Sri Lanka All-Rounder Thisara Perera Retires From International Cricket

In what comes as shocking news to many, Sri Lanka all-rounder Thisara Perera has decided to retire from international cricket at the age of 32 years. The all-rounder last played for Sri Lanka in an ODI in March 2021 against West Indies in Coolidge.

This report filtered in from the sources in Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) that Perera has notified the administration of his decision to retire from international cricket. The cricketer had made his debut for Sri Lanka in 2009 in ODIs, 2010 in T20Is, and 2011 in Test matches.

In total, Perera played 8 Tests, making 203 runs with one fifty, played 166 ODIs with 2338 runs and 175 wickets, and appeared in 84 T20Is, making 1204 runs and taking 51 wickets. He made a total of one international century, which came against New Zealand as he slammed 140 from 74 balls, during which he hit 13 sixes, a record by any Sri Lankan batsman and most sixes in an ODI by a batsman on the losing side.

Thisara Perera Decides To Retire From International Cricket After SLC Unlikely To Consider Senior Players For Limited Overs

While the decision of Thisara Perera to retire may seem abrupt and sudden, it seems that reports indicate that it was due to Sri Lanka Cricket’s new decision to not consider senior players anymore for the limited-overs series.

As a result, Perera decided to convey his decision to retire from international cricket, say SLC sources. Perera has captained the Sri Lanka team in T20Is as well.

Sri Lankan Cricket selectors earlier announced they are considering dropping several senior cricketers from the Sri Lanka ODI side for the upcoming Bangladesh and England ODI tours. A senior SLC official told NewsWire that selectors are unlikely to consider senior players Dimuth Karunaratne, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Suranga Lakmal, and Thisara Perera for the upcoming limited-overs tours.

Sri Lanka’s upcoming schedule consists of an ODI series in Bangladesh and an ODI & T20I series in England. Thisara Perera also has a fledging career in T20 leagues all over the world, including stints in the IPL, BBL, BPL, PSL, and the SLPL.

In 290 T20 matches, Perera has 243 wickets with a best of 5/26 and has made 3699 runs with a best of 97*. He has hit 209 sixes in his T20 career thus far.

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