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Hashan Tillakaratne and Apsari fe Apsari Tillakaratne A league of their own Celebrating a victory with colleague Sanath Jayasuriya THE CRICKETER to sleep in the same gesture. I was pregnant but not even three months Attending a big match in Pallekele Cricket is in Hashan’s blood. It is his main passion and he lives and when I flew to Pakistan to attend the World Cup finals. My doctor was breathes for the sport. He will do anything for cricket. One phrase he against me flying but since I am used to flying I knew I could stomach keeps on chanting daily is that he has attained everything that he has the journey. The last few stages of the match were very emotional. The got today because of cricket. Dedication and lots of hard work got him whole team was awestruck. Some of us were even in tears when the into the national team. He attended practices regularly. He has always final overs were on. I was with Romesh Kaluwitharana and Arjuna been fully involved in the game. Ranatunga’s wives. All the Pakistani fans were cheering for us and their cheers still echo in my ears. THE FAMILY MAN Hashan loves to maintain a beautiful home. One way of relaxation DOUBLE CELEBRATIONS for him is redoing our home in Piliyandala. Even these days he is reno- Post winning the World Cup I stumbled upon the fact that I will be vating our house. He has removed some of our old doors and is replacing expecting twins. I was about five months gone then and it was just after them with antique doors. He loves antique items and wants to change we returned from a tour in USA where the team was invited to play a the outlook of the house now and then. He also looks into the house- few matches. I felt a slight pain on the side of my stomach. My mother hold chores. We have three sons: Duvindu Sachin and Ravindu Sachin took me to Homagama Hospital where our doctor examined me and who are twins and Rajindu Irya who will be 12 years in September. The said that I am fine and it must be due to fatigue. However a matron who twins are named after our favourite cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. They are is known to my mother advised me to get a scan done. I went to Nav- 21 years old and employed at MAS Ratmalana. Kumar Sangakkara and aloka with our friend, Ajitha, since Hashan had practices at that time. his wife, Yehali, named Rajindu. He is playing in the under 13 A team at The doctor smiled and told me that he can see one but not the other. I Hashan with the twins when they were in their teens S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia. was surprised and asked what he meant. He informed me that he had heard two heartbeats and that is why he wanted us to do a scan. Soon after we returned to NCC Grounds Ajitha rushed up to Hashan BEST QUALITIES and related the incident to him. We were overjoyed but we also felt like Hashan is a very down to earth and simple person. Though he was our duties have been doubled as well. very famous during his stint he has never had any ego issues about it. I realized that he is quite a family man from the first moment we began chatting. Hashan has always been close to his parents and brother, SEEING DOUBLE Yasas. This was the first quality which attracted me to him. I have taken the twins on almost all the tours that Hashan has taken part in when they were small. Once in UK when my passport was being checked at the airport they were confused about their pictures. Both THE MEETING photos were identical and they believed that it was one child’s photo- I was employed as a cabin crew member for Emirates. The Sri Lanka graph which has been copied and used to represent the other. They even cricket team had flown to Dubai for a tournament in Sharjah. One of my measured the length of the face in the pictures to spot a difference but close friends, Eshantha, was living there with his partner. He called and found out that all the details were identical! Then there were incidents invited me to dinner at his place adding that the Sri Lankan cricket team like I would get them confused and try to feed medicine to the same will also be there. I said ok at first but later began to have second child twice. We had to tie a band on Duvindu’s hand to recognize one thoughts about attending since I was wondering if I had to go for the from the other during their childhood. event merely because the Sri Lankan cricket team will be attending. I was clueless about cricket then. I was not a cricket enthusiast either. So I refused the invitation politely. I shared my apartment with two Indian GREATEST STRENGTH girls. I happen to mention Eshantha’s invitation to them and they became so excited and begged me to take them along to meet the AND GREATEST WEAKNESS, The new father with his twin sons cricketers. I was forced to call back and notify them that we were attend- Hashan is very honest. He does not steal. However he trusts a lot of ing after all. During the event Eshantha began to talk about Hashan in people and that has gotten him in hot water at times. He also gets a bit At their wedding particular with me for some reason. He also introduced me to him and excited when one of the children falls ill. reception we began chatting. Hashan invited me to come and watch the matches. I watched a match for the first time in my life in Sharjah in 1995. MOST DIFFICULT PERIOD THE MARRIAGE Just after the 1999 World Cup the selectors decided to drop four of the Apsari and Hashan with the 2006 World Cup team members: Arjuna, Roshan, Aravinda and Hashan, stating that they The Sri Lankan team returned to Sri Lanka after the Sarjah Cup. I had are making way for youngsters. Hashan had a good batting average at to fly to Bangkok next. I got a call there and it was Hashan calling me in that time. Therefore he did not expect that he would get dropped. It was Bangkok from Sri Lanka! I was surprised and inquired how he found out a very disappointing phrase for him. He played domestic matches for NCC the number and he gleefully told me that he has many friends working for two years and made a comeback. He had his career best performance at Emirates. He proposed to me then stressing that we have similar then. He also captained the team in 2003/4 before retiring. tastes and that our ideas match. The proposal came about a week after our first meeting. I was the breadwinner of my family during that time because my FAVOURITE TRAVELS father was ill. I related this to Hashan and I asked him to meet my par- Hashan loves wildlife. We visit a small lodge we own in Yala Park ents when I return to Sri Lanka. My parents liked him. They felt that he when we have a holiday. The kids too look forward to these trips. was like their own son when he addressed them. My parents requested Hashan also loves to visit ancient religious places in rural areas. me to take a decision relating that I have done a lot on behalf of them and my sister. Though I continued to fly, I soon realized that I had to be with AN ALTERNATIVE PROFESSION Hashan. He was representing the country which was a national duty Hashan’s parents have told me that he was very studious during his and he was at his career peak then. I decided that I had to make the school days. He has engaged in politics for a brief period. I think he sacrifice of giving up my job. It was a very difficult decision to make would have continued to be in politics if he did not get into cricket. because my job offered a lot of benefits and a high salary. Our wedding ceremony was held on April 9. NICKNAME FOR HER I have three names: Deepika Sandamali Apsari. Everyone knows me During her stint HAPPIEST MOMENT IN LIFE as Apsari but Hashan is the only person who calls me Deepika. as a Emirates air Winning the 2006 World Cup is no doubt Hashan’s gloriest moment hostess in life. Even today he says he wakes up hugging the World Cup and goes With their family some years back Apsari Tillakaratne. Picture by Gayan Pushpika .

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