Last Update on: July 12th, 2022 at 02:30 pm
Australia Test captain Pat Cummins on Monday opened up on the mass protests outside the Galle International Stadium to show solidarity toward the protestors in Colombo. Thousands of protestors stormed into Sri Lanka president Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s official residence last week.
The protests occurred at the same time when Sri Lanka and Australia were engaged in the second Test in Galle. Australia eventually lost the second Test by an innings and 39 runs after debutant Prabath Jayasuriya starred with the ball in both innings taking 12 wickets with six in each one.
You couldn’t escape the protests: Pat Cummins
Australia became the first touring side to play in the island nation since the citizens face the wrath of the worst economic crisis after their independence in 1948. Cummins observed the endurance of the citizens and shared their struggles to meet basic needs.
“The protests yesterday, you couldn’t escape it. We’ve got lots of messages from back home saying, ‘how’s it? Hope you’re okay.’ We’ve felt totally fine,” Cummins said in a video posted by Cricket Australia.
“They’re (Sri Lankans) doing it really tough. They’re having one day eating, one day off eating to try and feed their kids. It’s really tough,” he added.
Pat Cummins speaks about the mass protest that swarmed the Galle ground during the second Test and how the impact of the tour has not been lost on the touring side #SLvAUS pic.twitter.com/M6BrlCdpwr
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) July 12, 2022
Dinesh Chandimal scored his maiden double-ton in the Test cricket
After winning the series opener by 10 wickets in just three days, Australia wanted to obtrude its supremacy in the subcontinent following their 1-0 victory in Pakistan in March. Centuries from Steve Smith (145*) and Marnus Labuschagne (104) propelled the visitors to 364 in the first innings.
It took an immense assault by veteran Dinesh Chandimal (206*) to take Sri Lanka to 554 with a lead of 190 in the first innings. Chandimal’s double-hundred came after Karunaratne (89), Kusal Mendis (85) and Angelo Mathews (52) set the tone for the hosts with gritty fifties.
Australia will have more than a month-long break from cricket before they host Zimbabwe for three ODI matches in late August. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka will host Pakistan for two Tests with the first match beginning on July 16.