Tillakaratne Dilshan obtains Australian citizenship

Former Sri Lankan captain and cricketing legend Tillakaratne Dilshan has been officially granted Australian citizenship, as announced by Australian MP Jason Wood in a recent social media post.

Dilshan, known for his explosive and innovative batting style, played a pivotal role in numerous victories for the Sri Lankan cricket team throughout his illustrious career. The 47-year-old's acquisition of Australian citizenship marks a new chapter in his life post-retirement from professional cricket.

In a social media post, MP Jason Wood shared the significance of Dilshan's attendance at a recent citizenship ceremony:

"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's cricketing achievements speak volumes about his prowess on the field:

MP Wood warmly welcomed Dilshan as a new Australian citizen and expressed hope for his continued involvement in cricket:

"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.

Wood also shared the delightful news that Dilshan's daughter, Resandi, is following in her father's footsteps, showing promise and passion for the sport.

Throughout his international cricketing career, Dilshan left an indelible mark:

ODI Career: Dilshan amassed over 10,000 runs from 330 ODIs since his one-day international debut in 1999 against Zimbabwe.

Test Cricket: In 87 Test matches, he accumulated 5492 runs, including a high score of 193.

T20 Internationals: Dilshan's T20I career spanned 80 matches, during which he made 1889 runs, featuring one century and 13 half-centuries.

Renowned for his unorthodox and innovative style, which included the famous "Dil scoop shot," Dilshan proved to be an extremely effective and versatile batsman across all formats of the game.

Tillakaratne Dilshan has graced the IPL stage with Royal Challengers Bangalore and has scored 1153 runs during his six-year-long stint at RCB. He currently lives in Australia with wife and his four children. As a new Aussie and local resident, the MP said that he hopes Dilshan will play for a local cricket team and continue spreading his knowledge to the local youngsters.