Categories: Articles

LNP – You’re one of most important players in Lankan cricket history: Muttiah tells Mahela

Sri Lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan has called his former teammate and the ICC’s latest Hall of Fame inductee Mahela Jayawardene one of the game’s “great thinkers”.

Lauding him for his contribution to not just his country but world cricket, Muralitharan wrote in an open letter that Jayawardene is one of the most important players in Sri Lankan cricket history.

“You played so many wonderful innings and were always happy to be in the team, getting a lot of runs. There was less pressure on me to take wickets because once you put on all those runs, my job became easy. That is why you are one of the most important players in Sri Lankan cricket history,” Muralitharan said.

“More than that though, you are a great human being and a very soft, kind guy away from cricket. In sport, everyone sees that champions are always very competitive. On the field, you had this ability to switch on, you were a great person to be around and play with.

“You were much quieter than me! You know I talk a lot and there were a few others in the dressing room to do the talking but you were quieter, you concentrated so much on the game at the time, you were glued to the match even while in the dressing room.”

The 44-year-old Jayawardene retired as one of Sri Lanka’s greatest ever players, a key member of the team that won the T20 World Cup in 2014 and reached four other major ICC finals.

The former Sri Lankan captain was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final alongside former South Africa all-rounder Shaun Pollock and ex England batter Janette Brittin.

He is the third Sri Lankan player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame after another batting great and former skipper Kumar Sangakkara and Muralitharan himself.

“It isn’t just for one individual moment that you are being inducted into the Hall of Fame, it’s a reward for the toil over the years and everything you contributed for Sri Lanka,” Muralitharan wrote.

“Those are all taken into consideration when choosing who is inducted and the ICC thinks it is right that you are the next Sri Lankan to be chosen, to join Kumar Sangakkara and me in the Hall of Fame.

“You have been selected because as a captain you were very successful, you consistently delivered as a batter and then as a fielder, you took a lot of catches – more than anyone else. You have done everyone in Sri Lanka proud.”

AddThis Website Tools
Tyronne Jayamanne

Recent Posts

LNP – Sri Lankan leaves Iran using special evacuation flight operated by India

A Sri Lankan national has left Iran and reached New Delhi last evening (23) on…

1 min ago

LNP – Arrest warrant issued against Sajin de Vass Gunawardena

Colombo Additional Magistrate Pavithra Sanjeewani Pathiraja today issued an arrest warrant against former Parliamentarian Sajin…

22 hours ago

LNP – Sri Lankan film ‘Riverstone’ picks up two awards at Shanghai International Film Festival

The 27th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) celebrated the best in global cinema at a…

24 hours ago

LNP – Jaffna to lead first phase of coconut pest eradication program

The Coconut Cultivation Board has announced the launch of a special program titled “Coconut Fortnight”…

24 hours ago

LNP – Sri Lanka’s FDI records 90% increase in first quarter 2025

The Board of Investment (BOI) of Sri Lanka has successfully increased Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)…

4 days ago

LNP – Sri Lanka deports 85 Chinese nationals over criminal activities

A total of 85 Chinese nationals convicted for various crimes, including cyber-related offences, were deported…

4 days ago