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Former Sri Lanka Cricketer Kumar Sangakkara has been named as the first non-British president of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). The wicket keeper batsman has been appointed at the post for one year and will begin his tenure on 1 October 2019.
The 41-year-old's nomination was announced by the current President, Anthony Wreford, at the MCC Annual General Meeting at Lord's on Wednesday.
Sangakkara, who was awarded Honorary Life Membership of the club in 2012, had delivered a memorable MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture in 2011. In the speech he talked about the power and importance of cricket in healing the wounds of civil war in his country Sri Lanka and recounted his experience of the Lahore terror attack in 2009.
MCC, which owns Lord's and acts as the guardian of the laws of the game of cricket, was founded in 1787 and had 168 presidents in its history, which includes one member of the royal family but none from overseas.
"He is an outstanding individual both on and off the field and will make a huge contribution to the club. In a World Cup and Ashes year he will also have a significant role to play as president designate," concluded Wreford.
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