of Sri Lanka's first warm-up match, and consequentially Maharoof was drafted in to provide cover until they arrived. Initially called up for a single tour match, Maharoof was added to the Test squad when seam bowlers Dilhara Fernando
Dilhara Fernando
Congenige Randhi Dilhara Fernando is a cricketer who plays for Sri Lanka. He is a right-handed pace bowler.Dilhara studied at De Mazenod College Kandana...
and Nuwan Pradeep
Nuwan Pradeep
Aththachchi Nuwan Pradeep Roshan Fernando , commonly known as Nuwan Pradeep, is a Sri Lankan cricketer.-Career:Pradeep didn't play with a cricket ball till he was 20 but less than three years later he was in Sri Lanka's Test squad...
sustained injuries. Having played in the first two Tests, Maharoof was left out of Sri Lanka's squad for the ODI leg of the tour. Stuart Law
Stuart Law
Stuart Grant Law OAM is an Australian-born cricketer. He is also the head coach of Bangladesh national cricket team, as from July, he succeeded fellow Aussie Jamie Siddons, who left shortly after the 2011 Cricket World Cup...
, the team's coach, explained that "He hasn't quite set the world on fire but he hasn't done a lot wrong. It just hasn't worked for him at this stage." After the second Test, Maharoof returned to play for Lancashire. Towards the end of June he was forced to miss a County Championship due to a stiff back. A few days later he took his 50th T20 wicket when he dismissed Martin Guptill
Martin Guptill
Martin James Guptill is a New Zealand cricketer. He is a top-order batsman and has represented New Zealand in different age groups.-Early life:...
in Lancashire's 10-wicket win against Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
, and in the process helped dismiss Derbyshire for their lowest total in the format. Maharoof was due to leave in mid-June to participate in the inaugural season of the Sri Lankan T20 Premier League, planning to return to Lancashire in August, however the tournament was postponed until 2012.
Playing style
When it comes to batting, Maharoof has described himself as "more of a hard hitter than a technician", and as of April 2011 his batting strike rate (85.19) is the fourth highest amongst Sri Lankans in ODIs. In the opinion of Kumar Sangakarra, he has "the technique and the shots to be an excellent No. 7 batsman [at international level]". He bowls at speeds of up to 80 miles per hour (35.8 m/s) and concentrates on accuracy rather than pace because pitches in Sri Lanka are generally slow. Sangakkara has also noted that Maharoof is able to swing the ballSwing bowling
Swing bowling is a technique used for bowling in the sport of cricket. Practitioners are known as swing bowlers. Swing bowling is generally classed as a subtype of fast bowling.-Physics of swing bowling:...
, complementing his accuracy. Under the advice of then Sri Lanka coach Tom Moody
Tom Moody
Thomas Masson Moody is a former Australian cricketer and coach of the Sri Lankan cricket team. Today he is the coach for the IPL team Kings XI Punjab...
, in 2006 Maharoof altered his bowling action slightly so that his front arm was coming down straight in delivery. Of Sri Lankan players who have bowled at least 2,000 balls in Tests, Maharoof's strike rate of one wicket every 117.6 deliveries per wicket is third worst behind Asoka de Silva (291.0) and Arjuna Ranatunga
Arjuna Ranatunga
Arjuna Ranatunga is a retired Sri Lankan cricketer and politician. He was the captain of Sri Lankan cricket team, and led them to an unbeaten title-winning campaign at the 1996 Cricket World Cup...
(148.3). Maharoof has a sound batting technique and is able to adapt to many different scenarios. He is mostly known as a player who can score quick runs down the order, but he can also bat a more patient innings, especially if the top batting order collapses. In Tests Maharoof bowls more in the first innings than the second. Nearly three quarters of his deliveries have been in the opposition's first innings and his strike increases from 107.7 in the first innings to 157.2 in the second. Maharoof has taken five wickets in the second innings, with best bowling figures of 1/18.