brand logo

Concerns no more, Australia excited to play in SL

06 Jun 2022

  • Concerns on country’s volatile situ no longer exist
  • Tickets for first two T20Is sold out just in hours
  • Australia’s present concern only on violence
  • SLC to hire generators, fuel from Electricity Board for night games
  • Cricket is main source of satisfaction
By Revatha S. Silva In spite of having concerns over their visit here in Sri Lanka earlier, the Australian cricket team is “happy” and “ready to play” their three-format cricket series starting tomorrow (7) in Colombo. A highly-placed Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) official revealed to The Morning Sports yesterday (5) that the Australian team is “very happy to start their cricket”. Concerns were there earlier There were some concerns before the Australian team’s departure last week from their country on the current economic, social, and political situation in Sri Lanka. “That was before they left Australia. They were worried about violence. Then the Australian High Commission had given them the okay. Now they are ready to play,” said the SLC ex-co official. Tickets sold out  “They are not much concerned about the protests. Protests can be anywhere and in any country. We should remember that Australia had toured many other countries in this region when there had been great security threats,” he added. “The ongoing protests in Sri Lanka are not, by any means, affect cricket. If people are not happy to have cricket in our country this moment of time, then how come the match tickets were sold out within just hours,” he asked. Tickets for the first two matches of the three-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series were sold out within just a couple of hours at the SLC headquarters in Colombo on Saturday (4). The two games are to be played at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo tomorrow (7) and day after (8). Worst economic crisis As Australian Cricketers’ Association Chief Executive Todd Greenberg had told media last month, Australia’s squad had raised “ethical concerns” about their tour of Sri Lanka. “It’s fair to say there is a level of discomfort around touring in conditions that contrast those faced by the people of Sri Lanka, such as rising food prices, power cuts, and fuel rationing,” BBC reported on 25 May quoting Greenberg. Sri Lanka is reeling under its worst economic crisis since independence in 1948, with a severe shortage of foreign exchange curtailing imports, including essentials such as fuel, liquid petroleum gas, and medicines. Over month-long series “All night matches will be played with power through generators. SLC will be hiring those generators as well as fuel from Sri Lanka Electricity Board. We don’t use electricity from the national grid,” explained the official further. “Not that people dislike cricket at the moment. On the contrary, cricket will be the greatest source of satisfaction for our people who are going through an unfortunate period of time now,” he added. Australia will play three T20Is, five One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and two Test matches during 7 June to 12 July in Colombo, Kandy, and Galle. Meanwhile Australia “A” will be playing two each of one-day and four-day matches during 8 and 24 June in Colombo and Hambantota.


More News..