The International Cricket Council (ICC) hailed Tillakratne Dilshan for firing with the bat, and said the Sri Lankan batsman was a tower of strength for the island nation throughout the World T20.
Dilshan was adjudged the ICC World Twenty20 player of the tournament last evening after Pakistan thumped Sri Lanka by eight wickets to become the new World T20 champions.
The right-handed batsman, who amassed a total of 317 runs at a strike-rate of 144.74 to remain the highest run-scorer, has scored three half-centuries and his unbeaten 96 in the semi-final against the West Indies was the highest individual total of the tournament.
”Tillakaratne has been a tower of strength for Sri Lanka throughout this tournament. He has impressed us all with his improvisation, courage out in the middle and wonderful range of shots,” former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, Chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee said of the agressive batsman after presenting the award.
”I’m not sure how he manages to play that scoop shot if I had tried that when I played I think I would have ended up with a mouth full of ball, but it was a wonderful entertainment and his contribution really gave the tournament a boost.
”Although there were many other players who excelled in this event, I think Tillakaratne is a worthy winner of the player-of-the-tournament award,” hailed Lloyd.
Dilshan is the second man to be named player of the tournament at an World Twenty20 event, following on from Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi, who picked up the award at the inaugural tournament in South Africa two years ago.
-UNI-
