IT IS hard to believe, but when Dinesh Shanthakumar first arrived at the Christmas Island Immigration Detention Centre he couldn’t believe his luck.

“Initially we were very scared and it looked like it was a jail,” he told the NT News through his translator, Suriya Shanmugham.

“But because we had just cheated death, we were ecstatic to be alive.”

Just days earlier, Shanthakumar, a Sri Lankan Tamil, wrote what he thought would be a farewell letter to family back in his war-torn native country.

“Nine days into the journey the engine (on the refugee boat) stopped. We came to the conclusion that we had no hope,” he said.

“After three days (with no power on the boat at sea) an oil tanker came up to us and we were given food and places to sit. We travelled in the ship for three days.

“We disembarked at Christmas Island and that was when the Navy boats came.”

After being transferred to Curtin Immigration Detention Centre, Shanthakumar thanked his lucky stars he was there just four months after he told authorities his uncle, who had also been a refugee, lived in Darwin.

Since leaving such trying circumstances and settling into his new life abroad, Shanthakumar has become a valued member of the Darwin community.

The Tracy Village D-grader smashed a phenomenal 188 from just 73 balls for Darwin Warriors against Bengal Royals in the current Asia Cup cricket competition.

But his success has not come easily.

“I work 16-hour days across three jobs as a cleaner,” Mr Shanthakumar said.

“This is the second cycle of my visa rejection. I have to pay between $10,000 and $20,000 for my lawyer.”

Shanthakumar is a valued member of the Tracy Village Cricket Club, and clubmates want him to stay in Darwin.

“I’m lucky to buy food … the only times I am happy are when I have a bat in my hands,” he said.