Medium pacer Nuwan Kulasekara has announced his retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect, expressing that he intends to focus his attention on the shorter formats of the game and wishes to continue playing for Sri Lanka for as long as performance permits.
In a letter addressed to the Sri Lanka Cricket Board, Kulasekara said;
“I would like to retire from playing Test cricket with immediate effect. After much thought I believe it is the right time to retire and I hope it will allow me to better prepare for ODI and T20 cricket, which I would like to continue playing for Sri Lanka subject to good performance and selection”
Since making his debut at Napier in the year 2005, Kulasekara has played 21 Tests over a career spanning 11 years. Of late, he has not been a regular in the Test arena with the emergence of players like Nuwan Pradeep, Dhammika Prasad and Shaminda Eranga, but has continued to be an integral part of Sri Lanka’s limited overs teams.
Kulasekara’s best bowling performance came against Pakistan at the P. Sara Oval in 2009 when he picked up 4 wickets in both innings to register figures of 8/58 in the match as Sri Lanka went on to win by 7 wickets.
He has been a handy lower order batsman as well, the highlight of his career being scoring 29 and then 64 against England at Lords in 2006; Sri Lanka clinched an epic draw after following on.
Overall in his career spanning 21 Tests, Kulasekara picked up 48 wickets at an average of 37.37 while making 391 runs as well.
Kulasekara played his last Test during Sri Lanka’s historic tour of England in 2014.
