Rob Lewis, an England cricket team fan staying in Sri Lanka from the past 10 months, got a perfect gift from his team on Saturday.
Lewis has been staying in the island nation after England’s tour of Sri Lanka was postponed last March due to the pandemic. Despite the initial series being called off, Lewis decided to stay in Sri Lanka and wait for their return.
“I’ve been in Sri Lanka the whole time on blind faith, on a wing and a prayer,” Lewis told The Times.
“I thought, ‘Oh, this coronavirus will be a month. I’ll stay in for that month and then see what happens.’ But it rumbled on … there’s never been a point where I thought I should go home,” he added.
When England captain Joe Root raised his bat to celebrate his fourth double century in the first Test against Sri Lanka, he acknowledged Lewis, who was cheering the team from standing on top of the iconic fort at the Galle International Stadium.
Due to the pandemic, Lewis was not allowed to enter the ground, so he decided to watch the game on the famous old fort, which offers a view of the ground from afar.
However, on the opening day of the Test, the Lankan police escorted him away, stating the old fort is a UNESCO world heritage site. But after England’s media manager Danny Reuben organised certification, Lewis returned to the fort on day three to witness Root’s acknowledgement.
“It’s been the most amazing morning of my life,” he said in a Twitter video posted by The Barmy Army.
“I’ve had two days of hardship, just walking around the ground and looking through fences, looking at the TV in the cafe. It’s been a real struggle, so to be up here means the world. I haven’t got words to explain how I feel (after) that,” added Lewis.
🎥 Randy’s Report | Good things come to those who wait 🙌🙌🙌#SLvENG pic.twitter.com/r91J5L8CAh
— England's Barmy Army 🏴🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) January 16, 2021
