Unsung Nuwan Kulasekara announced his retirement from International cricket on Thursday saying he enjoyed the game at the highest level and was leaving the sport a happy man.
‘I represented my team and nation with the highest amount of pride and admiration and nothing was more important to me than seeing Sri Lanka at the top of world cricket. I have no regrets. Each time that I played cricket I was happy and I leave the sport happily,” said Kulasekara who played in two World Cup finals in a cricketing career than spanned 15 years from 2003.
He retired two days after his 37th birthday and was relatively a quiet unsung character on the field compared to many who yell and jump after taking a wicket. Some called him a silent hero.
Kulasekara had the ability to swing the ball both ways and was ranked as the world’s top bowler in March 2009 that made him the only Sri Lankan bowler to achieve the feat at the time. His career-best ODI figures were 5 for 22 against Australia in Brisbane and he also took 48 Test wickets from 21 matches.
“I had the privilege of representing Sri Lanka in every major ICC event between 2007 and 2014, including two World Cup finals, three T20 World Cup finals and our victory against India in 2014. I was honoured to be the vice-captain of this World Cup T20 winning team,” reminisced Kulasekara.
“Some of my favourite memories on the field were bowling the penultimate over of the World T-20 final in Dhaka in 2014 against India which stands out.
“In the first match we played in that tournament against South Africa, I won’t forget bowling the 19th over. My five wicket haul against Australia in Brisbane also stands out.
“I will also never forget the Test match at Lord’s in 2006 where Chaminda Vaas and I put on a good partnership of 61 runs in the first innings and then a 105-run stand in the second innings to help draw the game. I scored 64, my only Test fifty,” recalled Kulasekara. Kulasekara was hoping for a recall to play his last match in the current ODI series against Bangladesh. But it was not to be and he decided to call it a day without a positive response after playing his last match in 2017 against Zimbabwe in Hambantota.
Thereafter he was not even selected to play in Provincial tournaments.
Kulasekera started off playing softball cricket at his first school Ranpokunagama Vidyalaya and then moved on to Kirindiwela Central before he took to hard ball cricket while schooling at Bandaranayake Vidyalaya in Gampaha.
The first club that he played for was Nugegoda SC and then enlisted at Galle CC where he played alongside Lasith Malinga for the first time. He became the highest wicket taker several times at Galle CC.
Champaka Ramanayake and Anusha Samaranayake the two bowling coaches offered their best support to Kulasekera and ensured he made the grade and into the Sri Lanka team.
He is currently a member of the Colts Cricket Club. Kulasekara became the 100th Test player for Sri Lanka and also played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) as well as for Sussex in the English county season.