Dimuth Karunaratne retires after 100th test, ICC hails his legacy

Dubai: Former Sri Lankan captain and prolific opener Dimuth Karunaratne bid farewell to international cricket after playing his 100th Test against Australia in Galle, bringing an end to a remarkable career.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) lauded Karunaratne’s commitment and achievements, highlighting his contributions to Test cricket. The 36-year-old opener, who scored 36 and 14 in his farewell Test, saw his side lose by nine wickets, as Australia clean-swept the two-match series.

"Dimuth has had a very fine career, excelling as a batter in the most traditional format of the game, becoming only the seventh Sri Lankan to feature in 100 Tests," said ICC chairman Jay Shah in a statement. He further praised Karunaratne’s dedication, calling him a great ambassador of the game and expressing confidence that Test cricket fans worldwide will miss him.

Karunaratne amassed 7,222 Test runs at an average of nearly 40, with a highest score of 244. He also played 50 ODIs, scoring 1,316 runs. His leadership in 30 Test matches between 2019 and 2023 saw Sri Lanka winning 12 and losing 12 games under his captaincy.

The left-handed opener made his international debut in an ODI against England at Manchester in 2011 before earning his Test cap in Galle in 2012. Notably, all his 16 Test centuries came as an opener, a Sri Lankan record he shares with Marvan Atapattu.

Karunaratne’s most historic achievement came in 2019 when he led Sri Lanka to a 2-0 Test series win over South Africa, making them the first Asian team to win a Test series in South Africa since the Proteas’ readmission to cricket.

As he steps away from the game, only Kusal Mendis remains from the squad that scripted that historic triumph, alongside Karunaratne.

“On behalf of the ICC, I would like to congratulate him on an outstanding career and wish him all the best for the future. I hope he continues to contribute to cricket using his vast experience,” Shah added.

With PTI inputs