sri Lanka left-arm spinner Rangana Herath
has announced his retirement from limited-overs cricket in order to
focus on
the remainder of his Test career. Herath informed Sri Lanka
Cricket of his decision to step away from the shorter formats in the
past week, and the board has since accepted his decision.
"In the next eight months or so, we're scheduled to play something like
12 Test matches," Herath said. "I think retiring from the shorter
formats is the right move, because that will allow young players to be
groomed for the next World Cup, as well as lowering my workload and
letting me concentrate on Tests."
Herath, 38, has played with injuries in both knees over the past few
years, and was largely only picked for limited-overs cricket in the
approach to, and in major tournaments, in which he has played a
significant role.
He has 74 wickets from 71 ODIs, but will be remembered more fondly for
his impact in T20 internationals. Herath played a key role in Sri
Lanka's victorious 2014 World T20 campaign, delivering the side's spell
of that tournament. His 5 wickets for 3 runs in a virtual quarter-final against New Zealand
is arguably the best-ever T20 bowling performance. He was also
effective in the semi-final and final of that tournament, and had also
been incisive in the 2012 World T20 semi-final, against Pakistan, where he claimed 3 for 25. Overall, he has 18 T20I wickets from 17 matches.
"In T20, the two spells I remember fondly are my 5 for 3 against New
Zealand, and the 3 for 20-odd against Pakistan at Khettarama," Herath
said. "I haven't taken any five-wicket hauls in ODIs, but I bowled well
in that tri-series final against India,
in the Caribbean in 2013. I took 4 for 20 in that game, though we went
on to lose. I also have good memories of the 2011 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand (he took 1 for 31)."
Most recently, Herath played in every match of Sri Lanka's recent 2016
World T20 campaign, and his retirement will leave the likes of Jeffrey
Vandersay and Sachithra Senanayake vying to become the team's
first-choice short-format spinner. Herath himself will shift focus to
the three-Test series in England, in May and June, for which preparation
begins on Monday.
"Sri Lanka Cricket wishes Mr. Herath nothing but the best as he
continues to play cricket in his chosen discipline, and in all future
endeavours," a board release said.
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