Top Five ODI teams in mid to late 90s

#3 Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's meteoric rise in One Day cricket was the success story of the mid 90s. Tagged as underdogs the Islanders turned around their cricketing fortunes by winning the 1996 World Cup under the shrewd captaincy in Arjuna Ranatunga. Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana revolutionized batting in power plays with their belligerent pinch hitting. The Lankan middle order had a batting maestro in Aravinda De Silva, Roshan Mahanama, Asanka Gurunsinge and the captain Ranatunga himself.

The seam bowling was led by left-arm medium pacer Chaminda Vaas who was a clever exponent at seaming the ball with an immaculate line. Vaas was partnered by Sanjeeva De Silva, Ravindra Pushpakumara, and Pramodya Wickramasinghe. However, Sri Lanka’s bowling spearhead was the legendary off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan who turned the ball like a top on any surface. The Old wily fox could cast a web around the best of batting line-ups with his conventional off-spinner and the 'Doosra'. Murali had good support from Upul Chandana and Kumara Dharamasena who were decent spinners in their own merit.

Sri Lanka's Top 15 ODI cricketers (1995-1999) - Sanath Jayasuriya, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Aravinda De Silva, Arjuna Ranatunga, Roshan Mahanama, Hashan Tillakaratne, Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumara Dharamasena, Upul Chandana, Pramodya Wickramsinghe, Marvan Atapattu, Avishka Gunawardene, Asanka Gurusinha and Russel Arnold

Sri Lanka ODI Record (1995-1999)

ODI Played - 132 Won - 69 Lost - 57 Win % - 54.76

ICC World Cup

1996 – Champions

1999 - Super Six

ICC Champions Trophy

1998 - Semifinalist