Glenn Maxwell, the Australian all-rounder admitted being amazed by the support the tourists Australia have enjoyed so far in Sri Lanka, as the ODI series between the two sides came to a conclusion with Colombo ODI. Australia has had plenty of fan support during the ongoing tour of Sri Lanka so far.
It isn’t a common sight to see the Australian cricket team getting the support of local fans in Asia. As the ODI series between Australia and Sri Lanka came to a conclusion on Friday, Glenn Maxwell was quite amazed to see Aussie flags and thank you signs for the tourists.
Glenn Maxwell Felt Special To See A Foreign Country Cheer For Australia
Australia reached Sri Lanka for the bilateral series when the islanders were reeling under the effects of an unprecedented economic turmoil. Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka didn’t just help the Lankans generate some revenue but also uplift the mood of the entire country through sports.
Sri Lankan cricket fans on Friday (June 24) thanked the visiting Australian side for travelling to the island nation to take part in an all-format series against the hosts. Sri Lanka is going through a huge economic crisis at the moment, but the contest between the two top teams has managed to bring about some smiles on the faces of the people of the cricket-crazy nation.
After losing the three-match T20I series against the defending world T20I champions (2021 T20I World Cup), Sri Lanka bounced back in style and won the five-match ODI series by a margin of 3-2.
“That was pretty extraordinary. I was just saying to the boys that were one of the most special feelings. Being able to walk around the ground and have a foreign country cheer for you,” Glenn Maxwell said in a video shared by cricket.com.au after the match.
Reflecting on the scenes from the R Premadasa Stadium, where the crowd couldn’t stop cheering for the Aussies, Glenn Maxwell called the entire atmosphere quite ‘extraordinary’.
Australia defeated Sri Lanka by 4 wickets in the fifth and final inconsequential ODI between the sides at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The win helped the guests end the already lost series 2-3.
It was Australian bowlers who shone on the day to bowl out Sri Lanka for a paltry sum of 160. Chamika Karunaratne hit his maiden half-century and his run-a-ball 75 was the only saving grace for the hosts as the rest of the batters failed to get going. During the chase, the Aussies were struggling at 50/3 but Alex Carey’s unbeaten 45 helped them reach home comfortably.
Glenn Maxwell Felt Unlike Australia Tours Where They Are Considered Enemies, They Received Extraordinary Support In Sri Lanka
Glenn Maxwell pointed out how Australian teams are usually seen as ‘enemies’ but the scenes in Sri Lanka have been quite different.
“A lot of times when Australia tours we are generally the enemy and there are not too many Australian fans in the stands. But to have the support and fans that are here at the moment is truly extraordinary,” said Glenn Maxwell.
“Everyone’s wearing yellow. They’ve got all the Australian flags all over the place. It’s 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. For them to come out and support us, hopefully, both teams can entertain them and they’ve had a really good time during the one-day series,” said Glenn Maxwell.
After the completion of the limited-overs contests, the focus will now shift to a 2-match Test series between Sri Lanka and Australia. Glenn Maxwell has been added to Australia’s Test squad ahead of the opening match against Sri Lanka in Galle after Travis Head joined a lengthy injury list with a hamstring strain which has ruled him out of the final ODI.
It means the prospect of Glenn Maxwell playing his first Test since 2017, against Bangladesh in Chattogram, and his first first-class match since 2019 if he is included for the game next Wednesday. All seven of his Tests have come on the subcontinent with a top score of 104 against India in Ranchi.