Sri Lanka fast-bowling all-rounder Thisara Perera on Monday (May 3) announced his retirement from international cricket. In a massive surprise, Perera opted to bid adieu to the highest level of the game at the age of 32.
Perera informed Sri Lanka Cricket of his decision via a letter, stating it is the right time for him to “step aside and pave the way for younger and more talented players” and focus on prioritising his family and personal goals.
Perera played all three formats for Sri Lanka in an international career spanning over 11 years after making his debut in December 2009. He represented his country in 6 Tests, 166 ODIs and 84 T20Is and took over 200 wickets besides scoring more than 8,000 runs.
Perera was a member of Sri Lanka’s strongest limited-overs side in the last decade, where the Island nation reached the 2011 World Cup final in Mumbai and clinched victory in the 2014 T20 World Cup summit clash in Dhaka. Perera smashed a fantastic cameo at the Wankhede to impress the global audience and was also there to hit the final runs in Mirpur.
“I take pride in the fact that I was able to represent Sri Lanka in seven cricket world cups and be a contributing member of the 2014 T20 World Cup win against India in Bangladesh. Easily the highlight of My Life,”
Perera mentioned in his letter to SLC.
The other highlights of Perera’s career include being appointed captain of the ODI and T20I sides in 2017. Two years later, the attacking left-hand batsman blazed his maiden ODI hundred as he made 140 off just 74 balls against New Zealand, an innings glint with 13 sixes – the most in a single ODI innings by a Sri Lankan.
Perera is also the only Sri Lankan to hit six sixes in an over in any form of professional cricket. He also took an ODI and T20I hattrick in his career. With his ability to use the long handle and also be a useful fifth-bowling option, Perera balanced Sri Lanka’s playing XIs throughout his career.
“Thisara was a brilliant all-rounder, who has contributed immensely as a player to Sri Lanka Cricket and played a part in some of the glorious cricketing moments of the country,”
said Ashley De Silva, CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket.
Perera last played for Sri Lanka in ODIs and T20Is on the tour of the Caribbean against West Indies earlier this year in March. He played his last Test back in 2012.
While no longer available for international duties, Perera remains committed to playing for different franchises in leagues across the globe. Perera plays for the Jaffna Stallions franchise in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) T20 and will be looking for opportunities elsewhere as well.
Still quite young, Perera hasn’t always been able to pursue T20 gigs around the world due to international duties. But having freed up his calendar, he now can play leagues in various countries.
Though playing more league cricket had been a longstanding desire, ESPNcricinfo reported, Perera’s international “retirement came after he is understood to have been told by Sri Lanka’s team management that he, along with several other senior cricketers, would not be picked for the forthcoming ODI series against Bangladesh, with the team looking to blood new players.”
Sacking from the ODI set up took away the opportunity from Perera’s hands to strengthen his case for the 2023 World Cup in India. But he was still in the reckoning for the T20Is, with the management eyeing the T20 World Cup later this year in India.
