Sri Lankan cricketer Lahiru Thirimanne has officially announced his retirement from international cricket through a statement posted on his Instagram handle.
The left-handed batter made his debut in 2010 and went on to have an impressive career, representing his country in 44 Test matches, 127 ODIs, and 26 T20Is. He scored over 5,000 runs across formats for Sri Lanka, which includes seven hundreds and 31 fifties.
Thirimanne’s last appearance for Sri Lanka was in a Test match against Bangladesh in 2022, marking the end of his remarkable journey as a devoted player for the team. However, he was not included in the recent tours of the West Indies and England due to personal family commitments.
In his statement, Thirimanne expressed his gratitude and reflected on his time as a cricketer, stating, “As a player, I have given my best, I have tried my best, I have respected the game and I have done my duty honestly and ethically to my motherland. It was a difficult decision to make, but I cannot mention here the many unexpected reasons that influenced me to take this decision willingly or unwillingly,” Thirimanne said.
“I take this opportunity to thank the SLC members, my coaches, teammates, physios, trainers and analysts for their support and encouragement,” He said.
“And my fans, supporters, and journalists for all the love, support and motivation you have given me over these years. I am forever grateful to you all. Thank you to all of you who have supported me behind the scenes throughout my career,” Lahiru Thirimanne concluded.