Sri Lanka playing XI from Lasith Malinga's last Test - Where are they now?
Sri Lankan legend Lasith Malinga turned 41 on Wednesday. The retired fast bowler was famous for his slingy bowling action and ability to take wickets at crucial moments in white-ball matches.
While Lasith Malinga produced several extraordinary performances in ODIs and T20s, he had a fantastic record in Test matches as well. To extend his career in white-ball cricket, Malinga retired from Tests early. He played only 30 Tests for Sri Lanka, scalping 101 wickets at an economy rate of 3.85.
Lasith Malinga retired from Test cricket in April 2011, but his last Test appearance for Sri Lanka came in August 2010. It was against India at the R, Premadasa Stadium. So, here's a look at Sri Lanka's XI from that game and where those players are now.
Openers - Tharanga Paranavitana and TM Dilshan
The duo of Tharanga Paranavitana and Tillakaratne Dilshan opened the batting for Sri Lanka in that Test. Dilshan scored 54 runs across both innings, while Tharanga had a forgettable Test with the bat.
Both batters have retired from international cricket. Dilshan is still active in Legends matches, but Paranavitana's last appearance in a cricket game came in December 2019. He retired in August 2020. Last year, the SLC named him in the selection panel for the men's team.
Middle Order - Kumar Sangakkara (c), Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samarweera, Angelo Mathews and Prasanna Jayawardene (wk)
The legendary pair of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene shouldered the batting responsibilities in the middle order for Sri Lanka. Both scored fifties in the first innings but got out cheaply in the second innings. The two batters retired long back and have entered the world of coaching.
Sangakkara is associated with the Royals franchises across the world. He's also the Chair of World Cricket in the MCC Committee, while Jayawardene recently resigned as Sri Lanka's consultant coach.
Thilan Samarweera scored an unbeaten century in the first innings for Sri Lanka in that Test against India. He remained unbeaten on 137, helping the home team post 425. The middle-order batter played his last match in 2013. In 2021, he joined the New Zealand men's team's backroom staff for a short gig.
All-rounder Angelo Mathews, meanwhile, had a decent outing in that Test against India. He's still active in international cricket and is currently playing for Sri Lanka in the World Test Championship series against England.
Prasanna Jayawardene kept the wickets for Sri Lanka in that Test. He scored nine runs in the first innings before Amit Mishra dismissed him for a golden duck in the second innings. The wicketkeeper bid farewell to the game in 2015.
Bowlers - Suraj Randiv, Lasith Malinga, Chanaka Welegedara and Ajantha Mendis
Sri Lanka played that Test with two specialist pacers and two specialist spinners. Lasith Malinga shared the new ball with left-arm pacer Chanaka Welegedara. In the first innings, Malinga took three wickets, dismissing Murali Vijay, Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni.
In the second innings, Lasith Malinga bowled 12 overs but couldn't take any wickets. His last Test wicket was of Dhoni, whom he dismissed caught behind for 15.
Off-spinner Suraj Randiv took nine wickets in the game, but the other Sri Lankan bowlers could not impress much as India won the Test by five wickets. All four bowlers have retired now.
Lasith Malinga joined Mumbai Indians as a bowling coach in late 2023. Randiv has shifted to Australia, where he works as a bus driver. Welegedara migrated to Australia in 2015, while Mendis is a member of Sri Lanka's selection committee now.