His captain at Hamsphire, the legendary Shane Warne, has always believed that the 29-year-old deserved a place in the England ODI team, but it was only in July this year that he was given a chance against the West Indies.
"It amazes me that England have never given him a chance in the one-day side. He is the best finisher with the bat in all situations in the country, and his bowling is clever and accurate," Warne had written in the Times last September.
Born to Sri Lankan parents Malik and Pauline, Mascarenhas was born in Chiswick, England, and was brought up in Perth, Australia, where he attended school.
Mascarenhas had great success in Australian junior cricket, captaining Western Australia at Under-17 and Under-19 state-level competitions. But in 1996, he however returned to England to pursue a cricketing career in the country of his birth.
India in the United Kingdom 2007
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