Published: Aug 28, 2016, 11:24 AM (IST)
Edited: Aug 28, 2016, 03:42 PM (IST)
Sri Lanka One Day International captain (ODI) captain Angelo Mathews has regarded Tillakaratne Dilshan‘s contribution to cricket as important as those off legendary Sri Lankan batsmen Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara. Ahead of the third ODI against Australia after which Dilshan has announced his retirement from ODI cricket Mathews was talking in a press conference. Dilshan was the fourth Sri Lanka batsman to 10,000 ODI runs and he has the third-highest number of hundreds with 22. Dilshan announced about his retirement after the second ODI against Australia which was played at Colombo which the hosts won by 82 runs. The five ODI series is currently leveled at 1-1 with the third to be played at Dambulla. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: Australia vs Sri Lanka 3rd ODI at Dambulla
According to espncricinfo.com Mathews was quoted saying, “Dilshan has been an absolute brilliant servant for Sri Lankan cricket over the past 17 years,” Mathews said. “I think he has equally done the service that Mahela and Sanga did, and we’re going to miss him a lot. Unfortunately, he had called it a day. We respect that decision and the whole team wishes him the very best.” ALSO READ: Thisara Perera, Starc reprimanded for breaching ICC Code of Conduct
The third ODI being the final of his career, many players have voiced their opinion saying that Dilshan should be given a grand farewell for what he has done for the game of cricket. Jayawardene and Sangakkara took to Twitter to voice their opinion about the same. Sangakkara also said that Sanath Jayasuriya and Dilshan have been the “greatest match-winners” for Sri Lanka over a long period of time.
Arjuna Ranatunga, who captained Sri Lanka during his time and who too has been of the finest cricketers for Sri Lanka too started that having a player of Dilshan’s caliber in the team was every captain’s dream.
“Dilshan started his career as a middle-order batsman, then he moved on to become an opener,” Ranatunga told the Island Cricket. “Opening the batting is the toughest thing in cricket. There’s a lot at stake for an opener and not many players excel in that discipline. Dilshan had an outstanding career as an opener in all three formats. He was also a brilliant fielder and an intelligent bowler. All captains wish they have players like Dilshan in their ranks.”
