New Delhi: Veteran Sri Lankan batter Dimuth Karunaratne has decided to call his time with international cricket this month and end the nearly 14-year-long journey. He will make one last appearance for the Sri Lanka national cricket team for the second Test match against Australia in Galle, the same venue where he made his Test debut against New Zealand in November 2012.
Interestingly, his retirement match will be the 100th Test match for Karunaratne in what will make him the seventh cricketer from his country to appear in 100 Test matches for Sri Lanka. With 7172 runs from 189 innings at an average of 39.40, the left-handed batter is Sri Lanka’s fourth highest run-getter in the traditional format of international cricket.
The decision to call it curtains on his international career was made after Sri Lanka lost to Australia by an innings and 242 runs in the first Test match in Galle, as the player told to ESPNcricinfo. The retirement was also inspired by the fact that Sri Lanka will only play two Test matches till May 2026 after the second Test against Australia.
“It is difficult for a Test player to keep himself motivated to play 4 Tests for a year and maintain his form,” Karunaratne was quoted as saying by ‘Daily FT’.
“In the last two-three years after the WTC (World Test Championship) was introduced, we have been having very little bilateral series,” he added.
Karunaratne featured three times in ICC Test XI
Karunaratne has been considered as a Sri Lankan batting great for his consistency in Tests in the last one decade. He notched his first Test century against New Zealand in Christchurch (152) during Sri Lanka’s follow-on innings, which the visitors lost by eight wickets.
Karunaratne cemented his position as a Test opener after showcasing consistency. He has been included in the ICC Test teams of the Year three times in his career – 2018 (743 runs at 46.43), 2021 (902 runs at 69.38), and 2023 (608 runs at 60.80).
Veteran Sri Lankan cricketer Dimuth Karunaratne will retire from international cricket after playing his 100th Test match against Australia. Karunaratne, a prolific Test opener with over 7000 runs, leaves a legacy of consistency and is considered one of Sri Lanka’s batting greats. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
