‘I would share this honour with my teammates’ – Aravinda

By Champika Fernando in Mumbai   

Batting great Aravinda de Silva is among three cricketing icons to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame Class of 2023 in a special on-field ceremony at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, during the first semi-final between India and New Zealand on Wednesday.   

A separate celebration will be held at the Taj Lands End Hotel in Mumbai tonight to celebrate the careers of the three cricketing greats.   

Along with de Silva, India’s Virendra Sehwag, who played a pivotal role in his country winning the 2011 World Cup, and Diana Edulji, an Indian female cricketer with a 17-year international playing career and a pioneer in establishing the most successful domestic team in Indian Women’s cricket history, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame.   
The legendary Sri Lankan had an outstanding career that spanned nearly two decades and played a key role in Sri Lanka’s World Cup victory in 1996, where he scored a match-winning hundred in the ICC Men’s World Cup final.   

De Silva played a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s rise in international cricket, contributing significantly with both bat and ball.   

“At my age, these don’t matter so much but it’s an honour and I am grateful to everyone, my family, my parents, my wife and children, for supporting me,” de Silva, 58, who is currently in Mumbai to attend today’s function, told the Daily Mirror yesterday.   

De Silva said he would share the joy of this honour with his teammates, without whom he said he would not have achieved this.   

“I would like to share this with my teammates — my extended family who have supported and inspired me during my career. Without them, I would not have achieved any of this and I am ever grateful,” he said.   

The recognition comes 20 years after de Silva retired from international cricket. He made his Test debut at Lord’s in 1984 and scored 6,361 runs in 93 Tests at an average of 42.97. He has 20 Test centuries, including a career-best of 267 against New Zealand at Wellington, and 22 half centuries. He also picked up 29 Test wickets during his career.   

However, his biggest contribution was in ODI cricket. Having played 308 ODIs, he scored 9,284 runs at an average of 34.90. He will forever be remembered for his two knocks in the semi-final and the final of the 1996 World Cup.   

Walking in at one for two in a World Cup semi-final, de Silva’s masterclass of 47-ball 66 stunned the Indians as Sri Lanka reached 251. He contributed both with the bat and the ball in the final against Australia in Lahore. He took three key wickets with his off-spin to restrict Australia’s score, before scoring an unbeaten 107 to lead Sri Lanka to its first global silverware. He was the first, and still the only, to score a century and take three or more wickets in a World Cup final.   

“It was definitely the greatest moment of my career and those of my teammates,” he said. “I have always given my 100 per cent when I am out in the park and I am happy I was able to contribute to that great moment as well as to many other cricketing victories.”   

Following his retirement, de Silva has served as Chief Selector at various times and also held the position of Cricket Committee Chairman. 

 
“During my young days, we looked up to greats like Imran Khan, Sunil Gavaskar and Viv Richards and I am happy that I was able to inspire youngsters to achieve greater heights in their career. As I said before, I have given my 100 per cent and I am happy to get this honour,” he said.   

De Silva joins his teammates Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene who were previously inducted.   

Sehwag, the dashing Indian opener has scored 8,586 runs at an average of 49.34 in 104 Tests. He also picked up 40 wickets. In 251 ODIs, he scored 8,273 runs at an average of 35.05 and claimed 96 wickets. He has played 19 T20 Internationals, scoring 394 runs at an average of 21.88.   

Edulji played 20 Tests for India, scored 404 runs and picked up 63 wickets at an average of 25.77. In 34, ODIs she claimed 46 wickets at an average of 16.84 and scored 211 runs.