Today marks the 60th birthday of one the greatest batsman Sri Lanka has ever produced and one of the finest the world has ever seen. Much time has passed since he lit up the cricketing world during the 1996 World Cup and gave all Sri Lankans a magnificent reason to celebrate at a time when there was little to cheer back home. Even cricket fans who were just babies at the time or were born thereafter would have heard of that amazing run. No cricket fan alive today can say ‘I have not heard of Aravinda de Silva.’
I was one among hundreds of thousands of Sri Lankans who were glued to the television on that historic day when Aravinda scored a century to defeat Mark Taylor’s Aussies in Lahore.
I had the privilege of knowing Aravinda de Silva as a close friend for many decades. For nearly four to five years of my life we were even flatmates. During that time, I came to know him not just as a cricketer but as a man driven by an extraordinary will. Aravinda thrives on challenges. Whether it is cricket, business, or love. Put simply, he never gives up until he gets what he wants. His determination borders on the relentless and his self-belief even in the face of adversity is truly something to behold. I saw it all, first hand.
I once heard Sri Lanka’s World Cup winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga say that there will never be another batsman like Aravinda, that there is and always will be only one Aravinda. It is a sentiment that every Sri Lankan cricket fan, regardless of background or allegiance and regardless of which era he or she was born, will share. He is, without question, the most naturally gifted batsman our country has produced; elegant, fearless, and original. He soaked the praise, he suffered the occasional insult and remained humble and unfazed through it all. Focused on his cricket. From the first day he donned the Sri Lankan cap until the day he retired.
He always had the support of his fans. He was and is revered as a legend. On the other hand, he would probably count his family as his greatest strength and if asked would say that they, more than anyone else, shaped his indomitable spirit. Among them, naturally, is his wonderful father in Uncle Sam (the late Sam de Silva), his gracious mother in Aunty Rani, his devoted sister Araliya and loving wife Anushka.
Today, my friend Aravinda turns 60. He will be surrounded by the near and dear. They will all celebrate. I, unfortunately, will not be there to share in the celebrations. My thoughts however are with Aravinda. May he continue to bat on healthily, steadily, and joyfully for many, many more years to come.
