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Former Sri Lanka Captain Karunaratne Set to Retire Following Second Test Against Australia

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Dimuth Karunaratne, the Sri Lanka opener, has announced his retirement from international cricket following the second Test against Australia in Galle, which will also mark his 100th Test appearance. This match will conclude Sri Lanka’s participation in the current World Test Championship cycle.

At 36 years old, Karunaratne’s decision to play his final match at Galle—where he began his Test career against New Zealand back in November 2012—opens up opportunities for younger players in the upcoming World Test Championship cycle, especially since Sri Lanka has only two more Tests scheduled until May 2026

“This felt like the right moment to step away, with several younger players ready to enter the fold for the next WTC cycle. Additionally, completing my career at Galle, where it all began, adds a special touch,” Karunaratne shared in an interview with ESPNcricinfo.

“After the first Test against Australia concluded, I informed Sri Lanka Cricket that my next Test would be my last,” he revealed.

Karunaratne holds the record for the most Test runs scored by a Sri Lankan opener, amassing 7,079 runs at an average of 39.99. He will join the ranks of seven other Sri Lankan cricketers to have played 100 Tests, including legends like Sanath Jayasuriya, Muthiah Muralidaran, Chaminda Vaas, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, and Angelo Mathews.

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“Reaching 100 Tests is a significant achievement, particularly for an opening batter who bears the brunt of the pressure for the team,” he noted.

Having captained Sri Lanka in 30 Tests, Karunaratne has accumulated 15 centuries throughout his career. Reflecting on his time in cricket, he expressed regret about not reaching the milestone of 10,000 Test runs.

“If there’s one regret I have, it’s not being able to reach 10,000 Test runs. I genuinely believed that with the momentum I had in 2017, 2018, and 2019, I could achieve it. However, the impact of Covid and the reduced number of Tests for Sri Lanka hindered that goal,” he admitted.

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 Suryakumar,Gambhir and Jay Shah Visit Hanuman Temple after wining World cup

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Sports: After India’s historic victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav, head coach Gautam Gambhir and ICC chairman Jay Shah visited a Hanuman temple in Ahmedabad and offered special prayers. The trio carried the World Cup trophy and sought the blessings of Lord Hanuman after India’s memorable win.

The visit came a day after India defeated New Zealand in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. With this victory, India lifted its record third T20 World Cup title and created history in international cricket.

After losing the toss, India was asked to bat first by New Zealand. India got off to a strong start as Abhishek Sharma played a brilliant innings. He scored 52 runs from just 21 balls, hitting six boundaries and three sixes. His aggressive batting gave India early momentum.

Sanju Samson then continued the strong performance and built an important partnership with Abhishek Sharma. Later, Samson also shared a century partnership with Ishan Kishan, who played a powerful knock. Ishan Kishan scored 54 runs from 25 balls with four boundaries and four sixes. Their partnership helped India cross the 200-run mark by the 16th over.

Although India lost a few quick wickets later, Shivam Dube played a crucial cameo. He scored 26 runs from just 8 balls, including three boundaries and two sixes. His quick runs helped India finish with a massive total of 255 runs for the loss of five wickets. This became the highest total ever recorded in a T20 World Cup final.

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Chasing a huge target of 256 runs, New Zealand struggled under pressure. Indian bowlers delivered an outstanding performance to restrict the opposition. Axar Patel took three wickets for 23 runs, while Jasprit Bumrah was the star with four wickets for just 15 runs.

For New Zealand, Tim Seifert fought hard and scored 52 runs from 26 balls with two boundaries and five sixes. Daryl Mitchell scored 17 runs, while captain Mitchell Santner made 43 runs from 35 balls. However, the rest of the batting lineup failed to build partnerships.

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As a result, New Zealand were bowled out for 159 runs and suffered a heavy defeat. India won the match by 96 runs and celebrated one of the biggest victories in T20 World Cup history.

Following the victory, captain Suryakumar Yadav, coach Gautam Gambhir and ICC chairman Jay Shah visited the Hanuman temple in Ahmedabad with the trophy. They offered special prayers and thanked the deity for the team’s historic achievement. The visit reflected the team’s gratitude after winning the prestigious global tournament.

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Ishan Kishan Plays World Cup Final Despite Personal Loss

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Mumbai: Ishan Kishan helped India win the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 despite the death of his brother-in-law in a car accident two days before the final.

Because of the tragedy, his father Pranav Pandey could not travel to Ahmedabad for the match. Kishan also wanted to be with his family but stayed with the team due to the responsibility of the final.

In the final, Kishan played a brilliant innings and scored 54 runs off 25 balls. After reaching his half-century, he looked at the sky to pay tribute to his late brother-in-law.

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He also took two important catches to dismiss Rachin Ravindra and Tim Seifert of New Zealand national cricket team.

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Kishan finished the tournament with 317 runs in nine innings and became the fourth-highest run scorer.

 

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 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup: Pakistan Knocked Out, New Zealand Enter Semifinals

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Mumbai: Pakistan have been knocked out of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup despite securing a narrow win over Sri Lanka. With this result, New Zealand advanced to the semifinals from the Super Eight group.

In the Super Eight match held at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pakistan batted first and posted a strong total of 212 for 8 in 20 overs.

Openers Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman gave Pakistan a flying start. They added 176 runs for the opening wicket. This became the highest opening partnership in the tournament’s history.

Farhan scored a brilliant 100 off 60 balls. He became the first player to score two centuries in a single edition of the tournament. Fakhar Zaman supported him well with 84 runs off 42 balls.

Chasing a target of 213 runs, Sri Lanka fought hard but fell short by 5 runs.

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Sri Lanka had a poor start. Pathum Nissanka was dismissed for just 3 runs. Kamil Mishara scored 26 runs, while Charith Asalanka added 25 runs to steady the innings.

Later, Pawan Rathnayake and Dasun Shanaka played attacking knocks. Rathnayake scored 58 runs off 37 balls with four fours and three sixes. Shanaka smashed 76 runs off 31 balls, including eight sixes and two fours. Their partnership raised hopes of a Sri Lankan victory.

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However, Pakistan bowlers held their nerve in the final overs. Tight bowling at the death ensured a narrow five-run win for Pakistan.

Despite the victory, Pakistan were eliminated from the tournament due to net run rate. As a result, New Zealand secured the second semifinal spot from the group.

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