The big news: the Dilscoop bids adieu
Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan has announced that he will retire from One-Day International and Twenty20 International cricket at the age of 39 after his team's current series against Australia comes to an end. Dilshan had retired from Test cricket in 2013.
The Lankan remains one of the pioneers of modern Twenty20 batting. He was the undisputed star of the 2009 World Twenty20, cutting and driving in abandon and even inventing his own shot, the "Dilscoop", where he scooped a length delivery over the wicket-keeper. He was the top-scorer in that tournament where Sri Lanka finished runners-up and is currently the second-highest run scorer in Twenty20 Internationals after New Zealand's Brendon McCullum.
The 39-year-old was prolific in the ODI format as well and is only the fourth Sri Lankan batsman to score 10,000 runs in ODI cricket. Dilshan had a successful 2015 where he averaged 52.47 in ODI cricket and was also Sri Lanka's highest run-scorer in the 2016 World Twenty20. However, Sri Lanka's selectors, with an eye towards building a team for the next 50-over World Cup in 2019, persuaded the batsman to retire.
No doubt, Dilshan will be missed and if you want to remember the destruction he could cause, watch these five swashbuckling specials from him.
The top headlines
- India Red are three wickets away from securing victory against India Green in the Duleep Trophy at Greater Noida.
- The England and Wales Cricket Board have given the green signal for the Three Lion's upcoming tour of Bangladesh in October to go ahead as planned.
- Pakistan will play their first-ever day-night Test, against the West Indies in Dubai in October. West Indies will tour the United Arab Emirates to play three T20Is, three ODIs and three Test matches.
- The Board of Control for Cricket in India has submitted its first Compliance Report to the Justice Lodha panel.
- West Indies could displace India from second place in the T20I rankings if they defeat Virat Kohli's team 2-0 in the upcoming series in Florida, United States. West Indies are currently in third place with 122 points, six behind India. A 2-0 win for India would put them equal on points with New Zealand, who are currently in first place.
- The VB Thiruvallur Veerans (167/5 in 18.4 overs) defeated Karaikudi Kaalai (165/6 in 20 overs) in the Tamil Nadu Premier League.
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