PM Narendra Modi meets Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup heroes in Colombo

During his official visit to Colombo, the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, had the opportunity to engage with members of the iconic 1996 Sri Lankan cricket team, which secured the nation’s historic victory in the ICC Cricket World Cup that year.

This included prominent players such as Sanath Jayasuriya, Chaminda Vaas, Aravinda de Silva, Marvan Atapattu, and others.

PM Modi is on a state visit to Sri Lanka from April 4 to 6 at the invitation of Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe. His arrival in Colombo on Friday marked his first visit to Sri Lanka since 2019. 

During his visit, he met members of the 1996 World Cup-winning Sri Lankan team, who brought the country its maiden world title by defeating Australia in the final at Lahore.

Expressing his appreciation for the team and their enduring legacy, the Prime Minister shared his thoughts on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), stating:

“Cricket connect! Delighted to interact with members of the 1996 Sri Lankan cricket team, which won the World Cup that year. This team captured the imagination of countless sports lovers!”

After the meeting, several Sri Lankan players spoke to the media about the interaction and the strong cricketing ties between India and Sri Lanka.

Marvan Atapattu, who scored 14,036 runs for Sri Lanka across formats in 360 matches, said, “It was an extraordinary meeting. We have been lucky. Meeting a head of state who is a strong leader who has brought India to its heights was a dream come true. It was our honour and privilege to meet the Prime Minister this evening.”

Chaminda Vaas, who took 760 wickets in 438 matches for Sri Lanka from 1994 to 2009, praised PM Modi’s cricket knowledge.

“It’s a great honour to meet him personally as the 1996 World Cup team. We just talked about sports and during 1996, how we won the World Cup and how we beat India (during the semifinal at Eden Gardens in Kolkata). The Prime Minister follows cricket, he knows everything and not only as a leader, but being the most powerful person in the South Asian countries, his cricket knowledge is very good. He asked me about how we beat India. India is the most powerful country when it comes to cricket as well. The way we interacted with him was really good.”

Aravinda de Silva, who scored a match-winning century in the final against Australia in 1996, also said, “He’s a well-respected person around the world, and he has done so much for India. Becoming the Prime Minister for the third time in such a large country is a remarkable achievement. His influence on this country will be very important. It was quite nice chatting with him and we really enjoyed it.”

Sanath Jayasuriya, an explosive all-rounder who scored 21,032 runs, took 437 wickets, and hit 42 centuries in 586 matches, said, “It was really nice meeting the Prime Minister. We discussed a few things about cricket, the present and past, and what we are going through currently. It was a great experience for us. He also talked about how he became the PM, developed India, and what he did for India. We also discussed matters on the international ground in Jaffna.”

Romesh Kaluwitharana, who revolutionized ODI batting with Jayasuriya in the 1990s and scored 5,644 runs across Tests and ODIs with five centuries, also said, “From the time he (PM Modi) came to power, he changed a lot of things. He did a lot of things for Sri Lanka as well. India has always been there for us in times of crisis, in cricket as well.”

Kumar Dharmasena, a member of the 1996 team who later became an international umpire, said, “For the first time, I have seen a leader like him. He is very friendly and casual, and that was fantastic. One thing I want to mention is that as a neighbour of Sri Lanka, he has given a lot of support to us.”

Over the years, India-Sri Lanka cricketing ties have grown stronger, with both nations facing each other in numerous bilateral series and major ICC tournament clashes, including the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup final in Mumbai and the 2014 ICC T20 World Cup final in Bangladesh—won by India and Sri Lanka, respectively.

Notably, both countries will co-host next year’s ICC T20 World Cup, with the Men in Blue defending their second title.

Meanwhile, in a solemn and respectful gesture, Prime Minister Modi also visited the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) Memorial in Colombo, where he laid a wreath in honour of the Indian soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in Sri Lanka.

Reflecting on their courage and commitment, he said:

“Laid a wreath at the IPKF Memorial in Colombo. We remember the brave soldiers of the Indian Peace Keeping Force who laid down their lives in service of peace, unity and the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka. Their unwavering courage and commitment remain a source of inspiration for us all.”

(With Agencies Inputs)