SL vs AUS: Sri Lankan crowd cheers for Australia for touring the country amid crisis

Another leg of the Australian tour of Sri Lanka came to an end on Friday (June 24) with the conclusion of the five-match ODI series. The hosts scripted history by winning the series by 3-2 and carried a huge amount of confidence for the games that are scheduled further. But even after losing, what amazed the visiting side was the amount of support that they received from the Sri Lankan crowd.

The host country is going through a rough phase and the locals are stuck in a crisis-like situation. Lack of fuel, electricity and basic amenities have made the situation worse. Amidst the political, economic, and financial issues in the country, Australia’s cricketing board agreed to carry on with the scheduled series and not hinder the game.

It provided a major boost not just for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), but also to the Sri Lankan players and the general public, who were looking to get out of the mindset and indulge in something else. The matches helped them divert their attention from their daily hustle. At the end of the fifth ODI, the crowd at Colombo chanted Australia’s name and cheered for them, to thank the visitors for touring their nation.

It is extremely special and it’s a credit to everyone that’s been able to get out here: Maxwell

People held banners that read, “Thank You, Australia” and there were a few locals, in the crowd, wearing the Australian jersey. The stadium’s digital board had messages saying, “Thank you” and “Mates for life” alongside the Australian flag and the crowd was dressed in Yellow to show their gratitude. Glenn Maxwell was amazed and mesmerized after seeing the love and support that the team received from the Sri Lankan crowd.

“That was pretty extraordinary. And I was just saying to the boys that it was one of the most special feelings, being able to walk around the ground and have a foreign country all cheer for you. A lot of times when Australia tours we are generally the enemy and there are not many Australian fans in the stands, but to have the support and fans that are here at the moment is truly extraordinary.”

“Everyone’s wearing yellow. They’ve got all the Australian flags all over the place. It is extremely special and it’s a credit to everyone that’s been able to get out here. It’s been such a tough time obviously for the locals and for them to come out and support us and hopefully, both teams can entertain them and they’ve had a really good time during the one-day series,” he said.