COLOMBO, Sri Lanka: Within hours of his first recall by Sri Lanka in more than a year, cricket great Sanath Jayasuriya announced Thursday he will retire from all internationals during this month's tour of England. Jayasuriya, the second-highest runscorer in the history of one-day cricket, was picked for the only Twenty20 and five limited-overs matches starting on June 25. But the batsman said he will play only the Twenty20 then end his 22-year international career after the first ODI at the Oval on June 28, two days before his 42nd birthday. “I invited you not to share the happiness of my being selected to play for Sri Lanka again, but to announce my decision to end my international career of more than 20 years,” Jayasuriya told reporters. “I consider it a privilege to have represented Sri Lanka to bring glory to my country and the town of Matara where I come from. “The selectors picked me for the whole series but it was my personal decision to retire midway.” He said helping Sri Lanka win the 1996 World Cup, in which he was the player of the tournament, was the highlight of his limited-overs career. His worst disappointment was being excluded from this year's World Cup on home soil. “If I had been selected I would have performed well. I was making runs in the domestic circuit,” he said. Jayasuriya was included in a 16-man squad in the wake of a doping investigation involving opener Upul Tharanga. Tharanga tested positive for a banned substance after the World Cup semifinal win over New Zealand, and an inquiry has been initiated. Sri Lanka Cricket said Tharanga will not be available for selection until the inquiry is over. Jayasuriya has not played a limited-overs international for Sri Lanka since December 2009, and played his last Twenty20 a year ago. Jayasuriya was never expected to play international cricket again after being dropped from the World Cup squad and failing to secure a contract with a franchise in this year's Indian Premier League. Jayasuriya was second in ODI history only to Sachin Tendulkar for appearances (444) and runs (13,428). His 322 wickets bowling left-arm spin rank him ninth all-time in ODIs. He played the last of his 110 Tests in 2007. He said the highlight was his 213 in the first innings of an only Test against England at the Oval in 1998. Sri Lanka will play England in a Twenty20 at Bristol on June 25 then five ODIs, followed by two more ODIs in Edinburgh against Ireland and Scotland. Squad: Tillakaratne Dilshan (captain), Thilina Kandamby, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Sanath Jayasuriya, Dinesh Chandimal, Jeevan Mendis, Dimuth Karunaratne, Angelo Mathews, Tissara Perera, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekara, Dilhara Fernando, Suranga Lakmal, Suraj Randiv, Ajantha Mendis.
