Dimuth Karunaratne will retire following his landmark 100th Test match for Sri Lanka against Australia in Galle.
On Thursday, Dimuth Karunaratne will join the ranks of the seventh Sri Lankan cricketer to achieve the 100-Test milestone, following current head coach Sanath Jayasuriya (110), Muttiah Muralidaran (132), Chaminda Vaas (111), Kumar Sangakkara (134), Mahela Jayawardena (149), and Angelo Mathews (117).
A cornerstone of Sri Lanka’s batting during the World Test Championship era, the series finale will also signify Karunaratne’s 100th Test match appearance.
As reported by Newswire, Karunaratne’s recent decline in performance has led the 36-year-old to decide to end his 14-year career. “I am pleased with what I have accomplished to date.” “I wish to declare my retirement at a joyful occasion such as playing in my 100th Test,” Karunaratne said to Daily FT after having aimed for a goal of 10,000 Test runs.
As his average falls below 40, Karunaratne has amassed 7172 Test runs across 189 innings, including 16 centuries and 39 half-centuries. In the first Test last week against the Australians in Galle, he could only score seven runs along with a duck.
Dimuth Karunaratne’s 16 Test centuries tie him for the fourth-most in Sri Lanka history alongside Marvan Atapattu, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Dinesh Chandimal, and Mathews. Only Sangakkara (38), Jayawardena (34), and Arjun Ranatunga (20) have achieved a higher number of centuries in this format.
The left-arm bowler captained Sri Lanka in 30 Test matches, securing 12 victories, facing 12 defeats, and earning six draws. With an average of 41.14, Karunaratne stands as Sri Lanka’s top-performing batter in the World Test Championship, amassing 2592 runs in 64 innings, including six centuries and 16 fifties.
