The continuing politicization of cricket in Sri Lanka

The separation of cricket from politics has always been a fanciful notion. This is despite the British imperial attempt in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to consider the sport as being above politics.

Under British imperialist noses, the Australian, South African and West Indian cricket teams, which played against England during those years, reinforced nationalist sentiments. Hence, cricket played a key role in the movements which led to the creation of those independent nation states. It is difficult to argue that cricket and politics were not already intertwined.