Colombo: Sri Lanka middle-order batsman Russel Arnold has announced that he will retire from international cricket after Saturday’s World Cup final.

The 33-year-old left-hander informed the team management and his teammates of his decision on the eve of Sri Lanka’s semi-final victory over New Zealand on Tuesday.

“I think it is the right time,” Arnold told a Lankan newspaper on Wednesday.

“It’s been 10 years and there have been ups and downs, but I can tell you that I have enjoyed every bit of it and I am going out without any regrets.”

Arnold secured a regular spot in Sri Lanka’s ODI and Test teams after the 1999 World Cup, but struggled to retain his place in the side following a disappointing campaign four years later. He played 44 Tests after making his debut in 1997, scoring 1,821 runs at an average of 28.11.

However, his best successes came in the one-day game, in which he developed a reputation for being an adaptable and resilient middle-order batsman, capable of delivering under pressure. (Reuters)