Cricket is a welcome distraction for Sri Lankans in crisis

06.07.2022 - 08:13 timesofindia.indiatimes.com

The cricket-crazed South Asian island nation is facing its worst economic crisis in recent memory, enduring acute shortages of food, fuel and medicine.

The government has shut schools and universities and has limited fuel supplies. "Yes there is a problem in the country, people have become poor and helpless with all kinds of problems.

We have been living a monotonous life and sometimes spent five, six seven days in fuel lines," said Ujith Nilantha, who watched the first test between Sri Lanka and Australia with his 10-year-old son last week in the southern city of Galle. "There is no happiness for children, and we can't provide what the child needs.

When we watch this (cricket) it brings a mental healing," added Nilantha, whose livelihood in the tourism sector has been disrupted after arrivals fell with the energy crisis.

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