David Cameron insisted he had given a “fair reflection” of the need for improved human rights in Sri Lanka after cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan suggested he had been given a false picture of his country.

 

The spin bowling great suggested the Prime Minister had been “misled” about the latest situation in the war-scarred north of the island.

 

Mr Cameron is pressing the Sri Lankan regime to do more to improve conditions for the minority Tamil population still suffering the effects of a 26-year civil war which ended in 2009.

 

Yesterday he visited families still unable to return to their homes after spending 20 years in refugee camps, in the first visit by a foreign leader to the region since 1948.

 

In what he described as “frank” talks with president Mahinda Rajapaksa the PM said he would press for an international investigation of alleged war crimes if the regime failed to hold a credible one by March.

 

At a cricket ground in the capital Colombo, where he is attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Mr Cameron acquitted himself well when he pitted his batting skills against some “Murali” deliveries.

 

They were there to talk about the sportsman’s initiative to bring together youngsters from Tamil and other communities through cricket as part of post-war reconciliation efforts.

 

But asked about the politician’s calls for more action from the government of Mr Rajapaksa - which has been criticised internationally over human rights abuses - Muralitharan, a Tamil, said Mr Cameron was underestimating the improvements already made.

 

“I’m a sportsman and we don’t think about politics,” he told reporters.

 

“My opinion is, there were problems in the last 30 years in those areas. Nobody could move there. In wartime I went with the UN, I saw the place, how it was.

 

“Now I regularly go and I see the place and it is about a 1,000% improvement in facilities.

 

“Cricket is the main game to narrow the bridge between the people. But facilities-wise, schools are built, roads are built. Businesses are started. So many things have happened. It is improving.

 

“Thanks to the Sri Lankan army, they are putting a lot of effort there. (BelfastTelegraph)