Fri, 22 Sep 2023 Today's Paper

Probe Sri Lankan team’s defeat at Asia Cup final: SJB MP

18 September 2023 01:10 pm - 37     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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In response to a question raised by journalists at a media conference, whether politics was involved in Sri Lanka’s defeat in the Asia Cup Final on Sunday, an MP from the main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) said an investigation has to be conducted to determine the reasons for it.

SJB National Organizer and Member of Parliament Tissa Attanayake came out with this remark whether Sri Lanka’s defeat on Sunday was a birthday gift for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose birthday fell on Sunday, September 17, 2023.

“Everyone expected a keenly fought encounter on Sunday but it was not so, as the match ended within few hours. I don’t want to describe the defeat as it will affect the morale of our players. However, an investigation has to be conducted to determine whether there has been any politics involved in the defeat.

“We are deeply disappointed and saddened with the defeat Sri Lanka has suffered,” he added.

Asked whether the Sports Ministry should be entrusted with the task of carrying out an investigation, the MP said the Ministry is hampered with scams. 

“The Sports Ministry officials were summoned before the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) recently after the auditor general had revealed several scams. It has been revealed that no stadium has been found in Kilinochchi though the annual performance report of the Sports Ministry had revealed that it has spent millions for a new stadium in the North, while the Ministry has not been able to produce a proper balance sheet to reveal its assets and liabilities. Can the Sports Ministry conduct a probe on the Asia Cup defeat under such circumstances?” he questioned. (Yohan Perera)


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  Comments - 37

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  • Over priced, over hyped!! Monday, 18 September 2023 01:32 PM

    So, how much did people pay to watch 20 overs?

    Karalasingam Sivalingam Monday, 18 September 2023 01:43 PM

    Sri Lankan nation has lost confidence in the cricket team, some went to the vine shop to buy a liquor bottle, when they returned home with the liquor, the match was over ,with a disgraceful defeat for Sri Lanka,some commented that a school boy cricket team would have done better.

    mohan mendis Monday, 18 September 2023 01:46 PM

    Asia Cup Won By Indian Bookies, preventing a most deserving final btw India

    Amaran Monday, 18 September 2023 02:04 PM

    Why can't SLC give chance to Jaffna boys?

    A Frustrated Cricket Fan Monday, 18 September 2023 02:05 PM

    There is no need to spend time and money to determine the reason for poor prformance by our cricketers. The only reason is SLC. It increased the number of First Division Teams to 26 to get votes during SLC Elections when India with a population of 1400.0 million has only 38. Australia with a population of 25.0 million with hundreds of Schools playing high level cricket has only 6 First Division Teams. Therefore the standard of Fisr Class Tournament in SL is extremely poor.

    Ara Tuesday, 19 September 2023 09:28 AM

    Spot on

    Boris Vanculenberg Monday, 18 September 2023 02:18 PM

    A perfect time to close stables after the horses have bolted. Stop conducting useless postmortem, fire the unproductive passengers

    Maru Sira Monday, 18 September 2023 02:28 PM

    As Sandaguru the thought leader explains very nicely, there are way side tea kiosk (boutique) owners who knows to talk about everything else other than making a good cup of tea! SJB is somewhat similar.

    Riya Monday, 18 September 2023 02:31 PM

    Also probe why no tamil and muslim players included in the team...?

    joshua Monday, 18 September 2023 02:47 PM

    Has SJB off their tripods? Just trying to get a political mileage from an embarrassment. Bunch of JOkers in that mad house.

    Mark Anandappa Monday, 18 September 2023 02:49 PM

    This is crazy. Simply the team played so poorly . Do not try to find unwanted excuses for such a poor batting display.

    Ram Monday, 18 September 2023 02:55 PM

    I have not seen this poor batting performance by our past cricketers. Can that be match fixing? We already have one in remand.

    Ah Monday, 18 September 2023 02:56 PM

    It was miserable alright but our guys wouldn't have had any under hand dealings. Unlike you, who forged signatures of then President and PM. Dont know what happened to forgery case. Team got sucked, spectators got sucked and even Paks who may have wanted us to win also got sucked. Has the govt to be blamed for this too?

    Cheers Monday, 18 September 2023 02:59 PM

    Have you and leader probed why SJB has lost all elections so far

    Voter Monday, 18 September 2023 03:07 PM

    According to postmortem I conducted that Sri Lanka failed miserably in both batting and bowling depts like Sajith giving leadership to SJB….

    VJ Monday, 18 September 2023 03:37 PM

    My neighbor called after the game and said “vikka neidha” ? Sri Lanka’s win against Pakistan was by just one run, lost an earlier game against India. They won 13 matches continuously, but take into account the opponents they played. Is making a deal the only way to beat Sri Lanka? Team India played well to win the championship. We need to correct our mistakes and move forward, the WC is only weeks away.

    Fernando Monday, 18 September 2023 03:39 PM

    Why not investigate the Curator who made a non-playable wicket in the first place. Even if the toss had been won by the Indian team, they would have asked our team to bat first. That was the plan. Usually our team is not this bad. This is highly questionable.

    SLC to blame recently they gave 5 million to well off cricket supporter Monday, 18 September 2023 04:15 PM

    SLC is to blame about this. As long as they are running Sri Lankan cricket, worse and worse will come out. Only this week SLC gave 5 million to a well of cricket supporter. One look at the inside of the cricket supporter and obvious he would've managed life fine without the 5 million. The money should be spent to improve upcoming cricketers, not wasted on 70 year olds.

    Roy Monday, 18 September 2023 04:56 PM

    Don't blame anyone because "cricket by fluke and football by chance" but no harm losing but this is a disgraceful defeat. High to time to kick the Selection committee on the back and chase rascal away before the on coming World cup

    Fred Monday, 18 September 2023 05:43 PM

    No need for probe ask past greats who must have watched the match.Saw Aravinda fleetingly on TV but surprisingly not Sanga Sanath Murali, Mahela Arjuna maybe they were there.It was India all the way on and off the field almost as if SL did not exist a completely one sided affairs

    cricketer Monday, 18 September 2023 06:05 PM

    What is there to be probed? It is not a game of politics in Sri Lanka parliament but a game of cricket in the middle of a cricket ground in front of thousands of spectators where India outplayed Sri Lanka from start to finish. The Indian bowlers swung the ball so viciously that the Sri Lanka batsmen had no answer and Sri Lanka batsmen had no answer and were bowled out for a paltry 50 runs in 15.2 overs. The indian batsmen found it so easy that they wiped out the runs in just 6.1 overs. The whole game lasted only a record 21.3 overs for a total of only 101 runs.

    Andiris Appu Monday, 18 September 2023 06:26 PM

    The SJB MPs are talking BS as they have never played the game. When Ranil returns he might want to appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee.

    Sambo Monday, 18 September 2023 07:13 PM

    There is no moral in the team or the management. They should be kicked out lock stock and barrel. Were Indian book makers there during the match.

    N V Jen Monday, 18 September 2023 07:28 PM

    At this rate there will be more inquiry commissions in Sri Lanka than the number of ministries.

    Neo Monday, 18 September 2023 09:40 PM

    These fools will probe an international inquiry for use.

    Tissa Fernando Monday, 18 September 2023 11:16 PM

    There is no doubt about a prior arrangement.

    Cholmondeley Pinto Tuesday, 19 September 2023 03:34 AM

    Next SJB will want an INTERNATIONAL investigation to the loss as they do not trust any Srilankan. Call it a conspiracy.

    A CRICKET LOVER Tuesday, 19 September 2023 05:55 AM

    Everyone knows what is the reason for this cricket debacle. The answer is SLC. It brought down the standard of First Class Cricket in Sri Lanka by increasing the number of First Division Teams to 26. In reality, SL should not have more than 8 First Division Teams but increased the number of teams to get votes during elections. SLC wastes money saying it earned money from TV rights and ICC grants and it is not a Government body so it can spend its money in the way it likes. For example, sending over 40 Executives and their families/girlfriends, etc. supposedly watch cricket tournaments but in reality for shopping trips to other countries by Business Class Tickets and staying in 5-star Hotels Unless these corrupt and clueless SLC Executives are thrown out SL Cricket will go down the hill. NO POINT IN BLAMING CRICKETERS.

    50 all out Tuesday, 19 September 2023 06:49 AM

    Nothing to probe, nobody can fix things that way. Probe political religious paradise.

    Kilinochchi stadium for the wise Tuesday, 19 September 2023 07:56 AM

    Wait a minute! What is this talk about a stadium in Kilinohchi and money spent to build it? Is it like the king's dress, that can be seen only by the wise people? So, only wise people play in the Kilinochchi stadium? Is Attanayake pulling our legs?

    MWAI Fernando Tuesday, 19 September 2023 08:02 AM

    The meaning of a TEAM is to work together and to understand each other well. That´s the TEAM SPIRIT. But if somebody from above says " play well but see that the other team wins" then what happens to the Team Spirit ? and to the moral of the game. See what has happened to the Health sector. Ones we were the best in South Asia now we are worse than even India. Education System is also going down the same way. Its happening to our Agriculture and Fishing Industry too. It could happen to our Sports too..... The target is 2048 and by that time our living standards will be much lower than the other South Asian Countries. Then its easy to make us to depend on everything to the Big Brother. This could be even an International conspiracy. Who knows. Its not too late, put everything together and think !! And act wisely !!

    A Disappointed Cricket Fan Tuesday, 19 September 2023 10:27 AM

    SLC must accept full responsibility for the poor performance of the SL Cricket team. SLC increased the number of First Division Teams to 26 to get votes during Elections making First Class Competition in SL useless. All other countries have far less number of First Division Teams compared to their population. SLC MUST be dissolved and fresh Elections must be held under a new Consitution. CORRUPT AND INEPT SLC EXECUTIVES MUST BE REMOVED.

    Analyse Tuesday, 19 September 2023 11:28 AM

    Before commenting people should analyse the following. In the first game against Bangladesh did SL win or Bangladesh lose? Both teams played well but ultimately SL won. In the finals SL lost and India didn't win. Frankly no challange was posted by SL for india to compete and win. To put it differently at the end of SL innings even before india batter everyone knew what the results would be. So India cannot take credit for winning. Similarly SL cannot take credit for winning many recent games as most were lost by the opposition and not won by SL.

    Dam Tuesday, 19 September 2023 12:42 PM

    There is nothing to probe. Our team simply couldn't face the Indian pace attack (140 kmph) on a overcast conditions. Didn't have plan to survive the first 10 overs.

    Third Man Tuesday, 19 September 2023 01:59 PM

    Do NOT Blame Cricketers. It is SLC that destroyed the standard of First Class Cricket by increasing the number of First Division Teams from 8 to 26. It spends the money on useless activities such as sending executives and their girlfriends on shopping sprees in foreign countries while not improving facilities for cricketers such as having a World-Class Cricket Academy and building large Cricket Grounds with fast wickets.

    navratne willamune Tuesday, 19 September 2023 03:41 PM

    whats got politics to do with it,easy to scapegoat politicians.the SL cricket board .have to answer

    rohani de silva Wednesday, 20 September 2023 10:36 AM

    Every Sri Lankan event has to be probed. Wither teledrama, singing contests, literary events, sports events etc., etc., Those deserving are always set aside and only those who carry tales and 'pandang' receive the trophies and gifts. What a world.


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