Ninety-five T20Is of left-handed hitting
Mathurage Don Kusal Janith Perera was born on 17 August 1990 in Kalubowila, Sri Lanka. He is a left-hand wicketkeeper-batter with 95 T20Is behind him, and he joins Kandahar Warriors for APL 2026-27 as their fourth Gold pick from the player draft in Dubai on 3 November 2026, for a reported US$40,000.
His most famous innings came in whites, not in T20s: 153 not out against South Africa at Durban in 2019, one of the great fourth-innings chases in Test history. But his white-ball peak is just as real — a T20I hundred of 101 off 46 balls against New Zealand in January 2025, at 34, proved he had lost none of his speed.
His most recent big night came in the PSL final in 2025, where his unbeaten 62 won the match. That is the player Kandahar bought: a left-handed keeper-batter who has won finals, not just played in them.
This is his APL debut — he did not play the 2018 season. His first APL match will come in the UAE once the season starts on 27 December 2026.
Kusal Perera in numbers
The season has not started, so there are no APL 2026-27 numbers for Kusal Perera yet. The first ball is on Sunday 27 December 2026, and his figures for this season will be added here after Match 1.
His career marks travel with him: 95 T20Is for Sri Lanka, a T20I hundred of 101 off 46 balls against New Zealand in January 2025, a highest Test score of 153 not out against South Africa at Durban in 2019, and a match-winning 62 not out in the PSL final in 2025.
The left-hander in a right-handed top order
Kandahar’s top order is mostly right-handed — Shahzad, Clarke, Munsey, Eisakhil — so Perera’s left hand is not a detail, it is a tactic. A left-right pair at the crease forces bowlers to change their lines every over, and against spin in the middle overs it is worth runs on its own.
He is also one of three keepers in the squad, alongside Joe Clarke and Mohammad Shahzad, and only one pair of gloves is available. Perera’s case rests on his batting: he can open, he can bat in the middle order, and he has finished finals. Ravi Bopara will find room for a player like that.
Five teams chase four playoff places, and Kandahar play eight league matches. Perera is 36, the oldest overseas batter in the squad, and his job is the one older players are bought for: win the two or three games that decide the table, the way he won the PSL final.
The Afghanistan Premier League is his next final to win — and at 36, he knows how few of those chances are left.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kusal Perera’s role for Kandahar Warriors?
Left-hand wicketkeeper-batter. He was picked in the Gold category at the draft in Dubai on 3 November 2026, for a reported US$40,000.
What is Kusal Perera’s most famous innings?
His 153 not out against South Africa at Durban in 2019, one of the great Test chases. In T20Is his best is 101 off 46 balls against New Zealand in January 2025.
Has Kusal Perera played in the APL before?
No. APL 2026-27 is his APL debut — he did not play the 2018 season. The season starts on Sunday 27 December 2026 in the UAE.