The 36-year-old will be the seventh Sri Lankan to play 100 Tests
Former Sri Lanka Test captain Dimuth Karunaratne is set to retire from international cricket after the second Test against Australia in Galle.
The final Test in the 2025 Warne-Muralitharan Trophy will also mark the lefthander’s 100th Test match, making him the seventh Sri Lankan to reach the milestone after Mahela Jayawardene (149), Kumar Sangakkara (134), Muttiah Muralitharan (132), Angelo Matthews (117), Chaminda Vaas (111) and Sanath Jayasuriya (100).
Karunaratne, who made his Test debut against New Zealand at Galle in November 2012, has scored 7,172 runs from 189 innings.
The southpaw’s 16 Test hundreds is also joint-fourth for Sri Lanka in Test alongside Matthews, Marvan Atapattu, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Dinesh Chandimal. He also has 39 Test fifties.
“I’ve decided to retire after speaking to other senior players like Angie [Angelo Mathews] and Chandi [Dinesh Chandimal]. 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 told Sri Lanka outlet Daily FT.
Despite not reaching the magical 10,000-run mark, the 36-year-old is the fourth highest runscorer for Lanka in Tests behind Sangakkara, Jayawardene and Matthews.
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Karunaratne had led Sri Lanka in 30 Tests, won 12, lost 12 and drew six matches.
“At the end of the day, after I have retired, I can look back and be satisfied that I had played 100 Tests for my country. 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,” Karunaratne said.
Australia have retained the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy after winning the first Test by a huge margin of innings and 242 innings. Karunaratne returned scores of seven and zero in the match.
