With Sri Lanka suffering yet another humiliating defeat in the first ODI against India in Dambulla, the Sri Lankan fans finally lost their patience and made their frustrations clear. As a section of fans reportedly turned hostile and resorted to shouting slogans outside the Sri Lankan team bus after Team India inflicted a nine-wicket defeat on the Islanders.
As per a report in Cricbuzz, close to 50 fans gathered near the bus just when the players were about to board and began shouting:
“We want our cricket back.” “Bring back brand of cricket we played in 1996.”
With the matters getting out of hands, the riot police jumped into action, clearing that agitated fans as the under pressure players boarded the bus and headed towards the team hotel.
The ongoing year has been nothing less than a nightmare for Sri Lankan cricket. After failing to win the series at home against Bangladesh, a group-stage exit in the Champions Trophy and a shocking defeat to Zimbabwe in the ODI series at home, the Island nation was whitewashed 3-0 in the Test series against India.
Before the start of the ODI series, captain Upul Tharanga had called on the fans to rally behind the team, but the performance from the side has only angered the fans more. After a middle-order collapse restricted them to 216, India chased down the total inside 29 overs by losing just a solitary wicket.
“It swings between hurt and embarrassment,” Sri Lanka’s Interim Coach Nic Pothas told journalists as the fans kept shouting from outside. “Emotionally you get angry. You get frustrated. You can’t fault anyone within that changing room. Yes, we didn’t play our best cricket today. That’s pretty obvious. You do get angry. To say “too many cooks” is probably accurate.
“We were 139 for one. Then we were 77 for 9. To lose nine wickets in 19 overs is in anyone’s language unacceptable. We’ve got to take that on the chin as staff, as players, and that’s the reality of sport,” Pothas added.