Thisara Perera, the Sri Lanka all-rounder, has retired from all international cricket but he will continue to pursue a career in T20 franchise cricket.
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Sri Lanka has a very active school cricket system. The matches that take place between schools have more coverage in Sri Lanka than international cricket. The crowds that turn up for school games is much more than international games on several occasions. Contests between schools represent a derby. The contest between Royal College and S Thomas is the famous Battle of the Blues. It is one of the oldest rivalries that survived World War 2 and the Sri Lankan civil war.
Apart from the Royal-Thomian rivalry, there is also another rivalry which is called the Battle of the Saints. It is between St Joseph and St Peter and the rivalry has been around for 88 years. It was in this rivalry that one individual would go on to represent Sri Lanka. In 2007, Thisara Perera was one of the key players in ending a 35-year jinx for his college St Joseph. His college had not won the Battle of the Saints match since 1972. His contributions received great attention.
Success would come soon after. Thisara came into the Sri Lanka team as a replacement for Angelo Mathews in the 2009 tour of India. His utility as a power-hitter down the order and his good bowling got him an IPL contract with Chennai Super Kings in 2010. It was the start of a roller-coaster journey for the man from Colombo.
Thisara was used as a power-hitter down the order. He helped Sri Lanka over the line in tense matches. In the 2012 ODI series against South Africa, Thisara was the key in Sri Lanka’s two wins against the Proteas in the five-match series. His unbeaten 69 off 44 balls in the Kimberley ODI helped Sri Lanka chase down 300.
The left-hander came into his own with the bat in Twenty20 Internationals in 2013 and 2014. In nine games in 2013, he had an average of 125 with a strike rate of 178. In the 2014 ICC World T20, Thisara was at his finishing best. His three sixes in the final against India in Dhaka would be crucial. His last six would give Sri Lanka their inaugural World T20 title.
However, Thisara will forever be remembered for his carnage in the ODI against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui. In a spectacular exhibition of hitting, Thisara hit a century off 57 balls which is the third-fastest by a Sri Lanka player. He hammered 13 sixes, which became the eighth-most by a batsman in an innings in ODIs. His 140 off 73 balls was not enough for Sri Lanka to avoid defeat but it showed his prowess.
The inconsistencies that Thisara faced throughout his career meant he was never a regular fixture in the Sri Lanka team. Having played for various T20 franchises all over the globe, Thisara never managed to achieve huge success for Sri Lanka. His Test appearances were restricted to just six and his last match was in 2012.
With his retirement, Sri Lanka cricket will miss his utility and power hitting. Thisara Perera will always be remembered for his aggression and fearlessness.
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