Wanindu Hasaranga RETIRES from Test cricket, will prioritize limited overs cricket

The 26 year-old-has only played 4 Tests in a span of 1 year. He has picked up only 4 wickets, averaging 100.75 with a strike rate at 168.5.

Hasaranga bowling in a Test (picture via cricket.com)

Sri Lanka leg spinner Wanindu Hasaranga has retired from Test cricket. The 26 year-old-has only played 4 Tests in a span of 1 year. He has picked up only 4 wickets, averaging 100.75 with a strike rate at 168.5. He picked up those 4 wickets on his Test Debut.

Wanindu Hasaranga is known as one of the best T20 bowlers in the world, with him playing in various T20 leagues across the world like the IPL, PSL, CPL, LPL, etc. He has impressed in the international circuit as well, with him having 91 wickets in 58 T20Is and 67 wickets in 48 ODIs. He is also a very handy lower order batsman, scoring important runs for Sri Lanka on plenty of occasions, including a half century against South Africa.

Sri Lanka Cricket had no issues with Hasaranga retiring from the format, as he’s not been a member of the Test team for quite a while now. Spinners like Ramesh Mendis, Dhananjay de Silva and Prabhat Jayasuriya regularly start for the team. SLC don’t see him as a part of the Test team in the future as well.

Wanindu Hasaranga has made space to compete in more franchise leagues

Hasaranga has been a part of the Test team till 2021, but then shifted his focus to franchise cricket while balancing it with limited over cricket for Sri Lanka. In a recent statement released by SLC, he wants to prolong his career as a limited over specialist.

Hasaranga has been a regular of the Sri Lanka T20I team since 2019, featuring in two T20I World Cups and the 2022 Asia Cup. He has also been a regular in the ODI team since 2019 as well. He played in the recent ICC ODI World Cup qualifiers and will be an important player for the upcoming Asia Cup and World Cup.

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