SL players back to routine

The Sri Lankan cricketers, who had a miraculous escape from the terrorists’ bullets a little over three weeks ago in Lahore, are back doing what the do best: playing cricket, reports G Krishnan.

The Sri Lankan cricketers, who had a miraculous escape from the terrorists’ bullets a little over three weeks ago in Lahore, are back doing what the do best: playing cricket. There is no rancour, no fear or anxiety and the smiles of being part of the action are back.

HT Image

The Lankan national players are involved in their domestic inter-provincial Twenty20 tournament that began in Colombo on Wednesday.

Thilan Samaraweera, the last of the injured to be discharged from hospital last Thursday, was at the Sinhalese Sports Ground (SSC) watching the action while the others including Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, ace off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and youngster Ajantha Mendis went through their paces.

“You cannot keep these things (attacks) in the head,” said Nuwan Zoysa, Sri Lanka’s former left-arm medium-pacer, who was photographed sitting next to Samaraweera at the SSC, told HT from Colombo.

“Most of the players who returned from Lahore played today (Wednesday). They don’t give a damn to what has happened.”