Cricket: SLC confirms Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s withdrawal of resignation

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) confirmed that Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who tendered his resignation letter from SLC, has withdrawn from the decision after his meeting with the Sports Minister, Namal Rajapaksa on Wednesday.

"Pursuant to a meeting with the Hon. Namal Rajapaksa – Minister of Youth and Sports and after consulting with the National Selectors, Bhanuka Rajapaksa has notified SLC that he wishes to withdraw his resignation which he tendered to SLC on 3rd of January, 2022, with immediate effect. In his letter to SLC withdrawing his resignation, he further states that he wishes to represent his country in the game he loves for the years to come," the SLC statement said.

Reasoning his 'resignation' from SLC, Bhanuka Rajapaksa stated that he wishes to commit more with familial affairs as he and his wife are expecting their first child.

However, sources revealed that Rajapaksa had shown his displeasure on the latest fitness test evaluation levels introduced by SLC, mainly further limitations on the 'skin-fold', which has been further brought down.

Rajapaksa, 30, who earned a permanent slot in the Sri Lanka Twenty20 side, made his T20 debut against Pakistan in October 2019 with a 22-ball 32, but he earned the cynosure for his swashbuckling 77 off 48 balls in the second match. 

He represented Sri Lanka in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021, with an assured slot in the middle order. 

Rajapaksa also captained Galle Gladiators, the losing finalists of the two editions of Lanka Premier League in 2020 and 2021.

In 18 T20 international matches, Rajapaksa has scored 320 runs at an average of 26.67, while in five One Day Internationals (ODI) he scored a total of 89 runs at 17.80.

Playing first class cricket for SSC and BRC, Rajapaksa has scored 4087 runs in 77 games at 36.49 in addition to raking up 2841 runs in 118 List 'A' matches at an average of 28.12.

The left-handed batsman captained Royal College in cricket while also turning out for squash and swimming teams of the school.