Kulasekara retires from Tests

COLOMBO — Veteran Sri Lankan seamer Nuwan Kulasekara announced his retirement from Test cricket Wednesday but said he would continue to be available for limited-overs matches. The 33-year-old paceman has not played a Test in almost two years and said in a letter to the Sri Lankan board that he was retiring with “immediate effect.” “I hope it will allow me to better prepare for ODI and T20 cricket, which I would like to continue playing for Sri Lanka subject to good performance and selection,” he said. Kulasekara made his Test debut against New Zealand in 2005 and went on to play 21 Tests, capturing 48 wickets. His best match figures were 8-58 against Pakistan at Colombo in 2009, while his highest score with the bat was 64 against England at Lord’s in 2006. His last Test appearance, in 2014, was also against England at Lord’s although he has remained a regular fixture in Sri Lanka’s One-Day International and Twenty20 line-ups. He has so far played 173 ODIs and was ranked as the No. 1 bowler in the world in March 2009. Kulasekara has also played 50 T20 internationals, including the recent World Cup in India. Meanwhile, veteran opening batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan announced Tuesday that he would be unavailable for the upcoming limited-overs series with England, with the 39-year-old citing a back injury and “other personal reasons.” The limited-overs squad has not been named yet but Sri Lanka has already lost the Test series with England after being comprehensively beaten in the first two matches. Azhar backs Amir Pakistan paceman Mohammad Amir, who spent time in jail and served a five-year ban for spot-fixing, will be able to handle the pressure of returning to England if he is granted a visa for its upcoming tour, said teammate Azhar Ali. Amir was considered one of the most exciting fast bowlers in the world before a 2010 spot-fixing scandal that resulted in bans and jail sentences for him, former Test captain Salman Butt and fast bowler Mohammad Asif. The trio were cleared to return to the sport by the International Cricket Council (ICC) last September after serving suspensions. The Pakistan Cricket Board has requested a visa for Amir, who has already toured New Zealand for a limited over series, played in the Asia Cup in Bangladesh and featured in the World Twenty20 in India since serving his ban. Azhar had offered his resignation as one-day captain when Amir was brought back into the Pakistan fold but is now keen to move on and says the team will support the 24-year-old quick if he needs it in England. “(What happened in) 2010 is in the past and now we need to look forward,” Azhar told reporters Tuesday. “It has been a while now since he has been with us. It could have been tough, had he come in straight on such a tour, but now, after playing with us for a long time, things have settled. “Even he isn’t under pressure because he has already made his comeback a few months ago and the toughest phase is over for him,” Azhar said. “I know England was the place where the incident happened but hopefully he can handle the pressure like he did on his comeback. But still if anything happens, we, as a team, will handle it.” Pakistan will play four Tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 International in England between July 14 and Sept. 7.