by Rex Clementine

Sri Lanka ‘A’ tour of South Africa in 2008 was a resounding success and coach Chandika Hathurusinghe earmarked three players to have an impact with the senior side. Less than a year later, two of those players – Tharanga Paranavithana and Suranga Lakmal were taken to Pakistan on their maiden tour. Literally, it was a baptism of fire as the Sri Lankan team bus came under a terroist attack at Liberty roundabout in Lahore.

Both Paranavithana and Lakmal were badly hurt. Medical experts advised Lakmal to take a break from cricket to remove the splinters on his right arm from the gunfire. Lakmal asked how long he will be out of cricket. Doctors opined that he will be out for close to two years as it was a complicated surgery with splinters spread all around his leg. It was a killer blow as Lakmal had barely started his career. In desperation, Lakmal asked for a second opinion, he was told that he could continue playing cricket as the ‘foreign objects’ are not life threatening and that he could eventually go under the knife when he is done with cricket. Lakmal chose that path. And he was a sensation.

Lakmal has a few tricks up his sleeves. Over the years, he has given us a few surprises. Last night as sports reporters were quietly retiring to taste their arrack came the news that Lakmal is retiring from all forms of international cricket at the end of the upcoming tour of India later this month. And the good news is having waited for 13 long years, he will finally go under the knife.

Carrying ‘foreign objects’ in his body had many challenges. During Lakmal’s overseas travels he needed to take with him all sorts of medical reports as he faces numerous obstacles passing security. He can not go pass metal detectors as they warn of presence of ‘foreign objects’ in the body and security thoroughly check him. Being from rural Debarawewa in the Hambantota district, Lakmal is not the most fluent in English and often the team manager has to come to his rescue.

Lakmal has been a terrific servant of Sri Lankan cricket. His 168 Test wickets is the fourth highest among Sri Lankans and he is the second most successful fast bowler produced by the nation.

A son of a farmer, Lakmal came to Colombo to try his luck in cricket. He was fortunate to meet President’s Counsel Dinal Philips, who was a father figure to him and he looked into every need of the youngster. Soon as Lakmal cemented his place in the side following the retirement of Chaminda Vaas money and fame followed him. It was thanks to Philips that he didn’t go out of track. Temptations for a youngster coming from a rural village to go astray in the city are many. Lakmal firmly focused on his cricket.

Lakmal has been a loyal servant of Sri Lankan cricket. He’s been an absolute team player and hugely popular among the playing group. His biggest achievement in the sport came at Kensington Oval in 2018 when he skippered Sri Lanka to a thrilling four wicket win. He is the only captain from Asia to have won a Test match in Barbados, the fortress of West Indies cricket.

The only blemish in Lakmal’s career remains his involvement in card games in Galle as Sri Lanka were slipping to a painful defeat against England last year. It was a rare moment of indiscretion. Overall, he has been a terrific bloke, champion bowler, inspirational captain and above all a good human being.