During that first decade, the weakling perception was reinforced by Australian comedian Billy Birmingham, whose mimicry of Channel Nine commentator Tony Greig mocked "these little Sri Lankans" in his 12th Man Again satire.
The World Cup triumph changed everything. Ridicule became respect. The Sri Lankan Lions roared, winning the final against arch-enemy Australia, who had refused to tour their country earlier in the tournament due to security reasons.
They've since been World Cup finalists twice, including in 2007 when Jayawardene led them in the defeat in the darkness by Australia in Barbados. In four World T20s, they won it last year, have been in two finals (2009, 2012) and played in a semifinal (2010).
"Before 1996, we were amateurs," Jayawardene said before the 2007 CWC final.
"That 1996 group changed the whole concept of Sri Lankan cricket being professionally run and brought a lot of money to the game so we could develop."
Jayawardene had been playing a schoolboy match at the time, albeit a match drastically shortened so they could head home to watch the chase, including Aravinda de Silva's match-winning century.
That provided him with the inspiration to grow, both in a playing sense and with knowledge of his commercial value.
It's impossible to stroll too many streets in downtown Colombo or Kandy without Jayawardene's face beaming from billboards. He is royalty when it comes to promoting fast-moving consumer goods.
He's also gone into business with team-mate and friend Kumar Sangakkara, establishing start-up businesses like the Ministry of Crab, a fresh seafood restaurant in Colombo's historic Old Dutch Hospital.
By 2011 in Mumbai, Sangakkara had taken the captaincy reins but Jayawardene still exercised leadership in the final with 103 off 88 balls, only to be thwarted by India's chase. The upshot is that he is the only batsman to score a century in a losing team during a World Cup final.
What could inspire more hunger to right the record, especially in your valedictory tournament?
New Zealand have seen a blueprint of what he's capable of in the opening match of the 2015 World Cup at Hagley Oval with his 104 there last Sunday. The bowlers had few answers to his majestic batsmanship.
Any player who has racked up 437 ODIs - only Sachin Tendulkar (463) and countryman Sanath Jayasuriya (445) have played more - is also capable of generating his quotient of niggle among the opposition.
In the 2011 pool match against New Zealand, Jayawardene questioned the veracity of Nathan McCullum's caught-and-bowled in the 24th over with Sri Lanka 87 for two. McCullum's dive to short midwicket after his follow-through saw him come up with the ball clasped in his thumb, middle and forefingers. Jayawardene stood his ground and kept his innings alive. He was given the benefit of the doubt by the third umpire, despite what seemed evidence to the contrary. McCullum's disappointment was palpable. He exchanged words with Jayawardene and umpire Asad Rauf. His team-mates expressed similar feelings but Jayawardene made 66 and Sri Lanka won.
It's worth wagering that won't be the last time his survival instincts prevail.
