Sri Lanka fast bowler Dhammika Prasad officially announced his retirement from international cricket on Thursday (February 18). Since making his debut in an ODI against Bangladesh in 2006, Prasad has represented Sri Lanka in 25 Tests and 24 ODIs and a solitary T20I taking a total of 107 wickets.

Prasad, who has represented the SSC since 2002, has a total of 351 first-class wickets from 130 games at an average of 29.1. Meanwhile, Dhammika Prasad’s last Test match came against the West Indies in 2015, incidentally a breakthrough year for the seamer. In nine Tests that year, Prasad took 41 Tests and finished among the top-10 wicket-takers of the year.

Dhammika Prasad announces retirement

It went downhill from there as he suffered a serious shoulder injury that required surgery. He never regained his bowling spark and a comeback was beyond him despite Sri Lanka needing a flow of fast bowlers in their ranks.

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Speaking on his retirement, Dhammika Prasad said that this is the best time to retire from international cricket to make way for young cricketers. However, the veteran fast bowler vouches to continue playing domestic cricket in the coming days.

“I think this is the correct time for me to retire from international cricket and provide a chance for the youngsters,” Prasad told the Daily News. “I have decided to continue playing domestic cricket and already I have played for 19 years for the SSC giving my best,” he added.

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Dhammika Prasad’s best moment in the Sri Lanka whites came in 2014 when his second-innings 5 for 90 at Headingley paved the way for the country’s first-ever Test series victory in England.