News > ‘It works like a balm’: How cricket unifies Sri Lanka in times of crisis
‘It works like a balm’: How cricket unifies Sri Lanka in times of crisis
24/09/2023 11:24 AM | Click to read full article
Sri Lanka had just been dismissed for 50 runs in 15 overs. They would go on to lose by 10 wickets. The crowd – roughly 80 per cent of whom were Sri Lankan – were resigned to their team’s fate and decided to dance their way into the evening. Ruchira Mahadev, a Sri Lankan fan, smiled widely as he began talking about his team. “Cricket is the one thing that makes us smile,” Mahadev said, explaining how the game provided relief for a country emerging from its worst economic crisis.