England cricket fan forced to leave the Galle stadium despite waiting 10 months in Sri Lanka to watch the first Test

The game of cricket is no less than religion for many cricket enthusiasts and they can go to any lengths to watch their favorite cricketers play. A similar kind of incident happened during the Day 1 of the first Test match between England and Sri Lanka at Galle International Stadium.

The England cricket team was scheduled to play against Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series in March 2020. However, England had to return back home without playing a single game due to a sudden outbreak of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in the island nation.

Sri Lanka Cricket and England and Wales Cricket Board finally decided to host the impending tour but behind closed doors in a bio-secure bubble to ensure the safety of the players. This bio-bubble jeopardized the planning of an ardent England cricket team fan Rob Lewis who waited for as many as ten months in Sri Lanka to watch the marquee series.

I waited 10 months to watch this match and the police have kicked me out: Rob Lewis

Rob had traveled to Sri Lanka in March 2020 but decided to stay in the subcontinent only till the England cricket team could return to Sri Lanka to resume the tour after it was postponed due to the covid-19 pandemic. However, despite a long wait, he couldn’t fulfill his desire of watching the two teams play as the police kicked him out before the match began due to bio-bubble.

Though no spectators were allowed in the stadium Rob got special permission to visit the Galle Fort and put the banners there before the match commenced. However, the cricket fan is positive that he will get to witness the match live ahead in the two-match series.

“I am very frustrated. I waited 10 months to watch this match and the police have kicked me out. At least I managed to sing ‘Jerusalem’. I am going to see the police (chief). All I want to do is watch the match. They gave me half-an-hour to put up three banners and go. That’s all. There will be another nine days of play and I hope I will be able to get permission to go up there again,” Rob Lewis said as quoted by WION.