Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Highlights: Away from crises at home, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan kick off Asia Cup 2022

“We must deliver to our countrymen.”

The words of Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka rang loud and clear ahead of Asia Cup 2022. The island nation was supposed to host the tournament but the sport hasn’t been the vortex of late for the country facing the worst economic crisis in its history. Cricket though has continued concurrently in the heat of it all.

When thousands took to the streets for protests condemning former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for mismanagement of the country’s finances, a few hundreds climbed the walls of the Galle Fort, just a few metres away from a Test match featuring players who wore their crest. The players, as Australia captain Steve Smith would later agree, could hear them ‘but it didn’t get to anyone or play a part in what was happening out here’. And so, the cricket continued. A month and a half later, just as Shanaka was addressing the media in Dubai ahead of the tournament, a delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is on their visit to Sri Lanka to continue discussions with the authorities on economic and financial reforms and policies. But cricket will continue. Almost as if it has to.