NEW DELHI: After playing his 100th Test match, which will be the second and last match against Australia beginning in Galle on Thursday, former Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne is set to retire from international cricket.
One of Sri Lanka’s most successful batsmen, the 36-year-old has amassed 7,172 runs at an average of little under 40, including 16 hundreds and 34 half-centuries in 99 Test matches over almost 14 years. In 50 ODI appearances, he has amassed 1,316 runs, including one century and eleven fifties.
“It is difficult for a Test player to keep himself motivated to play 4 Tests for a year and maintain his form,” Karunaratne, who made his Test debut in 2012, 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. My current form is another reason; completing my 100 Tests, the end of the WTC cycle (2023-25), I thought is the right time to retire.”
Karunaratne will play his final match for Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) against NCC in the SLC Major Club three-day tournament from February 14-16. He made his first-class debut for SSC in 2008 and intends to move to Australia with his family next month.
“I have some personal plans of my own. I’ve decided to retire after speaking to other senior players like Angie (Angelo Mathews) and Chandi (Dinesh Chandimal),” he said.
“Rather than the three of us retiring at the same time, it will be better for us to go one by one. I thought I will retire first because I know I cannot go for my next target – 10,000 runs – with the lesser number of Tests being played.
“I am happy with what I have achieved so far. I want to announce my retirement with a happy moment like playing in my 100th Test.”
Karunaratne has been in poor form lately, scoring 7 and 0 in the opening Test match against Australia, as Sri Lanka lost by an innings and 242 runs to go behind 0-1 in the two-Test series.
“Any cricketer’s dream is to play 100 Tests and score 10,000 runs. It’s a big achievement. When you start playing cricket, you don’t think of those targets, but when you continue playing, you come across different targets,” he said.
“But as Sri Lanka are playing less Test matches for a year, getting to 10,000 runs seems far away. Appearing in 100 Tests I feel is an achievement,” he added.
He would look back at his career as a satisfied man due to its sheer longevity.
“Several players play Test cricket but only a handful are able to go and play 100 Tests. To become a member of that exclusive club I am very happy. To become Sri Lanka’s seventh cricketer to play in 100 Tests is also a happy moment,” he signed off.
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