Sri Lanka Cricket to felicitate Nuwan Kulasekara after third SL-Bangladesh ODI

Former world No.1 bowler Nuwan Kulasekara recently announced retirement from international cricket, something of which he has not been part of since 2017. The 37-year-old pace bowler took over 300 international wickets but played his last competitive game in March last year.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has decided to invite Kulasekara to watch the third and concluding game of the ODI series between the islanders and Bangladesh at Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, on Wednesday. He will be felicitated after the match for his service to his country, a statement from Sri Lankan cricket board said on Monday.

Kulasekara is the second Sri Lankan player to announce retirement from international cricket of late. Spearhead Lasith Malinga also called it a day after the first game of the same series in which he took three wickets, including one in his final ball. Sri Lanka reclaimed some pride after an ordinary campaign at the cricket World Cup recently by clinching the series with the last match still to be played.

Kaif was trolled recently for his unique tribute to Kulasekara

Kulasekara, who played in 21 Tests, 184 ODIs and 58 T20Is, has played a number of World Cups. In the 50-over format, Kulasekara was a member of the Sri Lankan squads that made the finals of the 2007 and 2011 World Cups but on both occasions, his country fell in the final hurdle.

His moment, however, came in the final of World T20 in Bangladesh in 2014 in which he bowled superbly against a big hitter like Yuvraj Singh to help his team win the title. Recently, former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif took a dig at Kulasekara by remembering the six he conceded to Dhoni in the final of the 2011 World Cup that saw India winning the title. Kaif was, however, trolling for his tribute to Kulasekara.

“Nuwan Kulasekara has been a vital cog in the Lankan line-up and played exceptional cricket during his time with the national team. His contributions made on the field brought in a lot of success for the national team. I wish him the best going forward,” Shammi Silva, president of the SLC, said.

“He was an exemplary figure, both on and off the field and a role model, which the young cricketers can emulate. Simplicity and decency were a hallmark of Kulasekara’s cricketing career, which helped him both on and off the field,’’ said Ashley De Silva, CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket.