SL vs AUS 1st Test at Galle to be dedicated to Shane Warne

In cooperation between Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and the Tourism and Sports ministries, the 1st Test match between Sri Lanka and Australia will be dedicated to the legendary Australian spinner, Shane Warne.

Earlier this year, Warne was found dead due to a suspected heart attack at the age of 52 in Thailand. In his international career comprising 339 matches, the leg-spinner took a total of 1,001 wickets and last played for Australia in 2007. 

Sri Lanka’s Minister of Tourism, Harin Fernando, posted a tweet on the development and confirmed that Warne’s wife and family friends would mark their presence in the Test match scheduled to be played from June 29 to July 3 

Galle was one of the favourite grounds of the late spinner, as he took his 500th wicket on this venue. Unfortunately, the Tsunami devastation in 2004, which took the lives of more than 30,000 people in Sri Lanka, also damaged the Galle stadium. 

Warne and Australian broadcaster Channel Nine raised $1 million for rebuilding the stadium. 

Meanwhile, the T20I series between the nations concluded with the visitors winning by 2-1. The 5-match ODI series will take place at Pallekele and Colombo, and Galle will host both the Test matches.