Jayawardene's top score of 374 -- the fourth highest individual score in test cricket -- came during a world-record partnership of 624 runs with Sangakkara, who scored 287. Eight years later, both played their parts in last week's win at Galle. Together, they'll likely lead the way again in Colombo in partnership for the last time in the five-day format.
"I don't think you can take anything away from the fact that Mahela has been one of the most elegant, most prolific batsmen not just of his generation but in the game in its entirety," Sangakkara said.
Voted the International Cricket Council's best international captain in 2006 and the best test player in 2007, Jayawardene was considered the ideal team man and frequently guided Sri Lanka out of trouble in games. He was also a fine fielder with more than 200 catches in tests and one-dayers. Many were off the bowling of spinner Muttiah Muralitharan; test cricket's most prolific bowler with 800 wickets.
Jayawardene's long quest for an ICC world title ended when Sri Lanka won the World Twenty20 earlier this year in Bangladesh after two previous final appearances. But the coveted World Cup title has so far evaded Jayawardene, who made his international debut the year after Sri Lanka won the prestigious tournament for the only time. He has been part of two teams that lost the final.
Jayawardene was the captain when Sri Lanka lost to Australia in fading light in the West Indies in 2007, and in 2011 he was again on the losing side, against India, despite scoring a century himself.
"I would swap that century any day for a championship medal," Jayawardene said following the 2011 final at Wankhede Stadium. And that's his biggest motivation to continue playing in the limited-overs format, at least until March next year.
Jayawardene will devote the next six months to one-day cricket, with the aim of breaking his personal drought when the World Cup is held in Australia and New Zealand early in 2015.
