Sri Lankan cricketer Chamika Karunaratne holds up in a long line at the fuel station to fill up his car after two days. A youthful international cricketer who made his international debut in 2019 is currently agitated about the recent crisis in the country. In an interview with ANI, he called India a brother country and said thanks to the country for its help during the emergency time.

“India is like a brother country & they are helping us a lot. I thank them so much. We have problems. They are supporting us when we are struggling. Thank you so much for that. Thank you for everything. We will get better and better,”

Karunaratne told ANI. 

#WATCH | Sri Lankan cricketer Chamika Karunaratne speaks to ANI; says, "We've to go for practices in Colombo&to different other places as club cricket season is on but I've been standing in queue for fuel for past 2 days. I got it filled for Rs 10,000 which will last 2-3 days…" pic.twitter.com/MkLyPQSNbZ

— ANI (@ANI) July 16, 2022

Sri Lanka is going to host the Asia Cup 2022 in August this year. But the whole country is facing an economic crisis along with an acute shortage of fuel since independence. Even the troubled cricketer does not know what will happen—

“Luckily I got it after being in a long fuel queue for two days, Due to the huge fuel crisis, I am not able to even go to my cricket practices, I am coming on such a day because two important series and Lanka Premier League (LPL) matches have been announced,”

He told ANI

Chamika is certain about the readiness of himself and the Sri Lankan team for the upcoming Asia Cup 2022 yet shows the current emergency concern too. 

“We are ready for the Asia Cup and I think for the big event, the country will provide enough fuel. We are playing with Australia and the matches were nice. Even for the Asia cup preparation is underway,”

The cricketer further stated

When inquired as to whether the current regime will actually want to keep up with harmony and normalcy after the resignation of president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, he answered, 

“I cannot say much on it, but nothing is going well right now. I hope that when the right people come, something good will happen, people have to choose the right person..so we can take the international support and things will definitely come to the right place.”

In a recent meeting with ANI, expert cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya likewise said that 

“Cricket must go for it at any cost. I would like to thank the Australian cricket captain and High Commissioner who did not cancel the Test match,”

expert cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya

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Sri Lanka had as of late hosted Australia for a multi-format series. The series was a cutthroat competition and saw great cricket from the two sides. Australia won the T20I series 2-1, the ODI series was won by Sri Lanka 3-2, while the Warne-Murli Trophy in Tests was shared after the two-match series ended in a 1-1 draw.

Sri Lanka has never seen fuel and financial crisis on the island since independence in 1948 when just 10% of its kin can get fuel on a daily basis.