Suranga Lakmal, the former Sri Lanka Test Captain has informed Sri Lanka Cricket that he will retire from all forms of International Cricket following the completion of the upcoming Sri Lanka Tour of India 2022.
Suranga Lakmal, 34, made his international debut against India in 2009 in Nagpur, a match that his side went on to win. His Test debut came within a year against the West Indies in Colombo whereas the T20I cap came calling in 2011 against England. Suranga Lakmal led Sri Lanka in five Tests, all of them coming in 2018.
Suranga Lakmal Indebted To Sri Lanka Cricket
The right-arm pacer has played 68 Tests so far, with two more potential Test caps to add in India. He hitherto has 168 Test wickets at an average of 36 and a strike rate of 72. In 86 ODIs, Suranga Lakmal has 109 wickets at an economy rate of just over 5.
“I’m indebted to Sri Lanka Cricket for giving me this astonishing opportunity and having faith in me to bring back my mother land honour as it has been absolute pleasure to be associated with the board that shaped my professional life and also enriched my personal development,” said Lakmal in his retirement letter submitted to Sri Lanka Cricket.
“I have nothing but the utmost respect for all my players, coaches, team managers, support staff, administrative staff and all other supportive staff,’’ Lakmal has said further.
Suranga Lakmal made his debut for Sri Lanka in 2009 in ODIs, where he went on to play 86 matches and finished with 109 wickets at an average of 32.42. His best spell came against India in Dharamsala in 2017, where he helped knock over the home side for just 112 with bowling figures of 10-4-13-4.
Suranga Lakmal Has Been An Excellent Contributor For Sri Lanka Cricket: CEO Ashley De Silva
Suranga Lakmal played for Sri Lanka across all international formats, making valuable contributions to the betterment of the national team. Suranga Lakmal, the lanky pacer known for moving the ball, also picked a five-wicket haul at Port Elizabeth and became only the second Sri Lankan to have a fifer under his belt in South Africa.
“We take this opportunity to wish Lakmal the very best for his future endeavors, and looking forward to seeing him perform for the country during the Sri Lanka Tour of India, if the selectors consider him for the tour,’’ said Ashley De Silva, CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket.
CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket Ashley De Silva lauded the speedster and said that he has been an excellent contributor to Sri Lanka cricket. Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka tour of India is set to begin on February 25 and it consists of a two-match Test series and a three-match T20I series.
‘’Lakmal has been an excellent contributor for Sri Lanka Cricket and delivered some memorable spells during his national career, and his services will be remembered well.’’ added De Silva.
Suranga Lakmal is the first player from the Hambantota district to represent Sri Lanka. He also joined the likes of Kapil Dev and Imran Khan to bag a wicket off the first ball to be bowled at a new Test venue – the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in his case.
In the longer format, the right-arm pacer has 168 wickets in 68 matches at an average of 36.28, which includes four five-wicket hauls, with his best figures of 5/47 coming against West Indies in North Sound in 2021.
He was an integral part of Sri Lanka’s inaugural ICC World Test Championship campaign, finishing as their second-highest wicket-taker with 20 wickets in seven matches. He will be hoping to add a few more wickets when Sri Lanka clash against India in two Tests in February-March.