Tillakaratne Dilshan has joined an elite club of international cricketers by reaching 10000 One-Day International (ODI) career runs, during the 5th ODI against Pakistan at Hambantota. 

In doing so, he has become only the 11th international cricketer in achieving the prestigious feat and just the fourth Sri Lankan after Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayawardene (in order of quantity of runs). 

Dilshan reached the milestone in his 293rd innings and boasts an average of about 40. Dilshan has been a regular feature in the Sri Lankan limited overs sides and even though he couldn’t find as much success in Tests, it never hampered his natural flair in ODIs. 

Coming into the match, Dilshan needed 55 runs to get to the landmark and he batted quite well to get past his fifty and reach the richly-deserved milestone. The top run-scorer in the format isSachin Tendulkar with 18426 runs. The club includes other big international names like Rahul Dravid, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, Sourav Ganguly, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Jacques Kallis. He and Perera, who also earlier reached a milestone of 1000 ODI career runs earlier in the innings, have batted amazingly well and have both reached fifties. 

The base is set for Sri Lanka to claim a consolation victory in a series that the visiting Pakistan has dominated. But it is important to them to capitalise on the foundation. If Sri Lanka win, it will indeed cap a wonderful day for the veteran Dilshan. (cricketcountry)