Tillakaratne Dilshan will play for Northern Districts in New Zealand's domestic T20 competition next season.

Sri Lanka batting star Dilshan was the highest run-scorer at the recent ICC World Twenty20 in England scoring an average of 52 runs per innings at a strike rate of 144.

"Dilshan is arguably the best T20 batsman" 

In the Indian Premier League in South Africa he was the fifth highest run-scorer with an average of 42 and a strike rate of 122.

Northern Districts Cricket chief executive David Cooper hoped Dilshan would have the same influence on the team that England opener Andrew Strauss had during his stint with the province in 2008.

"Dilshan is arguably the best Twenty20 batsman going in world cricket at the moment," Cooper said. "It is a significant move for us to sign him and have him coming out to New Zealand.

"We believe that his presence will assist our team and our players in much the same way Andrew Strauss did in early 2008. I have no doubt New Zealand crowds will enjoy watching him too."

Dilshan is currently in Sri Lanka preparing for his side's second Test against Pakistan.