OTD: Tillakaratne Dilshan was born in 1976

Ace Sri Lankan cricketer Tillakaratne Dilshan was born on this day, October 14, in 1976, to a Malay father and a Buddhist mother. He played 87 Tests, 330 ODIs, and 80 T20Is for Sri Lanka from 1999 to 2016. He also captained the Sri Lankan national team

Dilshan was a right-handed batter, right-arm off-spinner, and occasional wicket-keeper and made his Sri Lanka debut in 1999 against Zimbabwe in Tests and ODIs, while his T20I debut came against England in 2006.

He is frequently considered to be one of the most inventive players of all time and the best-rated Sri Lankan player in run chases in ODI history. Dilshan was the inventor of the over-the-head scoop shot, named ‘DilScoop.’ 

He is the first cricketer in the history of the game to score hundreds in all formats as a captain. Dilshan was the Player of the Tournament in the 2009 T20 World Cup, where Sri Lanka lost to Pakistan in the final. However, he starred for Sri Lanka when they won the 2014 T20 World Cup in Bangladesh.

Dilshan was part of the team that made the finals of the 2007 Cricket World Cup, the 2011 Cricket World Cup, the 2009 ICC World Twenty20, and the 2012 ICC World Twenty20. He was the 2011 Cricket World Cup’s leading scorer with 500 runs. 

Overall, Dilshan scored 5492 runs at an average of 40.98 in 87 Tests, including 16 centuries and 23 fifties, with the highest score of 193. He also took 39 wickets in Tests. Dilshan scored 10290 runs at an average of 39.27 and strike rate of 86.23 in 330 ODIs, including 22 centuries and 47 fifties, with the best score of 161*. He also took 106 wickets at an economy of 4.87, with the best bowling of 4/4.

He also scored 1889 runs at a strike rate of 120.54 in 80 T20Is, including one ton and 23 fifties, with the best score of 104*.

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