Bandula Warnapura, who captained Sri Lanka in their first ever test match against England in 1982, has died at the age of 68, the country's cricket board (SLC) said in a statement on Monday.

SLC said Warnapura was also a respected administrator who held the position of director of cricket operations at the country's governing body and had served the Asian Cricket Council for many years.

Warnapura opened the batting for Sri Lanka and represented them in four tests and 12 one-day internationals. He claimed eight wickets in the shorter format bowling medium pace.

"It was such a joy to chat to him on everything cricket. A good and gentle man. We will miss him. Our thoughts are with his loved ones," former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara said on Twitter.