ONE of the world’s greatest cricketers has gone into bat to boost the profile of Tasmania.

Under a sponsorship arrangement with the University of Tasmania, Sri Lankan master cricketer Kumar Sangakkara is set to boost the state’s international student numbers.

The deal, which is the result of a partnership between the Hobart Hurricanes and UTAS, is also expected to boost Tasmania’s image among cricket worshippers across the globe.

The international superstar, who is widely regarded as one of the best batsmen of all time, will promote the university and a new scholarship specifically for Sri Lankan students.

UTAS is offering the Kumar Sangakkara Scholarships to eligible Sri Lankan undergraduate and postgraduate students. As well as lending his name to the scholarships, Sangakkara will make appearances.

n Sri Lanka and India to promote UTAS.

He will also appear in video blogging and direct marketing.

Hobart Hurricanes general manager Michael Roberts said cricket was a religion in Sri Lanka, and Sangakkara was the biggest force.

“The power of Kumar is huge,” Roberts said.

“In Australia we follow teams, but over there they follow players.”

He said Sangakkara’s associ­ation with UTAS would be a boost for not only the university but for Tasmania.

The keeper-batsman, who has four million Facebook fans, has signed on to play for two years with the Hobart Hurricanes.

Sangakkara will be coming to Tasmania with his family for the Big Bash in December and January.

UTAS executive director of international students Ben Jones said the university was proud of the scholarships and the sponsorship.

“This is our 125th year and, as a university of global standing and impact, we have had a strong focus on our inter­national ties,” Mr Jones said.

“There are many similarities between Sri Lanka and Tasmania: we are islands of similar size with diverse economies, including a robust tourist sector.

“Our cultures are very different but there are many things which bind us, such as a love of cricket.

“It is fitting Sri Lanka has given the game Kumar Sangakkara, just as Tasmania has given the game another modern great, Ricky Ponting.”

He said the scholarship was expected to be attractive to Sri Lankan students because UTAS has research strengths in many fields of importance to the country, such as marine and earth sciences, agriculture, forestry and environmental science.

UTAS intends to double its on-campus international student numbers in the next four to five years, from the 3600 now.

Roberts said Sangakkara was a fitting match for UTAS because of the cricketer’s own academic background.

A voracious reader, Sangakkara was studying law until he put his studies on hold in 1999 because of the demands of his international cricketing career.