A sparkling little island in the vast Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka has been a paradise for decades to those who have been accustomed to travel to these shores in search of sandy beaches and various cultural attractions. Although Sri Lankans are seldom recognized with regard to their sporting talents on the global stage, cricket is one sport that the locals have properly understood and mastered over the years.
Although soccer and rugby too exist on a national level, these sports have not been able to take off in the international arena as well as cricket. While the game was first introduced to the country by the British, the sport was quickly embraced by the upper-class members of the local society, as it was known as 'The Gentleman's Game'.
Sport
Slowly but surely, the sport found its way into the lives of village folk after the country received its independence. As the local school level cricket standard is considered to be of high quality, cultured cricketers with great talent and polished skills were being produced on a regular basis. After Sri Lanka was finally granted test status in 1981, the very first international test match to be played on home soil was scheduled to take place at Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu Stadium, which is located in Colombo.
This proved to be a much-anticipated affair and a great honour for the entire country. After 14 years of hard work and being considered the underdogs despite countless international victories, the Sri Lankan Cricket Team finally managed to silence all its critics after winning the coveted Wills Cricket World Cup in 1996.
Since then, the local governing body for cricket has not looked back and continues to produce world class batsmen and bowlers who have shaken the cricketing world more than once with countless eye-catching performances which have earned the Sri Lankan Cricket Team quite a reputation worldwide for their fighting spirit and tenacity on the field. Fans of cricket in Sri Lanka will find that the passion for this beautiful sport amongst the locals is something of a lifestyle.
Cricket In Sri Lanka - A Sports Activity, Devoted Interest, A Means Of Lifestyle!
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