Sri Lanka tell players they must give notice of international retirements

Earlier this week, Bhanuka Rajapaksa announced his decision to make himself unavailable for selection by Sri Lanka with immediate effect, citing personal reasons

Sri Lanka Cricket have introduced a new rule requiring players to give at least three months' notice of their impending international retirement.

In a statement on Saturday, SLC confirmed - following a handful of impromptu announcements from players in recent months - that the governing body's board had approved the introduction of the requirement.

It is not immediately clear how the new rule will be successfully implemented. 

^{Bhanuka Rajapaksa retired from international cricket this week}

Earlier this week, Bhanuka Rajapaksa announced his decision to make himself unavailable for selection by Sri Lanka with immediate effect, citing personal reasons.

Danushka Gunathilaka, meanwhile, said he would be retiring from Test cricket.

Although Gunathilaka had not played a Test for Sri Lanka since 2018, his announcement - coming so quickly after Rajapaksa's - led to the SLC committee discussing the matter at a board meeting on Friday.

The administrators are to introduce two more rules relating to international retirements, in what appears to be an attempt to deter abrupt decisions to step away from the national team.

^{Danushka Gunathilaka has called time on his Test career}

Firstly, former Sri Lanka internationals who have retired from national duty will not be granted No Objection Certificates to play in overseas competitions for six months after the date of their retirements.

Secondly, retired Sri Lankan players will only be eligible for selection in the Lanka Premier League - and any subsequent domestic franchise league which might follow it - only if they have played 80 oer cent of matches in Sri Lanka's other cricket competitions in the previous season.

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