Cricket team has taught country a good lesson: President

President Ranil Wickremesinghe and other officials with the Sri Lanka cricket team that won the Asia Cup

President Ranil Wickremesinghe and other officials with the Sri Lanka netball team that won the Asian Netball Championship 

• Cricket, netball, Commonwealth Games medallists felicitated

President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the cricket team has taught the country a good lesson through the way they won the Asia Cup in the UAE.

Speaking at a ceremony to felicitate the Sri Lanka cricket team, the Sri Lanka netball team and the Commonwealth Games medals winning athletes at the Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts in Colombo on Saturday, President Wickremesinghe said: “They (Sri Lanka cricket team) did not get discouraged even after losing to Afghanistan. They kept their faith and fought on and achieved victory. This is a good lesson for all of us. Dasun (Shanaka) and his team have shown us that we can rise up against all odds.”

“Today we are worse off than Afghanistan, but if we rise up against all odds, like Dasun and his team, I am certain we can reach victory too. Some people think that Sri Lanka is doomed and there is no way out. But like Dasun I am confident that we can come out of this crisis. We can not only become the best in Asia, but we can become the best in the world.” President Wickremesinghe also said that these teams have also shown the country that one must not only expect to get from the country, but each one must also commit to giving back to the country.

“I thank all these sportsmen whether it is cricket, netball or athletics, for the way they performed at the Asian cricket tournament, the Asian netball tournament and at the Commonwealth Games. They brought pride to us. More than that they returned to the country what they owe to the country. These were people who got the best of the country, the education like all of us and they did not run away.

“They did not lose hope. Each went and played the game. Each went and took part in the events and they came back with honours. So, we have to remember in a time of crisis that it is not for us to think what it is that we can get out of our country but what it is that we can give back to our country,” the President said, adding that it is what the whole country has to learn.

In accordance with a request made by Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe, each member of the victorious netball team received a reward of Rs. 2 million which was gifted by Sri Lanka Cricket as a goodwill gesture of sporting comradeship.  In addition, the Commonwealth Games Silver medallists received Rs. 10 million each and the Bronze medallists Rs. 5 million each.

The coaches of the winning athletes were also felicitated during this event and they were accorded 25% of the cash rewards presented to the athletes. These rewards were made available from the Sports Fund.

Sri Lanka won four medals at the 22nd Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham. Palitha Bandara won the Silver medal in the discus throw in the para sports category, and Yupun Abeykoon (men’s 100 m), Nethmi Ahimsa Poruthota (women’s 57 kg wrestling) and Dilanka Isuru Kumara (55 kg weightlifting) won Bronze medals.

The awards ceremony was organised by the Ministry of Sports and Sports Associations, with the official sponsorship of Dialog Axiata and hosted by Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts.

Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe, Sports Director General Amal Edirisinghe, Sri Lanka Cricket President Shammi Silva, Netball Federation of Sri Lanka President Victoria Lakshmi, Dialog Axiata Director/Group CEO Supun Weerasinghe and others were present at the occasion.