18 Apr 2016

Herath to play tests only

10:21 am on 18 April 2016

The Sri Lanka spinner Rangana Herath has retired from 50-over and Twenty20 internationals in order to carry on playing test matches.

The 38-year-old took Herath 74 wickets in 71 one-day internationals and another 18 in 17 T20 matches for Sri lanka shouldering the burden of the slow bowling attack following the retirement of spin great Muttiah Muralitharan in 2011.

Rangana Herath

Rangana Herath Photo: Photosport

"Every cricketer has to stop at the right time, I feel it's time to make room for fresh talent to be groomed with the 2019 World Cup in view," Herath asid in a statement from Sri Lanka Cricket.

Arguably the left-arm spinner's best effort came at the 2014 World Twenty20, where he took five wickets for just three runs as Sri Lanka successfully defended a 120-run target in a must-win match against New Zealand en route to the title.

-Reuters