Kulasekara was not part of Sri Lanka’s World Cup 2019 squad and last played for the senior national team in 2017.Kulasekara hadn’t played competitive cricket at the senior level since March 2018 and he played only for list A cricket.

He is not just good at the new ball and fine bowler at the death as well as the pacer had the ability to fire in accurate yokers under pressure.

There is a big worried concern about Kulasekara’s retirement and it had became a specific news in Srilankan newspapers and stated on international websites as well.

Sri Lanka’s last win in a bilateral ODI series against a full member was in November 2015 if their win over Ireland (who were recently granted full ICC membership) in June 2016 is not to be seriously considered.

Since that win over West Indies at home Sri Lanka has struggled to perform consistently in this format and it shows in their current rankings where they are placed eighth and struggling to avoid qualifying for the 2019 Cricket World Cup where only the top eight ranked teams automatically qualify and, the teams ranked lower than eight will have to come through a qualifying tournament.

A series win over Zimbabwe who are ranked lower than Sri Lanka will not fetch them many points but help them to marginally improve their points rankings as only three points separate Sri Lanka and seventh and sixth placed Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Today’s game is a must-win for Zimbabwe if they are to keep the series alive. They began on a high chasing down the highest total ever by a winning team in Sri Lanka – 317 in the first ODI at Galle by scoring 322-4, but have been outplayed in the next two matches with Sri Lanka raising their bar to win by seven wickets and by eight wickets.

“It’s very important for us to win this series. I don’t want any complacency creeping in and we want to finish it off,” said Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews.

“What we need is consistency. We can’t score 300 everyday. We can lose one or two games, but if we bat well every day that’s great. Some days we don’t do well. If we want to improve we need to be consistent,” he said.

Mathews praised the batting efforts of openers Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunathilaka who made their maiden ODI centuries in laying the foundation for Sri Lanka’s successful run chase of 311 with a double century partnership.

“It’s very pleasing to see the way they batted. Very encouraging to see them not getting 50s and 60s and throwing it away. They did exactly what the team wanted. Pity they couldn’t finish it through, but that was good job,” said Mathews.

“We have backed him to bat the way he wants. We have told him that when he gets a 30 or 40 to bat long and everyone will benefit. It looks like everyone is learning. Niroshan is a fearless cricketer and he wants to take on all the bowlers, great attitude to have.”

With the crosswinds and a flat batting pitch the bowlers of both sides had a tough day on Thursday. The conditions are not expected to change today and another high scoring game is on the cards.

Sri Lanka will be without Nuwan Pradeep their most consistent bowler in the series although his efforts are not reflected by the figures. Pradeep has strained his right quadricep during the seventh over of the 3rd ODI on Thursday and has been ruled out of the series. Veteran fast bowler Nuwan Kulasekara has been drafted into the squad in his place along with another young fast bowler Asitha Fernando who impressed at the recently concluded Super Provincial tournament with 12 wickets in 6 games at 30.75. Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer blamed his bowlers for allowing Sri Lanka chase down 311 and win.

“On the bowling side we need to bowl better. I thought we bowled both sides of the wicket. We needed to go shorter or fuller. There’s not much you can change in one day. We will keep positives and try and stay positive. Try and restrict them,” said Cremer.

Zimbabwe were also let down by some crucial catches being dropped where Dickwella and Gunathilaka were let off early within the space of two balls. The positive for them was the return to form of opener Hamilton Masakadza who scored his fifth ODI century and laid the foundation for Zimbabwe’s total which in the end proved to be insufficient. – ST

Left-arm chinaman Lakshan Sandakan ripped through the Scotland middle order with a fine spell of bowling taking 4 for 39 in 10 overs to rattle the hosts for 166 before Upul Tharanga and Kusal Mendis smashed superb half centuries (53 not out) and (74 not out) respectively to help Sri Lanka comfortably home in 23 overs.

Sri Lanka rested captain Angelo Mathews, opening batsman Kusal Perera and seamer Suranga Lakmal for Nuwan Kulasekara, Seekkuge Prasanna and Niroshan Dickwella for this game.

The Scotland players wore black armbands as a mark of respect for those killed in the Manchester bomb attack.

Scores: Scotland 166 in 42.1 overs (Matthew Cross 27, Craig Wallace 46, Alasdair Evans 22, Nuwan Kulasekara 2/23, Seekkuge Prasanna 2/28, Lakshan Sandakan 4/39)

Sri Lanka 170-1 in 22.5 overs (Upul Tharanga 53 n.o., Kusal Mendis 73 n.o.)

Australia’s first aim on Wednesday (February 22) would be to salvage some pride, having already conceded the series with last-ball losses in both earlier games.

Aaron Finch, Australia’s captain for the series, didn’t mince words when he said after losing the first match that his country had underperformed in the format ‘since forever’.

In the absence of several big names including Steve Smith, the regular captain, David Warner and Mitchell Starc, the batsmen of Big Bash League fame have done a fairly good job. Michael Klinger has been steady at the top while Travis Head, Ben Dunk and Moises Henriques have quick runs against their name.

The inexperience, though, is telling in the bowling department as Australia has allowed Sri Lanka to twice chase down competitive totals despite having it in bother at various points. The likes of Andrew Tye and Billy Stanlake have not stepped up, giving the opponent an opening it has barged through. It has also left too much to do for the likes of James Faulkner and Pat Cummins.

Credit, however, should also go to the visitor. Sri Lanka came into the series having been whitewashed 5-0 by South Africa in the one-dayers, but was still high on confidence as it had won the preceding T20I series 2-1.

Sri Lanka now seems to have identified a brand of cricket that’s working wonders for it in the shortest format. What’s most refreshing about its turnaround is the freedom with which its batsmen have operated; irrespective of the situation, Sri Lanka’s batting mantra seems to be attack.

The onslaught in both games has been led by Asela Gunaratne, the latest hero. The right-hand middle-order batsman has twice helped Sri Lanka to victories in tough chases with half-centuries. The second game in particular was an absolute heist, as he helped his side hunt down 174 from 40 for 5 with a stunning, unbeaten 46-ball 84. Now with a maiden Indian Premier League contract in hand, Gunaratne will once look to re-establish his capabilities.

But Sri Lanka hasn’t been a one-man team as Dilshan Munaweera and Chamara Kapugedera have made vital contributions with the bat. It will, however, miss Niroshan Dickwella at the top, the wicketkeeper-batsman having been suspended on Tuesday for two limited-overs matches after showing dissent at the umpire’s decision in the previous game which pushed his cumulative demerit points beyond the minimum four.

The bowling too has been bolstered by Lasith Malinga’s return. Despite not playing for a year, Malinga has showed no signs of rustiness, sending down his famed yorkers with precision. Nuwan Kulasekara too will be on a high, having picked up four wickets in the second T20I.

Australia swept Sri Lanka 2-0 when they faced off in the T20Is in the island nation last year. On Wednesday, Sri Lanka will have an opportunity to return the favour, and even go one better.

Teams (from):

Australia: Aaron Finch (capt), Pat Cummins, Ben Dunk, James Faulkner, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Michael Klinger, Tim Paine (wk), Jhye Richardson, Billy Stanlake, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa.

Sri Lanka: Upul Tharanga (capt), Vikum Sanjaya, Asela Gunaratne, Chamara Kapugedara, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dilshan Munaweera, Sachith Pathirana, Seekkuge Prasanna, Lakshan Sandakan, Dasun Shanaka, Milinda Siriwardana, Isuru Udana.

411.11 Asela Gunaratne’s strike rate of his last nine balls. He smashed 37 runs, including three fours and four sixes. He had scored 47 off his first 37 balls with three fours and a six.

1 Number of higher scores than Gunaratne’s 84 not out by a batsman at No.5 or lower in a chase in T20Is. Joe Root had made an unbeaten 90 against Australia in Southampton in 2013, but it ended in a losing cause. Gunaratne’s score is the highest by a Sri Lanka player at No.5 or lower in T20Is and the sixth highest by any player.

5-0 Sri Lanka’s win-loss record in T20Is in Australia. It is the second best record in a country without losing a game. Australia is the only country where Sri Lanka haven’t lost a T20I, and they are the only team unbeaten in Australia.

5 Successive losses for Australia in T20Is at home – three against India last year and two against Sri Lanka this series. This is their longest losing streak at home, passing four consecutive defeats in 2012-13.

4/31 Nuwan Kulasekara’s figures – his best in T20Is, bettering his 4 for 32 against England in the 2014 World T20. He picked up three wickets off the last four balls of Australia’s innings.

Fast bowlers Kumara and Sanjaya were part of the Test squad – with Kumara playing the second and third Tests – while Vandersay replaced Prasanna in a legspinner-for-legspinner swap. Kumara, who has played four Tests, is yet to play a short-format game at the senior level, while Sanjaya is yet to make his international debut.

This means Sri Lanka’s squad now contains four players uncapped in the ODI format, including the allrounder Lahiru Madushanka and the wicketkeeper-batsman Sandun Weerakkody.

Allrounder Thikshila made his international debut during the T20 series, playing all three matches, batting twice – once at No. 4 – for scores of 3 and 0, and sending down just the one over. Prasanna, meanwhile, took two wickets in the three games and conceded 8.42 runs an over, while also contributing a match-winning, unbeaten 16-ball 37 in the decider at Newlands.

Udana, the left-arm quick, played two of the T20s, taking 3 for 13 in the second game at the Wanderers. Originally part of the ODI squad – having not played a 50-over game for Sri Lanka since July 2012 – he has now been left out.

Sri Lanka ODI squad: Upul Tharanga (captain), Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Dhananjaya Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Sandun Weerakkody, Kusal Mendis, Asela Gunaratne, Chathuranga de Silva, Sachith Pathirana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lakshan Sandakan, Lahiru Madushanka, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lahiru Kumara, Suranga Lakmal, Vikum Sanjaya.

In a letter addressed to SLC, Kulasekera says,
“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”

The former strike bowler with 48 test wickets to his name and best innings figures of 4/21, was ranked the ICC ODI No1 bowler in March 2009 after a 47 wicket haul in the preceding eleven months.

His prowess is an integral part of the Sri Lankan bowling arsenal, and Sri Lanka Cricket wishes him many more wickets to come! (SLC)

Sri Lanka had three wickets in hand and required 13 off the last over by Grant Elliott at Mount Maunganui but could only manage 10 runs as they lost two wickets.

The result put the pressure on Sri Lanka to win the second and the final game in Auckland on Sunday or they will slip from first to third behind the West Indies and Australia in the world rankings.
New Zealand, sent into bat first at Bay Oval, made 182 for four in their 20 overs and Sri Lanka replied with 179 for nine.
Sri Lanka lost early wickets and were 86-5 at the halfway stage with top scorer Danushka Gunathilaka back in the pavilion after hitting 46 off 29 deliveries.

Tillakaratne Dilshan went at the start of the second over and Captain Dinesh Chandimal was out in the third over as they tried to force the pace against the bowling of Matt Henry and Trent Boult.
Milinda Siriwardana (42) and Thisara Perera (28) started to repair the innings with a stand of 49 in 27 balls for the sixth wicket and Chamara Kapugedera (17) and Nuwan Kulasekara (14) kept up the pressure.
But on the third ball of the final over Kulasekara was well caught in the deep by Boult and Kapugedera was run out on the next delivery.

Guptill and Kane Williamson gave New Zealand a flying start bringing up their century partnership at the start of the 11th over.
But they had no sooner passed 100 when Guptill was first to fall for 58 when he was run out by a side-on throw from Kapugedera on Williamson’s call for a quick single.
Williamson followed soon after for 53 off 42 while Colin Munro scored 36 and Ross Taylor was not out 22.
For Sri Lanka, Kulasekara took two for 26, while the leading bowlers for New Zealand were Boult with three for 21 and Henry with three for 44.

The pair produced 98 runs for the seventh wicket at Hagley Oval in Christchurch as Sri Lanka folded for 188 with three overs remaining.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Sri Lanka were 27-5 after Henry’s accurate opening spell in which he took four wickets for two runs in the space of 16 deliveries.

Siriwardana stemmed the rot with 66 and Kulasekara added 58. Dushmantha Chameera, not out 13, was the only other batsman to reach double figures.

Adam Milne, having fully recovered from the heel injury that sidelined him in the World Cup, struck first for New Zealand.

He was quickly into his work and bowling around the 150 kilometres per hour (93 miles per hour) mark when he dismissed Danushka Gunathilaka in his second over.

The caught behind shout was rejected by umpire Phillip Jones but wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi was confident and New Zealand’s appeal revealed the faintest of touches.

Henry, who slipped down the New Zealand bowling pecking order during the November Australian tour, announced his comeback with a withering burst.

Inside three overs he removed Tillakaratne Dilshan, Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal.

Dilshan (nine) top edged the ball to midwicket where Henry Nicholls celebrated his international debut with a catch above the head, Thirimanne faced 19 deliveries for one run and Mathews went first ball.

New Zealand did not suffer too much when Chandimal was dropped on five off Milne’s bowling, with Henry claiming the wicket four balls later without addition to the score.

However when Siriwardana was dropped on 12 by Nicholls it proved costly with the left-hander adding a further 54 before Doug Bracewell claimed the wicket.

Kulasekara went in the next over by Mitchell McClenaghan who finished with two for 40.

Bracewell finished the innings with the wicket of Suranga Lakmal for eight to have figures of three for 37. (AFP)

Sri Lanka have called up reinforcements for the five ODIs after their 2-0 hammering in the Tests.

Lahiru Thirimanne, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Nuwan Kulasekara and, depending on fitness, Lasith Malinga are among a number of players injected into the ODI squad.

But as much as they want to get on the winning side of the ledger McCullum is equally adamant he wants to sign off his illustrious 13-year-career on a winning note.

The opening ODI is on Boxing Day in Christchurch, McCullum’s hometown and where he will play his last international in the second Test against Australia in two months.

“We’ve got a bumper calendar really with Sri Lanka here at the moment, Pakistan to come and finishing off with the Aussies,” he said.

“From a playing point of view and a captain’s point of view, I’m fully committed to playing at the absolute top of my game and make as many contributions as I can.”

Coach Mike Hesson said he does not expect McCullum’s retirement announcement to have an adverse effect on the team.

“We’re expecting the guys to carry on in a similar style of play in terms of how we want to go about things,” Hesson said.

“We will still be quite aggressive in the way we go about the game and we’ll certainly be asking that of our players.”

Nearly half the team beaten by Australia in the World Cup final in March will be missing from the Sri Lanka series.

Grant Elliott and Corey Anderson are injured, Daniel Vettori has retired, Trent Boult is being spelled for the ODI series and Tim Southee is being rested for the first two games.

However, Adam Milne, New Zealand’s quickest bowler and who missed the World Cup final because of a heel injury, returns to the side.

He joins Mitchell McClenaghan, Matt Henry and Doug Bracewell as the pace-bowling options, with the quartet vying for places in the squad to be named for the World Twenty20 in India in March.

Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews was disappointed the way his side folded in the Tests but expected a better showing in the limited overs series.

“Dilshan, Kulasekara and Thirimanne are joining the one-day team and we’ve got a fair bit of experience so we are looking to give them a good run for their money,” he said.

“I have a lot of confidence in the one dayers.”

One bright spot for Sri Lanka in the failed Test campaign was the emergence of 23-year-old Dushmantha Chameera as a talented quick bowler.

“He’s played just a few games and he’s been absolutely brilliant and he was able to shake the New Zealanders. He’s a great, bright prospect for us going forward,” Mathews said.

“He doesn’t have a lot of seam movement. It’s just that he can bowl fast.

– AFP