Mahela Jayawardene retired from Test Cricket

Mahela Jayawardene ended his illustrious 17-year Test career in near-perfect style in the whitewash win for Sri Lanka against Pakistan on 18/08/2014 Monday.

A half-century at his home ground, another century stand with his friend and favorite batting partner Kumar Sangakkara, capped with his teammates carrying him off the field on their shoulders.

In retirement he will be preparing a special place in his trophy cabinet for his 15-year test cap as he turns his attention to playing at next year’s World Cup, before quitting international cricket altogether.

In 149 Tests since making his debut in 1997, Jayawardene retired on Monday on the final day of the second test at the Sinhalese Sports Club with 11,814 career runs at an average of 49.84. He has 50 half-centuries and 34 centuries.

Jayawardene made his debut against India in 1997 as a 20-year-old and scored a half-century in his first innings which largely went unnoticed because of Sri Lanka’s record breaking 952-6 with Sanath Jayasuriya (340) and Roshan Mahanama (225) in a 576-run partnership.

Later, he himself scored 374 in a record-breaking 624-run partnership with Sangakkara who scored 287 during a test series against South Africa in 2006.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse shakes hands with cricketer Mahela Jayawardene after victory in the second Test match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Ground in Colombo today. One of the game's most elegant stroke-makers, Mahela Jayawardene, enjoyed a fitting farewell to Test cricket at his home ground as Sri Lanka completed a 2-0 series sweep against Pakistan. 

“The decision to retire was something I have been thinking for some time and came to a point I felt that for me the right time was right,” Jayawardene told reporters after the match.  “It was just a gut feeling, but have I always gone with my gut feelings.”