Sri Lanka's 1996 World Cup trophy 'damaged'
By Rex Clementine | February 16, 2012
Former president of the cricket board Ana Punchihewa and Arjuna Ranatunga pose with the 1996 World Cup trophy in Lahore, March, 1996. © Prasanna Hennayake (via Michael Roberts).
Sri Lanka's World Cup-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga said he was deeply saddened to learn that the World Cup trophy the country won under his leadership 15 years ago was damaged and parts of it stolen.
The Island reported on Thursday the damage done to Sri Lankan cricket’s greatest possession was allegedly damaged when it was taken for the Deyata Kirula Exhibition. Although Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) earlier denied the report, by last evening SLC Chief Upali Dharmadasa promised to renovate the trophy within two weeks.
"It’s sad that these things are happening while we are alive," Ranatunga said.
"A lot of sacrifices had been made, by not only the 14 players who played in the tournament, but others who worked behind the scenes for years and it seems that people running cricket at the moment simply don’t care. I hope all players who were part of that World Cup squad will condemn what had happened in the strongest possible way."
"It’s disgusting and someone, yesterday, told me that we should not be upset, for people who run cricket at the moment consider the sport as a business," Ranatunga added.
Ranatunga said that a lot of people, including those who saw the Deyata Kirula Exhibition, had called him after hearing that two rivets of the World Cup trophy had been stolen and that they had informed him the World Cup trophy was neglected during the exhibition.
Arjuna’s younger brother Nishantha Ranatunga is the secretary of SLC and he once claimed that cricket was a business for him and has been the subject of several cricket related controversies. When he was the secretary of the interim committee, Nishantha had the audacity to sign a deal for Sri Lanka’s Champions League team with a sex-related product (Musli Power) on a Poya day in the sacred city of Dambulla. The interim committee which Nishantha was a key figure of is blamed for SLC’s current financial crisis running into several billions of rupees.
© Rex Clementine/The Island
Comments
27 December 2008
5 hours 26 min
It's disgusting to see that SLC couldn't take care of it's most prized possession. What a disgrace.
An armed guard must've been appointed to protect it. It's a symbol of our national pride. These jokers have made a joke out of it :(
No wonder this is sri lanka
Its disgusting that Sri Lanka fell into the filthy hands of businessmen and cronies after the 96 world cup.
The cricket community were ungrateful and betrayed Ana Punchihewa for '30 pieces of silver' at the election held barely a year (if I remember right) after.
So whats the value of a symbol when in spirit SLC was sold for the highest bidder?? We are paying for what we sow dear friends....sad but true
this exhibition is a government propaganda/popularity stunt.
I dont think its because of businessmen in SLC. Businessmen will highly value it as he know the money behind it. May be pride went away from these management people.
Its all the same, nothing is protected. The value of the cup is nil now. After repair it becomes second hand. Sorry State. The persons responsible should be taken to courts.
Although im an Indian, i feel disgusted on hearing this news..i cant comprihend how my Sri Lankan brothers must be feeling..really really disgusting..such a thing is possible only in our part of the world. cant imagine such a thing happening in Australia, England or New Zealand.
F**k them all. Sorry,I have no other words to explain.
[This comment has been removed as it's not consistent with our comment submission guidelines.]
25 February 2010
6 weeks 5 hours
thiyenneth ekai ekawath munta hariyata protect karaganda baha :(
Post new comment