Cricket is my second religion, says Sri Lankan fan Sunil Govinna

By Bipin Dani

Both Sri Lanka and England had one supporter each close to the Galle International Stadium where the second and final Test of the series commenced on Friday.

Rob Lewis, the sole member of the Barmy Army who chose to stay back in Sri Lanka for ten months in anticipation of England returning to tour Sri Lanka, was present during the first Test as well.

Sunil Govinna, a supporter of the Sri Lanka team with his coloured face and wig, had a flag in his hand and was waving it at every boundary hit by the home team’s batsmen.

“We approached the police and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and got special permission to stand here. We are denied entry inside the ground,” Govinna said.

As usual Govinna had his face painted in blue and yellow, with a matching wig

“Blue and yellow are the colors of the SLC and therefore I have preferred this”.

“I am a great fan of Lasith Malinga and therefore I’m trying to resemble him. Alas, he is not playing cricket. My hero in the present team is Angelo Mathews. I am also a fan of Sri Lanka’s regular captain Dimuth Karunaratne”.

“Cricket is my second religion. I have not missed a single match played in this country,” Govinna, who runs a few businesses, said.

“Whenever I am on my ‘cricket duty’, my wife (Kanthi) looks after our businesses”. He is also a father of two.

Both fans hope to be there through the duration of the second Test.