A few months ago, Sri Lankan Test opening batsman and captain Dimuth Karunaratne was nowhere in line to make an ODI comeback. He’s surely among the best in the world when it comes to the longest format and his stats include 16 centuries and a highest score of 244 in the Test format, across 86 matches in that longest format.
He was called to the ODI side after several years to play in the ICC World Cup 2023 Qualifiers currently taking place in Zimbabwe, and he’s made a great start to this ODI comeback. The 35-year old made his ODI debut way back in 2011 and now, after 12 years since that first appearance for Sri Lanka, he’s managed to get to the elusive 3-figure mark in this format, in today’s game against Ireland.
Dimuth Karunaratne scored maiden ODI century
He scored 52 and 61* in the two games prior to today in the CWC 2023 Qualifier, against UAE and Oman respectively. Today, he played in his 40th ODI and while he had 10 fifties prior to this game, he hadn’t scored an ODI century. While he’s known to be a blocker in the longest format, he’s been scoring well and quickly in this tournament, and he finally managed to get his first ODI century today.
Sri Lanka found themselves at 48/2 against Ireland today, before a 168-run partnership for the 3rd wicket between Karunaratne and Sadeera Samarawickrama. Both of them registered their highest ODI scores and while Samarawickrama was dismissed for 82(86), the Sri Lankan Test captain kept is calm and Karunaratne’s maiden ODI century was brought up in a crucial qualifier game.
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Before this ODI hundred today, he scored 97 against Australia in 2019 and a few weeks ago, he may have never thought he’d get the chance to better that score. They say good things come to those who wait and we honestly don’t recollect any ODI cricketer who had to wait 12 years since his debut to celebrate this special moment of a maiden ODI century.
MAIDEN ODI HUNDRED FOR DIMUTH KARUNARATNE.
He scored 100* runs from 100 balls against Ireland in World Cup qualifiers. He has been brilliant in this qualifiers. Incredible Hundred from Karunaratne! pic.twitter.com/eqWci2cZzB
— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) June 25, 2023
He got there with a simple dab towards third man and he reached the milestone in 100 balls too. We think there’s going to be much more of Karunaratne in coloured clothing in years to come and he may even help them get a victory or two in the 2023 World Cup which takes place in Oct-Nov 2023 in India.
It’s been one of the finest ODI comebacks you can see, not just because of today’s century but because of the fifties prior to today, and also the rate of scoring, which is very much unlike Karunaratne usually. For similar updates on Karunaratne’s future in ODI cricket as well as other cricketing news from across the world, stay tuned to ReadScoops.com…
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