Sri Lanka team returns home, chief selector blames external conspiracy for poor World Cup show
The Hindu
Sri Lanka's poor World Cup performance is result of "conspiracy from outside", alleges Chief Selector Pramodaya Wickramasinghe. He takes responsibility for the team's two wins in nine games, marred by injuries and mid-tournament captaincy change
Chief Selector Pramodaya Wickramasinghe on Friday (November 10) alleged that Sri Lanka's disastrous show at the ongoing ODI World Cup was a result "of a conspiracy from outside".
The Sri Lankan cricket team returned home early Friday morning from India after their five-wicket loss in the last group stage match against New Zealand in Bengaluru.
Pressed for reasons for the poor performance, Wickramasingha, a member of the World Cup-winning 1996 team, said, "Give me two days to disclose everything about it. This was the result of a conspiracy from outside."
"It is very sad, I am taking responsibility,” he told reporters at the airport.
Sri Lanka recorded their worst World Cup performance since 1992, winning only two of their nine games.
The former champions were marred by a series of injuries, warranting replacements outside the original squad. That even led to a change of captaincy mid tournament.
Their disastrous show against India, where they were all out for 56, triggered a backlash at home.
The Opposition Congress demanded that the government open the Gandhi Vatika Museum, depicting Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy and freedom struggle, built at a cost of ₹85 crore in Jaipur’s Central Park last year, during the Congress-led regime in Rajasthan. The museum has not been opened to the public, reportedly because of the administration’s engagements with the State Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
Almaya Munnettam (Lay People to the Fore), group in the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church opposed to the synod-recommended Mass, rejected a circular issued by Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil and apostolic administrator Bosco Puthur on June 9 to implement the unified Mass in the archdiocese from July 3.
Pakistan coach Gary Kirsten stated that “not so great decision making” contributed to his side’s defeat to India in the Group-A T20 World Cup clash here on Sunday. The batting unit came apart in the chase, after being well placed at 72 for two. With 48 runs needed from eight overs, Pakistan found a way to panic and lose. “Maybe not so great decision making,” Kirsten said at the post-match press conference, when asked to explain the loss.