Along with partner Romesh Kaluwitharana, Jayasuriya revolutionized one day international batting with his aggressive tactics during the 1996 Cricket World Cup. The tactic used was to take advantage of the early fielding restrictions by smashing the opening bowlers to all parts of the cricket ground, rather than the establishment tactic of building up momentum gradually.

One Day cricket has never been the same again.

This was a novel but potentially match-winning tactic at that time, and Sri Lanka, who had previously never made it out of the preliminary rounds, went on to win the World Cup in 1996 without a single defeat. This soon became the standard opening batting strategy in limited overs cricket.

Jayasuriya was adjudged Man of the Tournament in recognition of his all-round contributions. He also won the Most Promising Cricketer award during that tournament held jointly by India and Pakistan.

Glenn McGrath cited Jayasuriya in his toughest XI batsmen, noting `it is always a massive compliment to someone to say they changed the game, and his storming innings in the 1996 World Cup changed everyone`s thinking about how to start innings.`

It is because of these reasons that I say Sanath Jayasuriya is a better all rounder than Jacques Kallis (not just because I am a Sri Lankan). Besides, Jayasuriya is an opening batsman, a tedious task indeed especially in 50 over games having to play under immense pressure very frequently. The following records can only come from a legend:

1. Fastest fifty in ODIs, scored off just 17 balls.
2. Jointly holds the record for most sixes in an ODI innings, 11, with Shahid Afridi. He hit the sixes during an innings of 134 from 65 balls against Pakistan, in Singapore.
3. The only batsman in history to have four ODI scores above 150.
4. The only batsman in history to have two consecutive ODI scores above 150.
5. Fastest 150 in an ODI innings, off 95 balls against England in 2006.
6. Fastest century in ODIs, scored off just 47 balls, before Shahid Afridi scored a century of 37 balls against Sri Lanka.
7. Most number of 6s in ODIs. He currently has 270 sixes in his career.
8. Most runs in an ODI Over 30. A feat which he achieved twice, against Pakistan and New Zealand. Herschelle Gibbs of South Africa broke the record by hitting 6 sixes in an over from Daan van Bunge, against the Netherlands.
9. Oldest player to have scored an ODI century, performing the feat against India at Dumballa, Sri Lanka on 28 January 2009. He was 39 years 212 days, beating Geoffrey Boycott`s record of 39 years 51 days.
10. Highest partnership in test cricket for any wicket with Roshan Mahanama 576 runs against India in 1997. This was broken by Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara in 2006 against South Africa in Colombo with 624 runs.
11. Highest partnership in test cricket for the second wicket with Roshan Mahanama 576 runs against India in 1997.
12. Highest opening stand in One Day matches with Upul Tharanga 289 against England in 2006.
13. Only player in history to score 10,000 runs and get 300 wickets in One Day cricket matches.
14. At the Indian premier League, currently leads the six-hitting board and is the tournament`s 3rd highest run scorer with 514 runs at a strike rate of about 160.

Other Records:

1. First player to play in 400 ODIs matches.
2. Jointly holds the record for the second highest ODI score - 189 runs with Viv Richards (second to Saeed Anwar`s 194).
3. Currently the second highest run scorer in ODIs with 13,154 runs (Sachin Tendulkar is first with 16,684).
4. Currently the second highest centurion in ODIs with 28 under his belt (second only to Tendulkar with 43).
5. Second most Man of the Match awards (47) in ODI cricket after Sachin Tendulkar (58).
6. 3rd batsman in test cricket to hit 6 fours in one over. He did this against England in his last test innings.
7. Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1997.
8. First Sri Lankan to score a triple century in tests and countless other Sri Lankan records in all versions of the game.
9. Sri Lanka has won 80% of the matches Where Jayasuriya has scored over 50 runs in One Dayers.
10. Strike rate in Onde Day games over 90%.
11. A skillful infielder, with a report prepared by Cricinfo in late 2005 showing that since the 1999 Cricket World Cup, he had effected the seventh highest number of run-outs in ODI cricket of any fieldsman, with the eleventh highest success rate.
12. Captained of the Sri Lankan team in 38 test matches from 1999 to 2003. Had 9 consecutive test victories as captain, the third best in history.
13. Playing one day games for 20 years as of 2009.
14. Highest score by a Sri Lankan at Lord`s which resulted in Sri Lanka`s first test victory in England.
15. Sri Lanka holds the record of highest number of runs in all forms of the game. Jayasuriya is the highest scorer in all these record breaking sprees (340 in SL`s 952/6 in tests, 157 in SL`s 443/9 in One Dayers and 88 in SL`s 260/6 in T20).

Sanath Jayasuriya is the first cricketer to be appointed as a UN Goodwill Ambassador (by UNAIDS, Geneva) for his commitment to prevention of HIV/AIDS among young people in Sri Lanka.