Dimuth Karunaratne used to be the captain of Sri Lanka's cricket team and he open the games. But now he said, I'm not going to Retire from  the International Cricket. Dimuth has played in many games, the last game for his career is 100th test. Karunaratne will play this important 100th game against Australia, on February 6th in Galle. 

Dimuth Karunaratne to Retire After 100th Test: A Remarkable Journey Comes to an End

Karunaratne plays so many years for the Sri Lanka team. He opens the innings and helps his team do very well. Everyone thinks he's a great Captain. When he was the captain, his team won Very important games. However, Karunaratne’s recent struggles with form and a dip in motivation have led him to believe that retiring after reaching the 100 Test landmark is the right decision. His contributions will be remembered as a significant part of Sri Lanka's resurgence in international cricket.

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Karunaratne Reflects on His Decision

Before his last approach, Karunaratne spoke to his friends Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal about his retirement. He first wanted to obtain 10,000 runs, but he's happy with what he did. “I am happy with what I have achieved so far. I want to announce my retirement with a happy moment like playing in my 100th Test,” Karunaratne told Daily FT.

🚨 DIMUTH KARUNARATNE RETIRING FROM CRICKET 🚨

- Karunaratne will be playing his 100th Test against Australia during the 2nd Test and he will be retiring from International cricket after the match. [Sportspavilion] pic.twitter.com/n3gt91FLx6

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 4, 2025

A Legacy Cemented in Sri Lankan Cricket

Having scored a century in his 50th Test, Karunaratne is keen to replicate that feat in his final game. He made 7,172 runs. The average under 40. He also made really big scores  that's when he get 100 runs more than 16 times and he scored 50 more than 39 times. 

His resilience, consistency, and leadership have made him one of the greatest openers to wore the Sri Lankan jersey. As he prepares to bid farewell, his contribution to the game will serve as an inspiration for future generations of cricketers in Sri Lanka. As he moves to Australia with his family, Karunaratne leaves behind a legacy that will be cherished for years to come. His departure marks not just the end of an individual career but a significant moment in Sri Lanka’s cricketing history.

Kamindu Mendis Named ICC Men's Emerging Cricketer of the Year

Sri Lanka's star Player, Kamindu Mendis, has been honored with the prestigious ICC Men's Emerging Cricketer of the Year award after an exceptional 2024 campaign. Mendis demonstrated his class across all formats, accumulating a remarkable 1451 runs at an average exceeding 50. 

Mendis had an unforgettable year in Test cricket, making headlines by becoming the joint-third fastest player to score 1000 Test runs, a milestone he shares with the legendary Sir Don Bradman. It took him just 13 innings to achieve this incredible feat. By the end of the year, he had amassed 1049 runs in nine matches, maintaining a stunning average of 74.92. With five centuries and three half-centuries to his name.

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A prolific run-scorer, who scored 1451 runs across formats at an average of just above 50 💥

Sri Lanka's star on the rise has taken out the ICC Emerging Men's Cricketer of the Year Award 🇱🇰 pic.twitter.com/qIrRy5Kpif

— ICC (@ICC) January 26, 2025

He emerged as Sri Lanka's top scorer during their tour of England. His contributions were pivotal in Sri Lanka's historic first Test victory in England in a decade, reinforcing his reputation as a Best performer on the global stage. As he continues to evolve, Sri Lanka will look to him as a crucial figure in their future successes.

The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), in consultation with Cricket Australia (CA), has revised the complete schedule of the upcoming Australia tour of Sri Lanka, which is better for Australia.

Previously, it was decided that Sri Lanka would host a two-match Test series against Australia, which would be part of the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship. After that, they would play one ODI before Australia participate in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 

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An ODI added to the revised schedule

However, the SLC has added one more ODI to the revised schedule as Australia will now tour Sri Lanka for a two-match Test series and another two-match ODI series. The Test series will be part of the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship, while Galle will host both Test matches. 

Meanwhile, Colombo will host both the ODIs on February 12 and 14. It is a better schedule for the two-time ICC Champions Trophy winners Australia, as they will get better preparation for the upcoming ICC tournament. 

On the other hand, Sri Lanka failed to qualify for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 due to finishing outside the top seven teams (excluding Pakistan due to direct qualification as the hosts) in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. 

Australia tour of Sri Lanka 2024-25

(Test series)

1st Test: January 29 –  February 2 (Galle)

2nd Test: February 6 – 10 (Galle)

(ODI series)

1st ODI: February 12 (Colombo)

2nd ODI: February 14 (Colombo)

ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Australia will play all group stage matches in Pakistan 

Australia are in Group B in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where they have the opponents England, South Africa, and Afghanistan. As they are in the opposite group of Team India (Group A), the Aussies will play all their group-stage matches in Pakistan. Except they face India in the semifinals or final of the tournament, which will be played in Dubai, Australia will play all their matches of the tournament in Pakistan.