Sanath Jayasuriya
About
Sanath Jayasuriya, former captain of the Sri Lankan national cricket team is considered as one of the greatest ODI players of all time. He is well known for his powerful striking and match winning all-round performances in the ODI cricket.
He is the only player to score over 12,000 runs and capture more than 300 wickets in ODI cricket; He became the first player to play in 400 ODI matches. He has scored 14 Tests and 28 ODI centuries.
Jayasuriya was appointed as the Chairman of selectors of Sri Lanka national cricket team in 2013 by sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage
He entered politics in 2010 as a candidate for Matara District, from his party 'United People's Freedom Alliance' (UPFA), and was appointed as deputy minister of Postal services in the UPFA government in 2013, later he was appointed as Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development in 2015.
Sanath has also participated as a contestant on the celebrity dance show 'Jhalak Dikhla Jaa' Season 5.
Awards and Accomplishments
Awards and Accomplishments
Jayasuriya was named the ‘Most Valuable Player’ of the 1996 Cricket World Cup.
He has won many international awards in his 20 years of cricketing career. He has 47 match awards for ODIs. He also has 11 ODI Man of the Series awards. Besides ODI awards, he has 4 Test Man of the Match awards and a single Test Man of the Series award. He has 5 T20I Man of the Match awards as well.
Jayasuriya was chosen as the ‘Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World’ in 1996 and was named as one of the ‘Wisden Cricketers of the Year’.
Why Sanath Jayasuriya ?
He was the first cricketer to be appointed as a ‘UN Goodwill Ambassador’ by UNAIDS, Geneva for his commitment to prevent HIV/AIDS among young people in Sri Lanka.
Being a master of the game and an inspirational figure, Sanath Jayasuriya can motivate us all to follow our ambitions and dreams.
