Tharidu Madumal

Tharidu Madumal Ponna Handi

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 214 lb.

• Born June 12, 1990 in Galle, Southern Province Sri Lanka

Biographical Information

Tharidu Madumal has pitched regularly for the Sri Lankan national team.

Madumal was named the All-Star right-handed pitcher in the 2015 East Asian Baseball Cup. In the 2017 Asian Championship, Sri Lanka's first Asian Championship, he took the loss against Inayat Ullah Khan and Pakistan. He later turned in 5 2/3 IP against Hong Kong in a duel with Chi-Kam Kenneth Chiu; after he left, Sri Lanka wound up with a 2-0 win, their first Asian Championship win. He was 0-2 with a 4.94 ERA and 13 K in 12 2/3 IP. He was second in the Championship in IP (1 2/3 behind Chiu) and whiffs (3 behind Masaki Tanigawa) but led in losses.

Sri Lanka then made their first Asian Games, the 2018 Asian Games. In their opener, he relieved Sasika Dulshan in the 7th inning with a 11-10 lead over Laos, two out and the potential tying run on third. He retired Long Vue to escape that jam. After Sri Lanka added an insurance run, he began the 8th by retiring Bee Sengsoulin. Nalor Gniatou singled to go 5-for-5 on the day, but Madumal recovered to fan Chinu Va then Cola Phouangkeo flew out. Sri Lanka got three more insurance runs i nthe top of the 9th. In the bottom of the 9th, he struck out the side (Phithak Hopkhop, Soua Xong and Syvone Yelee) to save Sri Lanka's first Asian Games win; Kankani Gamaralalage Chirath Karunarathne got the win. Their next game did not go as smoothly. He relieved Sanjeewa Jayarathne in the 2nd against Thailand, down 5-0 with two outs and a man on. Joe Daru tripled in the inherited runner then John Daru singled for a 7-0 edge. He walked Chayaphat Suanthong then Alexander Clark grounded out. He struck out the side in the 3rd (Sanyalak Pipatpinyo, Panyimphakakul Thanabordee, Phoomwut Wutthikorn) and allowed one run in the 4th (again, on a Joe Daru triple and John Daru single). He pitched a shutout 5th, fanning two more (Phanuwat Sukmuang, Wutthikorn). It was 8-3 entering the 6th, the game having been even since he entered, when things fell apart, as five of six batters got hits (though he finally retired Joe Daru, on a K) before Karunarathne relieved; one of the inherited runs scored, giving him 7 runs (6 earned) in 3 2/3 IP. He again led Sri Lanka in strikeouts in a major event and only Karunarathne had a better ERA for them. For the preliminary round, he tied Karunarathne for 2nd in IP (two behind Song) and led in strikeouts (11, 5 ahead of Karunarathne).

In the 2019 Asian Championship, he allowed five runs (but only one earned) in 1 2/3 IP against Japan, closing it out after replacing Sugath De Silva. Versus Pakistan, he relieved Dhananajaya Ambagaha Gedara and pitched two shutout innings before Kamal Galahitiyawe Gedara came in; he got the win over Atif Ahmad, Sri Lanka's second Asian Championship win (he had been involved in both now, as well as in their only Asian Games win). He finished up their 7-1 loss to the Philippines national team, allowing two hits in a shutout inning after succeeding Dulshan.