Former Sri Lankan cricketer Tillakaratne Dilshan has been awarded Australian citizenship, as affirmed by Australian MP Jason Wood in a social media post.
Dilshan, celebrated for his dynamic batting approach, played a crucial role in numerous triumphs for the Sri Lankan cricket team during his career. The 47-year-old obtaining Australian citizenship signifies a new phase in his life following his retirement from professional cricket.
"Today's citizenship ceremony was made even more special with the attendance of Tillakaratne Dilshan, a former Sri Lankan cricketer and captain of the Sri Lanka national cricket team.
"Dilshan is regarded as the best Sri Lankan player in run-chases in ODI history. He also holds the record for being the top run scorer in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup with 500 runs and scored a century against England in the semi-final. Additionally, he was part of the Sri Lankan team that won the 2014 ICC World Twenty20," the MP posted on social media.
MP Jason Wood, welcoming Dilshan as a new Australian citizen and local resident, expressed his hope that the veteran would consider joining a local team.
"It was great to hear that his daughter Resandi is following in her father’s footsteps," he added.
Tillakaratne Dilshan amassed over 10,000 runs from 330 ODIs since his debut in 1999 against Zimbabwe. His Test career spanned 87 matches, during which he accumulated 5492 runs, including a high-score of 193. In 80 T20I matches, Dilshan made 1889 runs, which featured one century and 13 half-centuries.
Renowned for his unorthodox style, including the innovative scoop shot, Dilshan proved to be an extremely effective and versatile batter across formats throughout his career.
