Just last week, in the aftermath of our dreadful performance at the still ongoing 2024 T-20 World Cup cricket tournament where our team was dumped at the group stage; team captain Hasaranga came out all guns blazing. He was not apologising for the weak-kneed performance. Rather the ‘captain’ was accusing ‘social media trolls’ of trying to turn local cricket fans against the team after their T20 World Cup exit. 

According to Hasaranga social media trolls were attempting to create anger among fans for the horrid show the cricketers put up, as well as their elimination from the tournament. The team lost to South Africa and Bangladesh. In what can be seen as another instance of bad judgment, Hasaranga said ‘Real fans keep on supporting the team irrespective of the result’.

What arrogance and nonsense.

Sri Lankan cricket fans have supported their teams through thick and thin. Our teams have won and lost matches. But in times of defeat, the team has gone down fighting. Sadly this was not the case during the ongoing T-20 World Cup championships. Our team was unable to score even 75 runs or even play out its quota of overs. 

Lankan cricket fans are discerning and know their cricket. For instance during the 1967 West Indies tour of then Ceylon (which included Garfield Sobers and fearsome fast bowler Wesley Hall), many felt young David Heyn was selected to the All Ceylon team for reasons other than his cricketing abilities. 

As he walked out to bat Heyn was booed by the capacity crowd. However, a fighting 69 by that player turned boos into applause. Yes, our fans know their beans and are ready to admit their mistakes.

Cricket fans are discerning and knowledgeable. They are NOT led by the nose by ‘social media trolls’. It’s time both cricket administrators and players admit their mistakes and change their attitudes. Nobody is going to blindly support an underperforming team decked out in gold, but unable to meet the needs of modern professional cricket.
Suddenly, it seems Hasaranga’s outburst has become infectious. The founder of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) -Basil Rajapaksa- reacting to criticism, reportedly told a meeting at which President Wickremesinghe was present, that the Rajapaksas’ were not ready to bow down to any pressure.

“If you don’t want us, we don’t want you a hundred times...” Basil it appears was reacting to the presence of members of the SLPP breakaway group and particular members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

What airs and graces cheap politicians give themselves. Basil it appears, has forgotten how he fled the country in the aftermath of protests which overthrew the presidency of his brothers Gotabaya and premier Mahinda. 

He was able to return to the country because Wickremesinghe was able to bring about a semblance of normalcy following the ‘Aragalaya’. The Rajapaksa’s it seems have forgotten their role in creating a situation of near anarchy and bankrupting the country.

Now why do these decrepit rulers of old believe that ‘the people of this country’ need them?

The people of this country -irrespective of whether Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim or Burgher- can hardly forget the ‘white vans’ of old. Members of the Muslim and Christian community could not forget how that regime turned rabid religious zealots into peaceful members of their communities.

The Tamil community has still not forgotten the last days of the war, or the wild claims of the Rajapaksa governments that ‘not a single Tamil civilian was harmed during the ethnic conflict’.

Neither will people forget the forced cremations during the time of the Covid-19 pandemic. The apology tendered by President Wickremesinghe on behalf of the government is good. But President Wickremesinghe himself had no part in those actions. The apology however, adds to his stature. 

What arrogance to openly claim the Rajapaksa’s will not bow to pressure. It’s beginning to see the Rajapaksas’ believe they are greater than this country itself.