Image Source: Sri Lanka Cricket
[Saba Sports News] Tilakaratne Dilshan, the celebrated former Sri Lankan cricketer, has recently become an Australian citizen, capturing significant attention.
Residing in Australia with his wife, Manjula Thilini, and their four children, Dilshan’s new citizenship status was highlighted by MP Jason Wood on Instagram, who expressed hope for Dilshan’s involvement in local cricket. With his Australian citizenship, Dilshan will no longer hold a Sri Lankan passport, necessitating a visa for visits back to Sri Lanka.
“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,” Wood shard on Instagram. “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. As a new Aussie and local resident, we hope he decides to join a local team and continue to share his talents with the community. It was great to hear that his daughter Resandi is following in her father’s footsteps.”
MP Jason Wood celebrated Dilshan’s citizenship during a ceremony, recognizing him not only as a former Sri Lankan captain but also as one of the finest players in ODI run-chases and the top scorer of the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup with 500 runs.
Wood also mentioned Dilshan’s contribution to Sri Lanka’s victory in the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 and his wish for Dilshan to join a local team, noting his daughter Resandi’s following in her father’s cricket footsteps.
Dilshan, aged 47, has been a pivotal all-rounder for Sri Lanka, playing 330 ODIs and scoring 10,290 runs, alongside 5,492 runs in 87 Test matches, and 1,889 runs in 80 T20Is. His career also boasts 154 wickets across all formats, marking him as one of the premier players of his era.