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Friday, 26 August 2016 00:03 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Reuters: Sri Lanka’s Tillakaratne Dilshan will quit international cricket after the ongoing limited overs series against Australia, the swashbuckling opener announced on Thursday.
“I have decided to retire from the ODIs after the third match in Dambulla (on Sunday) and will play the two Twenty20s and then retire completely,” Dilshan told local media.
After the conclusion of the five-match ODI series, Sri Lanka and Australia will play two Twenty20 matches on 6 September and 9 September.
Inventor of the famous “Dilscoop” ramp shot, Dilshan played the last of his 87 tests in 2013 before quitting the longer format with 5492 runs and 39 wickets.
A wily off-spinner and one of the most agile Sri Lankan fielders even at the age of 39, Dilshan scored 22 and 10 in the first two one-dayers of the ongoing five-match series against world champions Australia.
“I together with my committee wish to extend our sincere appreciation and wish him the very best in his future endeavours,” Sri Lanka Cricket president Thilanga Sumathipala said in a statement.
According to media reports, the former captain was persuaded to retire as Sri Lanka build a new team under Angelo Mathews with an eye on the 2019 World Cup.
Dilshan made his one-day debut against Zimbabwe in 1999 and went on to play 329 ODIs, amassing 10248 runs that included 22 hundreds, with an 86-plus strike rate.
He has also scored 1884 runs in 78 Twenty20 Internationals and was Sri Lanka’s top scorer in this year’s World Twenty20 in India.
Minister of Ports and Shipping Arjuna Ranatunga also the Former Test Cricket Captain said yesterday that Tillakaratne Dilshan is a game changing cricket player.
The Minister stated this appreciating the great service done for cricket by Tillakaratne Dilshan who initially announced that he is retiring from international cricket.
“We shouldn’t forget the commitments that Tillakaratne Dilshan made as a sportsman. He began his cricket career as a middle order batsman. Similarly he is a skillful fielder. Afterwards he served as an opening batsman. Serving as an opening batsman is the most difficult task a player would have to face. However Tillakaratne Dilshan completed this task well. Tillakaratne Dilshan is really a game changing player. While he was capable of winning One-day matches he was also cable of winning Twenty Twenty matches as well. In addition Sri Lankan Cricket team was able of qualifying to the World Cup finals because of Tillakaratne Dilshan.
Today the Dilscoop shot which was introduced by Tillakaratne Dilshan is a significant shot at the Twenty Twenty matches. I personally do not appreciate this shot. However Dilshan made a change in the cricket field by introducing this shot. Correspondingly like Sanath, Murali, Kalu, Dilshan too kept a marked a major legend in the cricket field. Introducing a shot or batting is not what’s important. What’s really important is gaining scores from this batting. From this area Dilshan is very special. As a bowler he was an intelligent bowler. One of the best fielders we had in our cricket team. He was one of the best batsmen we had. In addition he was one of the best wicket keepers. He was a one of a kind all-rounder cricketer. The duty that Tillakaratne Dilshan did for the team is exceptional. I wish him all the very best. Anyhow I believe that he will continue to support cricket as a couch or as an administrator for Sri Lanka…” Former Test Cricket Captain Arjuna Ranatunga stated.
