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Cricket

'Khela he kab tha yeh'- Fans react as Wanindu Hasaranga announces retirement from Test Cricket

In a sudden shock decision, Wanindu Hasaranga has decided to step away from Test Cricket to focus on white-ball cricket.

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Wanindu Hasaranga

Wanindu Hasaranga (Source: Twitter)

Sri Lankan cricket has been dealt with a big blow as Wanindu Hasaranga has announced his decision to retire from Test Cricket. In a career which never took off. The wrist-spinner has played only four games in the white flannels for the Islanders and taken four wickets. He has also made 196 runs in those four games.

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Hasaranga has the highest score of 59 in Tests. The Sri Lankan has taken this decision in order to completely and actively pursue white ball cricket. Hasaranga has played 48 ODIs for Sri Lanka and picked up 67 wickets with the bat he has hit 832 runs with the highest of 80. In the T20I format, he has played 58 matches and taken 91 wickets. He has also hit 533 runs in the shortest format of the game.

According to the Sri Lanka Cricket release, the reason Hasaranga retired from Tests is in order "to prolong his career as a limited-overs specialist", Hasaranga has no history of long-term injury. "We will accept his decision and are confident that Hasaranga will be a vital part of our white-ball program going forward," Ashley De Silva, CEO of Sri Lankan Cricket (SLC), said.

Wanindu Hasaranga has been hot property in T20 franchise cricket

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Hasaranga has been a globe-trotter in the T20 franchise cricket. He has played for Sylhet Sixers, Royal Challengers Bangalore, B-Love Kandy, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Quetta Gladiators, Manchester Originals and the like. The Test retirement opens up a lot of options in the T20 circuit for Hasaranga.

When it comes to the Sri Lankan's first-class career, he has played 44 first-class games, picking up 102 wickets. He also has three first-class centuries and 19 half-centuries against his name. Hasaranga is currently playing in the Lanka Premier League.

His franchise B-Love Kandy has qualified for the playoffs stage in the tournament. He will lead the side there. His next big assignment with the Lankan Lions is the Asia Cup which will be co-hosted by the Emerald Isle and Pakistan. The tournament will be played in the ODI format as a buildup to the World Cup in India.

Let us take a look at the reactions on Twitter:

featured Sri Lanka Wanindu Hasaranga Twitter Reactions