From the depths of despair King Cricket rises again

Whenever the Lankans have been at a seemingly bottomless pit of despair, it has been cricket that has helped the nation, irrespective of race, ethnicity or religion raise its collective head.

Not so long ago - in 1996 - when the country was being wracked by the horrors of a terrorist war and Lankan spirits were drooping, Sri Lanka defeated Australia by seven wickets in the final to win their first ever World Cup. 

Explosions of canon fire and AK-47s - the sounds of war, gave way to explosions of crackers and fireworks as the island irrespective of caste and creed, cheered its gallant band of eleven star cricketers who raised the World Cup aloft in Pakistan that day. Sri Lanka was on the top of the world. For a brief moment the war was forgotten and the nation was one.

But, with the winning of the World Cup, big money and corruption made its way into local world of cricket. Soon winning of administrative positions appeared to become more important than the game itself. 

‘Warnings that crooked administrators would bring about the ruin of cricket in the country were ignored. New cricket clubs began springing up and added to the premier tournament to ensure particular individuals clung onto lucrative positions. Very little was done to groom new talent or to blood the team. A few cricketers themselves rushed to seek political patronage to ensure their positions in the team and/or cancel tours which would have clashed with the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament. 

And so it was ‘King Cricket’ in Sri Lanka soon bit the dust by 2017. The ODI team was defeated by cricketing minnows Zimbabwe. The streak which began with losses in a bilateral series at home against Zimbabwe continued with the arrival of India. India thrashed the Lankans 5-0. This was followed by five-match loss in UAE to Pakistan. 
Twelve consecutive defeats...Almost all teams have at some time or the other faced these barren patches, but it appeared losing had become a habit with our team.

The lows of the team was matched by embarrassment off it. Last year, three leading cricketers, Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunathilaka, were suspended from international cricket for a year after they breached a bio-bubble while on tour in England.

 Indiscipline among players is not the sole monopoly of us Lankans. Leading Australian players too have been guilty of indiscipline. Cricket Australia, despite coming down hard on guilty players, supported them through player management programmes. 

Resultantly the late Shane Warne, late Andrew Symonds and past Australian captain Steve Waugh were among those who went on to distinguish themselves. In the case of Waugh, he went on even  to captain the Australian team to a World Cup title in 1999.

It is understood that Sri Lanka cricket authorities put three suspended players through counselling programmes and all are back featuring in international cricket. 

Today, the team seems to have come good. Last year’s T20 World Cup in the UAE proved to be a turning point, when our inexperienced team, though not making it to the knockout stages, went on to beat then defending champions West Indies and put up good performances against England and Australia – the latter went on to win their first T20 World Cup title. 

The three suspended players are now back in the team, given an early release from their suspensions, and are doing well. Mendis played a leading role helping centurion Pathum Nissanka chase down a record score at the R. Premadasa Stadium. His performances during the current series has been an eye opener and he has the confidence of Captain Dasun Shanaka. 

At this moment when all countrymen and women are caught up in a vortex of woe brought on by our rulers, at a time when salaries are insufficient to keep body and soul together, the performance of our team - a victory over the mighty Aussies – picked everyone’s spirits up. The victory has given the people the will to fight on and cheers at the stadium were interspersed with joyous calls of “Gota Go Home” which vibrated around the grounds.

There is no doubt King Cricket still rules Lanka. It can be witnessed in the sellout crowds seen at the three T20Is and four ODIs against the touring Aussies. 

And with a renewed fighting spirit, pushing a perennial powerhouse of the game to the limit, it also appears we are on the threshold of Sri Lanka cricket rising majestically from the ashes – even if we have to count losses on the way to reaching that peak.