article_snippet: Sussex have signed Sri Lanka Mahela Jayawardene for the first half of this season's Natwest T20 Blast.
article_snippet: The 37-year-old batsman, who will be available for Sussex's opening seven matches of the competition, has scored more than 4,000 runs in 170 T20 matches during Mahela Jayawardene career, including almost 1,500 runs in 55 T20 internationals.
article_snippet: Mahela Jayawardene was part of the Sri Lanka side that won the ICC World Twenty20 title last year - having also helped them reach the final in 2012 and 2009 - before announcing Mahela Jayawardene retirement from the shortest form of the game at international level.
article_snippet: Mahela Jayawardene has signed for Sussex for the first half of this season's T20 blast competition .
article_snippet: Mahela Jayawardene has been representing Sri Lanka at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand .
article_snippet: Mahela Jayawardene has also scored more than 11,000 runs in both Test and one-day international cricket during a glittering career, leaving Mahela Jayawardene in the top seven of all-time runscorers in both formats.
article_snippet: Mahela Jayawardene retired from Test cricket last year and will stop playing ODIs after the World Cup in Australia and New ZealandAustralia and New ZealandNew Zealand.
article_snippet: The former Sri Lanka captain, who has never played county cricket, said: 'I am really exciting about basing Mahela Jayawardene down at Hove and playing for Sussex during the first half of the summer. '
article_snippet: Mahela Jayawardene runs between Mahela Jayawardene during Mahela Jayawardene country's clash with Australia in Sydney .
article_snippet: Sussex's professional cricket manager Mark Robinson said: 'It is fantastic news that a player of Mahela Jayawardene Mahela Jayawardene has agreed to join us. '
article_snippet: Mahela Jayawardene record and Mahela Jayawardene reputation is second to none, and Mahela Jayawardene will also bring into us dressing room Mahela Jayawardene leadership and experience.
article_snippet: I'm sure Mahela Jayawardene will be a huge asset to Luke Wright as the new captain, and the whole squad and coaching staff.'
highlights_snippet: Mahela Jayawardene will be available for Sussex's first seven matches .
  
highlights_snippet: Mahela Jayawardene has scored almost 1,500 runs in 55 T20 internationals .
  
highlights_snippet: Mahela Jayawardene will be experiencing county cricket for the first time .
  