The Sri Lanka Racing Drivers Association said that the authorities ignored repeated pleas from their members to ensure the track was watered to prevent dust and to ensure that visibility was not affected.

Two of the cars ploughed into spectators and track marshals, killing seven people, including an eight-year-old girl, on April 21 at the Fox Hill circuit at Diyathalawa.

“Senior race officials appointed to conduct the meet didn’t have the required experience and expertise to conduct an event of this magnitude,” the association said, adding that they also lacked subject knowledge.

The usual protocol was to water the dusty dirt track at least once every three events, but this was not followed despite multiple requests from the competitors.

“This was one of the main reasons for the fatal accident,” the association said. Video footage of the crash showed that the track was covered by a huge cloud of dusty drastically reducing visibility.

During a previous event, the winner did one full lap because he did not see the chequered flag that signalled he had won the race. Such was the level of visibility even before the fatal crash and the authorities’ ignored appeals from drivers to correct the issue.

Even before the fatal crash, there were several others with drivers trapped inside their cars, exposing them to further danger of being hit by other cars. “Race directors, the Clerk of the course, or stewards didn’t take any actions to Red flag the race and stop it.”

The organizers were more concerned about meeting the race schedules and were opposed to stopping events to clear the track after collisions.

The drivers said all profits from the event must be given to the families of the victims and Sri Lanka Automobile Sports (SLAS), the governing body of the sport, should accept responsibility and step down.

“This is the first step to correcting this sad loss of lives that we can never pay back. Steps must be taken to make racing safer for spectators, marshals, and racing drivers alike.”

One of the games is kana mutti, where a blind-folded person tries to smash a hanging clay pot with a club. Kana is an impolite term for a blind person.

“Special focus has been directed towards the differently-abled community, with efforts aimed at reforming societal attitudes. Traditional practices like “Kana Muttiya Bindeema” and “Andhayata Kiri Kaweema”, organizers are encouraged to adopt the names “Vasana Muttiya Bindeema” and “Sagayata Kiri Kaweema,” Minister Pasqual said.

“This initiative aims to foster a shift in societal perceptions. Additionally, numerous special programs have been arranged for the differently-abled community during all festive occasions throughout the year.”

The traditional new year is a solar festival celebrated by Sri Lanka’s sinhala and tamil communities.

It is celebrated in India and former territories of the Chola Empire including Sri Lanka (avurudu), and Thailand (sonkram).

“It is important to maintain a clear distinction between politics and sports,” Wickremesinghe said advocating for the exclusion of politicians from high-ranking positions within sports clubs.

This did not signify a disengagement from sports, he said. “The government has earmarked one billion rupees for cricket development this year, with plans for additional funding in the following year,” Wickremesinghe was speaking at the 125th anniversary celebration of the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) at the Shangri-La Hotel Colombo.

This investment will be managed by a trust overseen by Sidath Wettamuni. The funds will be utilized to enhance cricket programs in rural schools, organize cricket matches and foster the growth of cricket at the grassroots level.

Wickremesinghe said it was important to expand cricket programs in 1,000-1,500 schools to cultivate a talent pool from which the national team can be selected.

A proposal has also been put to the Cabinet to provide the land belonging to the Sinhala Sports Club on a 99-year lease basis. (Colombo/Mar30/2024)

“I am scared that I will be killed over my decisions on the cricket board,” Ranasinghe told parliament on Monday morning ahead of a cabinet meeting. “If I am found dead, the president and his staff will be responsible.”

Earlier this month, Ranasinghe dismissed Sri Lanka Cricket board members and appointed an interim committee ostensibly due to the Sri Lanka cricket team’s performance at the recently concluded ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 where they lost seven out of nine games.

The decision led to Sri Lanka being suspended by the International Cricket Council, citing political interference. (Colombo/Nov27/2023)

The beleaguered cricket team along with officials returned to the island Friday November 10 morning and, amid tight security, spoke to reporters at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo.

Fielding questions from reporters, Wickramasinghe said he would “reveal all” in two days’ time.

Expressing his disappointment at the team’s dismal performance in India, the chief selector said, while he accepts responsibility for it, there was a “reason for the collapse” in performance.

“I won’t say anything today. Give me two days. I will reveal all,” he said.

“We didn’t do our best. Give me two days and I will reveal the reason for that, and also where the collapse occurred,” said Wickramasinghe.

The official said Sri Lanka went to India with a plan, which will be evident in how the team plays in the future.

“I accept responsibility. I won’t run away. I will reveal in the future whether there was a conspiracy,” he said.

“There was a conspiracy by a certain group. I will talk about it,” he added.

Wickramasinghe said he needs time to study the developments that took place in Colombo with regard to cricket administration during their absence.

Sri Lanka’s parliament passed a resolution on Thursday to remove the top officials of the island nation’s Cricket Board over the 2023 World Cup debacle, a day after a local court granted a stay order for the officials to continue at least for two weeks.

In an unusual manner, the resolution was passed unanimously in a highly divided 225-member legislature. The move comes amid protests near the Sri Lanka Cricket Board head office in capital Colombo, demanding the top cricket officials to be ousted.

Related:

Sri Lanka parliament approves to sack top cricket officials after World Cup debacle

“That’s why I’m asking for two days,” he said.

The chief selector also acknowledged that the players too had some issues.

“They are the ones who have to go into the middle and play. The coaches are there to give them a strategy. The players have to go and do it. Some of these things didn’t happen properly,” he said. (Colombo/Nov10/2023)

In an unusual manner, the resolution was passed unanimously in a highly divided 225-member legislature. The move comes amid protests near the Sri Lanka Cricket Board head office in capital Colombo, demanding the top cricket officials to be ousted.

Cricket is the most populour sport in Sri Lanka, particularly after the South Asian Island nation won the World Cup in 1996.

Sri Lanka witnessed its cricket team’s worst performance in the highest level of the tournament since 1999 World Cup and politicians, senior players, and general public have criticized the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), the official board which is responsible for the game in the country amid corruption charges and its officials are being close allies of gamblers.

Sri Lanka team lost seven out of nine games including for Afghanistan and ended the World Cup campaign with one of the lowest performances in the sports’ history.

“We all should unite to defeat corruption from sports,” Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe told the parliament before all the parliament members anonymously agreed to the resolution which sought the removal of the current cricket administrators.

On Monday, Ranasinghe sacked the SLC officials and appointed an interim committee headed by the 1996 World Cup winning team captain Arjuna Ranatunga.

Simultaneously, President Ranil Wickremeinghe appointed a four-member committee to look into the interim committee appointed by the Sports Minister.

On Tuesday, however, Sri Lanka’s Court of Appeal issued a stay order and quashed the sports minister’s decision to sack the cricket board and restored the expelled officials at least for two weeks, pending a full hearing.

The court accepted a petition by board president Shammi Silva challenging minister Roshan Ranasinghe’s move on Monday to dismiss the Sri Lanka Cricket board and appoint an interim committee.

The court decision was criticized in the parliament which drew some strong statement from the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL).

“The BASL strongly feels that statements being made in respect of ongoing court cases and reference to judges, purportedly taking cover on parliamentary privileges, is seen as a direct threat on the independence of judiciary,” the BASL said in a statement.

Power Minister Kanchana Wijesekara, a member of the four-member cabinet sub-committee appointed to look into the Interim Committee for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and its future activities, told the parliament if the International Cricket Council (ICC) decides to impose a ban on SLC by any chance as a result of the resolutions tabled in Parliament, the 225 members of the parliament should take over the responsibility for it. (Colombo/Nov 9/2023)

“The Cabinet has resolved to appoint a special sub-committee with the mandate to examine the current situation and work in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including input from esteemed former cricketers,” the statement said.

“The primary objective of this sub-committee is to recommend immediate, viable measures to resolve the outstanding issues in Sri Lanka Cricket.”

Other members of the committee are Kanchana Wijesekara – Minister of Power and Energy, Manusha Nanayakkara Minister of Labour & Foreign Employment and Tiran Alles – Minister of Public Security.

An additional secretary to the President, nominated by the Secretary to the President, will be the Secretary/Convenor to the sub-committee.

Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe yesterday appointed an interim committee headed by former cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga after the Sri Lanka team suffered a string of defeats.

Media reports said the President was unaware of the appointment of the interim committee. (Colombo/Nov07/2023)

Peries is the second Sri Lankan to summit Mount Everest in May 2018 after an unsuccessful attempt in 2016 with the first Sri Lankan who completed the summit Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala.

“For me, this is a significant symbolic gesture that I am taking on, at a time where Sri Lanka is going through an economic crisis” Peries told reporters at a briefing in Colombo on Tuesday (16).

He is scheduled to start the climbing in Northern America’s Denali, also known as Mount McKinley, which is the highest mountain peak in North America, with a summit elevation of 20,310 feet (6,190 m) above sea level.

The climbing is expected to take three weeks to complete and the total approximate cost for the summit is around 15,000 US dollars or around 4.5 million Sri Lankan rupees, an official at Peries team said.

Pieris has also summited Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mount Kalapattar in Nepal and Mont Blanc Switzerland and Mount Kosciuszko Australia.

Pieris will be accompanied by a team of eight along with two guides on his latest journey.

“If you see his journey, it is a very challenging one because of the weather which may affect his health,” Chamari Wickramathilake the Head of exports and Regulatory Affairs in Link Natural told EconomyNext.

“Therefore the Link Natural and Samahan will be there to protect him from sicknesses. Whenever there is an opportunity, if it is a good cause, then definitely as a brand we will come forward and we would like to support in the future for different events as well,” Wickramathilake said.   (Colombo/ May 19/2023)

A book on Sri Lanka’s cricket history by UK-based author Nicholas Brookes will help promote the island’s status as a sport tourism destination, officials said.

“This book was no doubt a quest for the soul of Sri Lankan cricket,” Brookes told reporters at an event held in Colombo.

“But if it wasn’t the love of the game that brought me here, I left with a deep love for the island, which will remain a part of me for the rest of my life.”

Sri Lanka got test cricket status in 1981 and won the first overseas test match under captain Arjuna Ranatunga against New Zealand. Sri Lanka won the cricket world cup under Ranatunga.

“The 1996 world cup wasn’t just a watershed moment for Sri Lanka, but a turning point for the game in general; another giant leap in cricket’s journey from Victorian relic to modern money-spinner,” Brookes mentions in the book.

“I think the passion, pride and joy the people in Sri Lanka take from cricket is unmatched anywhere in the world”.

“This book will help promote tourism by encouraging more tourists to come into the island and also it will help to know about Sri Lankan Cricket and the sports,” Sureshni Ellepola Pilapitiya, Assistant Director at Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau told Economy Next.

“The tourist industry has faced challenges in the past years, yet I have utmost faith in Sri Lanka’s ability to entice tourists back”, Brookes said.

Sri Lanka welcomed 441,177 tourists up to April 2023, up from 62,980 last years and is expecting 1.5 million tourists to come. (Colombo/May04/2023)

Analysts say the economic crisis is taking the toll gradually with people struggling to meet their ends due to high food and energy prices without any pay hike.

Cricket is considered as the island nation’s main sport and millions of people back the game regardless of a 30-year war and many other key issues the country faced.

However, the ongoing LPL knockout attracted a poor crowd after the governing body Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced higher ticket prices.

As a result, SLC was forced to allow spectators free of charge at C&D Lower Stand instead of charging 400 rupees per individual.

The SLC also slashed the ticket prices – from 3,500 rupees to 1,500 for Grand Stand and from 1,000 rupees to 300 for C&D Upper Stand.

“Economic crisis could be one of the reasons for the poor crowd. But this tournament comes after the recent T20 World Cup and Afghan Tour. Also many people have been more interested in World Cup football,” an official at the SLC told EconomyNext, asking not to be named.

“Usually there was a lot of interest for the last two LPL.”

Many Sri Lankans have been cutting their entertainment and unnecessary costs to ensure their daily meals amid higher transport, energy, and water costs.

Sri Lanka’s unprecedented economic crisis comes after the central bank defended the currency and propped up the rupee artificially before allowing the currency to depreciate over 60 percent in March this year after printing trillions of rupees to bridge government finances.

The island nation announced sovereign debt default on April 12 this year before the economic crisis blew up into a political crisis forcing former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa and former prime minister Namal Rajapaksa to resign in the face of wide public protests citing they were the reasons for the policy failures. (Colombo/Dec22/2022)

Individuals said to be associated with several prominent politicians went on a joyride in a restricted area of the the Yala national park recently. Video footage of four-wheel drive vehicles drifting in an open plain inside the park went viral, causing much outrage on social media and elsewhere. The suspects were later arrested and blacklisted by the Department of Wildlife, prohibiting them from entering any national park in the country.

“Children from a young age have an interest in such adventurous activities and with time they get the urge to try these adventurous sports,” Minister Dissanayake said on Thursday November 30 speaking to reporters.

“I am not taking their side, but what we saw in Yala was an example of a burst of this urge to participate in these types of ports.

“If we had at least provided the youth with nine tracks in the nine provinces, this could have been avoided. I think as a ministry we have been a bit behind in this,” he said.

The minister was speaking at a media briefing in Colombo to promote adventure sports in the country and to unveil the ministry’s plans to work with the private sector to promote and regulate adventure sports such as 4×4 adventure riding and white water rafting in Sri Lanka contributing to sports tourism.

Sri Lanka, going through its worst currency crisis in decades, is struggling to attract more foreign exchange and is currently exploring ways to attract more tourists and send more locals abroad for foreign employment in order to increase foreign remittances.

Dissanayake said the ministry is collaborating with the Maxis tire company and the Iron Man 4×4 teams for a public private partnership to promote these sports in the country and develop it to national levels.

The ministry is currently exploring lands in nine provinces to create off road tracks for the sport, he said.

The ministry will also take measures to reform and regulate white water rafting in the Kitulgala area following requests by the locals, tourists and local politicians, he added.

Though Sri Lanka is known for its various adventure sport locations, the country’s tourism sector has only been promoting white water rafting, kite surfing and surfing, the minister said.

By improving adventure sports in Sri Lanka, the country will have a higher possibility of attracting more tourists, helping improve its forex situation, he added.  (Colombo/Nov03/2022)

Two members of the all-male six-member team had disappeared on October 22, followed by the third sportsman the next day, an official for Sri Lanka Wrestling Federation said, requesting anonymity.

This is the latest in a series of disappearing acts pulled by Sri Lankan athletes in Europe. Previously, nine athletes and one official went missing during the Commonwealth Games 2022 in early August.

In an interesting twist, however, this time, the Spanish authorities appeared largely unconcerned about the missing Sri Lankans, according to the wrestling official.

Sri Lanka is going through its worst currency crisis in decades, and runaway inflation and a host of other issues are compelling young Sri Lankan men and women to find better prospects abroad, legally or otherwise.

Investigations into this Spanish vanishing act are underway, regardless, and Sri Lankan officials plan to talk to the families of the missing wrestlers in the coming days in the hope of establishing contact and making sure that they are still in Spain.

Wrestling Federation officials that went to Spain with the team had alerted Spanish authorities the moment they went missing.

“They had visas till October 25, 2022,” the official said.

Passports of two of the players are still with the officials, who customarily hold onto athletes’ passports, but the other athlete’s passport is nowhere to be found.

“We suspect the passport was taken from the official personnel bag before deserting the team,” the official said.

Athletes are permitted to carry their passport on their person into the stadium for any legal clearance that may be needed when athletes are weighed before a tournament.

Spanish authorities did not show much interest in finding the deserters, the official claimed.

“We informed the police immediately, but they said the missing players can take refuge in the country and may be able to find jobs as long as they are not involved in any criminal activity,” the official said.

“The players sign a bond before they’re to tournaments abroad. If they are unable to contact us through their parents or families, legal action can be taken against them.”

“When permission is given to these athletes we get the recommendations from a few places, such as the federation of the relevant sport, the Sports Selection Committee and the Sports Council,” I P Wijeratne, Director of Sports, Sport Development Department, told EconomyNext on Thursday October 27.

“I think a thorough background check must be done even when selecting the players in order to minimise this issue,” he said.

Since the disappearance of the three wrestlers, the Sports Ministry has stopped all outbound sports tours for the time being.

“More attention should be given to this matter by the committees,” said Wijeratne, adding that recently it was discovered that that powerlifters had been selected for an upcoming sumo wrestling tournament, which was later cancelled.

“These sort of issues can harm the selection process, and it can cost an opportunity to athletes that genuinely represent the country and want to win.”

Asked about the progress into investigations over the athletes that went missing at the Commonwealth Games, Wijeratne said the Sport Development Department has yet to receive any information on the whereabouts of the missing athletes.

“The Sports Offences Prevention Unit has been tasked with compiling a report on the matter,” he said. (Colombo/Oct27/2022)

Sergeant Maheesh Theekshana who was in the Asia Cup-winning cricket team and Corporals Bhashini de Silva, T T Algama and M A I J Perera who were in the national netball team that won the Asian netball championship and Corporal Ruwan Rajapaksha won won the bronze medal at the Asian Bodybuilding Championship 2022 were all promoted and awarded financial incentives, the SLA said in a statement.

“Army sportsmen and sportswomen engaging distinctively in international sports are being awarded cash incentives and appreciative compliments,” the statement said.

Army Commander Lt Gen Vikum Liyanage met the sports winners at a ceremony to commemorate their achievements.

“Private M M Theekshana was elevated to the rank of Sergeant, Private T T Algama, to the rank of Corporal, Private K B Y De Silva to the rank of Corporal and Private M A I J Perera to the rank of Corporal during the same occasion,” said the statement. (Colombo/Sept21/2022)

Sri Lanka has won the netball championship for the second consecutive year beating the host Singapore 63-53.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said that the team’s achievement was due to the team’s dedication despite the challenge the country is going through.

He has said the netball team’s perseverance to attract the attention of all the of all netball fans including those of the international sphere set an example to all the sportsmen and sportswomen.

Sri Lanka is also a six-time Asian Netball Champion.
(Colombo/Sept11/2022)

The portal can be accessed via a QR (Quick Response) code or by logging on to https://dlg.lk/apekollo to submit a wish to the cricket team.

“A campaign such as this gives a much-needed boost to the morale of the country and indeed the morale of the players,” Chryshantha Kapuwatte, Asst. Secretary of Sri Lanka Cricket said.

Sri Lanka qualified for the grand finale by defeating favourites, India and the upcoming Afghanistan team.

Sri Lanka last won the Asia Cup in 2014 under Captain Angelo Mathews by beating Pakistan.

Sri Lanka will again face Pakistan in the finals this year.

The finals will be played on giant screens at CR&FC and CH&FC Grounds in Colombo, Sanath Jayasuriya Grounds in Matara, Gatambe Ground in Kandy, Rajanganaya Ground in Anuradhapura and Kalai Mathi Sports Club Ground in Jaffna. (Colombo/Sept09/2022)

Sri Lanka has seen a spike in boat people amid the worst currency crisis in the history of the central bank with the rupee falling from 182 to 370 to the US dollar over two years.

During the Commonwealth games 2022, which held in Birmingham, UK 10 of the Sri Lankan athletes and an official decamped from the games villages without informing the officials of the Sri Lankan team or the Commonwealth games.

An official of the Judo team, contestants in judo, wrestling, boxing and beach volleyball went missing. There were two females.

Major General Dampath Fernando who was appointed as the Chef de Mission of the Sri Lanka team for the 22nd Commonwealth Games said, any person in the village had the freedom to leave the village at any time.

“It was also disheartening to note that during the games, 10 athletes and an official disserted us and they have decamped, which has brought discredit and black mark to our country as whole,” Fernando said at the Facilitation of the Medal winners event on Thursday (25).

“Firstly, one of our team mangers, so called the president of the Judo federation, a senior military officer decided to decamp. Not only that he also encouraged his team mates to do the same. Likewise, all together 10 athletes went. It has brought so much discredit to the country.”

All the athletes who left the team participated but went with that motive of deserting and were not focusing on their respective events, he said.

Since the athletes have six months’ visa multiple, there are no legal barriers for them to remain in the UK for the next six months, Fernando said,

“So even if they stayed without passport, they can stay in UK without an issue. In fact, when I asked from the police, they told me the protocol is to carry out investigation.”

UK Birmingham Police had located about 6 of the missing people, however, locations of their hideouts have not been disclosed to the Sri Lankan officials under immigration law of the UK.

Fernando said, after the first two players, the president of the Judo and a player the Birmingham Police who was investigating the incident has sent a message through the Commonwealth secretariat saying they have located two of the missing people and mentioned that the Police have contacted them and were informed both were well and fine.

“After some time when three boxers went missing, when I was chatting with the officer who was in charge and he said, the first two players who were located were given their passports,” Fernando said.

“I said, we respect the UK law, but those two who were located are Sri Lankan athletes, that is employed by the Army. And they will be listed as deserted soldiers. They are here with the government funding and it is not a correct decision to give the passport for them.”

“At that time, he had another passport of a missing athlete and handed over to me, after mentioning all passports will be given to the high Commission of Sri Lanka in UK.”

It was not clear whether they will apply for asylum, Fernando said.

“Even if they do that they will be sent to Uganda. Two batches have been sent like that.”

Meanwhile, Amal Harsha De Silva, the secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports said, an independent probe will be actions against the athletes based on the report.

Sri Lanka has seen a spike in boat people after the rupee fell from 182 to 360 to the US dollar after two years of money printing to target an output gap. (Colombo/ Aug 26/2022)

Ranasinghe told EconomyNext on Monday August 08 he has advised the Secretary to the Ministry of Sports to gather information regarding the athletes that have left the games village without prior notice.

“We need to know if they are in trouble, or in any other emergency or what happened to them. I have asked the Secretary to the Ministry to look into the matter. We have not received full information about the situation yet,” he said.

Initially, three athletes had left the village last week followed by seven more later.

A top sports official from Sri Lanka who is currently with the team in the UK said the athletes left the village after participating in their respective events.

“I can only assume that these athletes who were consistently training for a long period, may have taken a break since they have six-month valid visa,” the official said requesting anonymity.

“They left the games village after participating in their respective events. In fact once this was brought to the notice of the local authorities, they were of the view that they have a six-month valid visa.

“The official is a manager of the Judo team. The other athletes are from judo, wrestling, boxing and beach volleyball teams. The athletes are two females and seven males. We are hoping they will return,” the official said.

International media reported that Sri Lankan authorities who had been holding on to the entire teams’ passports as a deterrent against such disappearing acts has now released the passports back to the athletes upon a request from Birmingham authorities.

The senior official said most of the athletes who finished their events have already returned to Sri Lanka, while another 10 are still remaining till their events are over and hope to return on Tuesday August 09. (Colombo/Aug08/2022)

Abeykoon won bronze clocking the 100 metres at 10.14 seconds, just behind South Africa’s Akani Simbine at 10.13 seconds and Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala who won gold with a timing of 10.02 seconds.

Earlier in the year he set a regional record at 9.96 seconds becoming the fastest man in South Asia.

Related

Sri Lanka’s Yupun Abeykoon sets new South Asia sprint record

Abeykoon won the bronze as the country’s inflation topped 60 percent in June and the currency collapsed to 360 to the US dollar amid an attempted float of the unstable soft-pegged currency which was botched by a surrender rule.

Food prices have almost doubled over the past year.

Sri Lanka got into a monetary meltdown as the central bank printed money over two years to suppress rates and eventually defaulted amid severe forex shortages.

The country’s economists got the ability to create forex shortages and currency crises in August 1950 with the setting up of a soft-pegged central bank with a policy rate.

However policy has worsened dramatically from 2015 under highly discretionary ‘flexible’ inflation targeting and ‘flexible’ exchange rate where monetary policy errors were encouraged with stimulus (output gap targeting) followed by forex shortages, spikes in foreign borrowings, depreciation and default.

Abeykoon, the sprinter who represented Sri Lanka in the 2021 Olympics, won gold for Sri Lanka recording a time of 9.96 seconds, breaking his own record of 10.06 seconds performance at the International Athletics Meeting Anhalt 2022 in Germany.

With the achievement, Abeykoon became the first south Asian athlete to finish a 100 meter sprint under 10 seconds. (Colombo/ July 3/2022)

A young Sri Lankan cricket team won the fourth game held in Colombo by just four runs to secure a series win after conquering the five-time world champions.

“Congratulations to Sri Lanka cricket team on the win against Australia in the one day series. The sportsmanship shown by the Sri Lankan team has been remarkable. People of Sri Lanka are also grateful for the support given by Cricket Australia to overcome the economic challenges in Sri Lanka,” Rajapaksa tweeted. 

Congratulations to #lka cricket team on the win against #Australia in the one day series. The sportsmanship shown by the #SriLankan team has been remarkable. People of #lka are also grateful for the support given by @CricketAus to overcome the economic challenges in . #AUSvsSL

— Gotabaya Rajapaksa (@GotabayaR) June 21, 2022

Sri Lankans, who have been going pillar to post to feed their families and ensure essentials like fuel, cooking gas, medicines, food, and milk powder amid lengthy power cuts, took their frustration out on the president who had just turned 73 a few days prior.

It was the first time Sri Lanka had won a series against mighty Australia in 30 years.

Many Sri Lankans see Rajapaksa and his family as responsible for the current economic crisis. Thousands of young, nonpartisan protesters have been demanding Rajapaksa’s resignation for 76 days as of Thursday July 23 near the presidential secretariat in Colombo. Over this period, Sri Lanka saw a change in prime ministers as well as the resignation of the entire cabinet twice over.

However, Rajapaksa has said he cannot leave as a “failed president” and has vowed see his term to its completion in November 2025.

“You obviously never played any sport. That is why you do not know how to accept defeat. You are a failed President. Please GO,” responded one Twitter user.

You obviously never played any sport. That is why you do not know how to accept defeat.
You are a failed President. Please GO

— Shiran de Soysa (@deSoysaShiran) June 21, 2022

“At least learn from cricket how to make way for someone more capable than you,” another tweep said.

තමාට හැකියාව නැති උනාම සුදුසු කෙනෙක්ට අවස්ථාව දෙන එක ක්‍රිකට් වලින්වත් ඉගන ගන්න මහත්තයා!

— Dil Sudarshana (@DileeSudarshana) June 22, 2022

“Please resign and make this moment even better to give some relief to the grievances of the nation,” said another.

Please resign and make this moment even better to give some relief to the grievances of the nation. #EconomicCrisisLK #Lka

— Nuzrad Mohamed (@BeingNuzrad) June 21, 2022

Some of the tweeps used abusive language in response to the president’s congratulatory tweet, and many demanded that he step down due what they called his abject failure.

“No. This is victory for the cricket team. Your dismissal is the real victory for all Sri Lankans,” said one tweet.

“Please Mr President keep out of this. The SL cricket team is the only entertainment and [source of] pride we are left with,” said another.

“How can the Australian cricket team help to overcome economic challenges? Did they bring dollars in the plane? Pls don’t take credit for our team’s win,” another tweeted.

Some more tweets are reproduced below:

“Dont think people will be delusional with this win and forget to remind you about the most important message…..” GOTAGOHOME”

“Namal went, Cricket prospered You go, Watch how the country will prosper.”

“A young team of cricketers put us back on the winning streak. Please handover the reigns to a team that can win – we as a country need to rejoice and winning back our lives we had.”

“Please don’t try to get involved in this [and] screw this one up too. Just let it be the way it is. You are NOT needed.”

One Twitter user had used crossed out images of President Rajapaksa, current Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and former finance minister Basil Rajapaksa with the line: “There is no point of cultivating without removing weeds”.

https://twitter.com/jrodbremen/status/1539417218106068992?s=20&t=hWulHYQv8rgDkZFsvIQiQQ

Thousands of Sri Lankans started spontaneous protests over the looming economic crisis early in March when Rajapaksa’s government started to impose power cuts and struggled to import fuel and cooking gas due to a crippling dollar shortage – a shortage that experts have blamed directly on ill-advised policies of the government.

Rajapaksa is also blamed for his disastrous ban on chemical (inorganic) fertilizer without providing any alternative to farmers. As a results, the country has seen record high food prices due to a shortfall in farmland produce and lack of fuel to transport agricultural commodities.

The president also appointed himself as the Defence and Digital Technology Minister and appointed his elder brother Mahinda as Prime Minister. His oldest brother Chamal was made Minister of Irrigation while younger brother Basil became Finance Minister. His nephew and Mahinda’s son Namal, meanwhile, was appointed Youth and Sports Minister, while another nephew Shasheendra Rajapaksa, son of Chamal, was named deputy agriculture minister.

The powerful political dynasty controlled the country through the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) even as the economic crisis turned into a full blown political crisis by early April. Since then, Rajapaksa was forced to remove his family members from key position due to strong protests by the public.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned after his supporters brutally attacked unarmed and peaceful protesters in Colombo on May 9. A court has ordered that he surrender his passport and police has questioned him over a meeting with his supporters held just before the attack. May 09 saw violent clashes, with over 70 ruling party members’ houses and assets either damaged or burnt.

The president later appointed Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister, but analysts say nothing has been done to supply essentials to the public with the crisis now getting worse.

Sri Lankan Twitter users had some choice words for their head of state.

“It’s time to go home”, “What do you know about sportsmanship”, “Devil, we are at fuel queues. It’s better if you go even now”, “Don’t screw up the little happiness the fans enjoy, pls leave”, and “OK, now you resign. Then it’ll be the perfect day” were among the responses that saw much engagement. (Colombo/Jun22/2022)