Sri Lanka Vs India 1st ODI: Sri Lankan Fans Express Displeasure After Dambulla Defeat

Following Sri Lanka’s consistent dismal performances over the last one year or so, the Sri Lankan fans finally lost their patience as they made their displeasure clear after Upul Tharanga and Co. were thrashed by 9 wickets in the first ODI by India in Dambulla. The frustrated fans turned hostile and resorted to shouting slogans outside the Sri Lankan team bus after the match.

As per report, several 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 fans not in mood to bring an end to their protests, the matter was finally brought into control after the riot police jumped into action and cleared the agitated fans as the under-pressure players boarded the bus and headed towards the team hotel.

Well, the fans were surely wrong to express their displeasure in that manner but the Sri Lankan team is doing little to convince them that they can improve in the coming days. After suffering heavy defeats in all the three Tests, they were once again outplayed by Virat Kohli & Co.

After being asked to bat first, the hosts were looking to put up a good total after racing away to 129 for 1 in the 25th over but a middle-order collapse saw them losing their last 9 wickets for just 77 runs as they were all out for a paltry 216 inside 44 overs. In reply, India, led by Shikhar Dhawan‘s unbeaten 132 and Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 82, chased down the total inside 29 overs to go one up in the five-match series.

“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.