Shashikala Siriwardene set to retire after T20 World Cup

Former Sri Lanka ODI skipper and allrounder Shashikala Siriwardene is set to retire from international cricket following the ongoing T20 World Cup ending her 17-year-old association with the game. A lithe and medium-built player with allround skills – a top-quality off-spinner and more than handy top-order batter – Siriwardene has come a long way making her international debut in 2003 and is regarded as the original torchbearer and superstar of Sri Lankan cricket.

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Siriwardene’s T20I debut came in much later in 2010 and has been hugely successful in both the formats. She is the only cricketer to take 100+ wickets and score 1000+ in ODIs for Sri Lanka and is also Sri Lanka’s highest T20I run-scorer behind the current skipper Chamari Atapattu, besides also holding the record of country’s leading T20I wicket-taker.

Among her best memories, Siriwardene has mentioned Sri Lanka’s win over India in India. “One of my best achievements was at the 50-Over World Cup in 2013 when we beat India in India. It was the first time we beat India (and England) – something I am incredibly proud of. It put India out of the tournament in the very first round. We got 282 and bowled them out for 132,” Siriwardene told Women’s CricZone in an interview.