After registering a thumping win against the hosts in the first ODI at Dambulla, Team India is all set to again take on the Sri Lankans in Kandy on August 24. The home side desperately needs to make a strong comeback in the 5 match series so that they can qualify directly for ICC World Cup 2019 and for that they have to beat Virat Kohli and Co. in atleast two games.
Meanwhile, the team manager of Sri Lanka has stated that the National Anthems of the two countries will no more be sung during the upcoming matches.
As per media reports, in accordance with a sporting practice followed in Sri Lanka, the rules say that the national anthem is to be played only in the first match of any series.
While speaking to the media personnel, Sri Lanka team manager Dinesh Ratnasingham said, “We have adopted the practice of singing National Anthem only at the beginning of each format of the game.”
The media manager of the home team said, “The teams sang their respective National Anthems in the first ODI match at Dambulla. They will sing again before the commencement of the only T-20 match on September 6. Rest of the venues will have the immediate start of the match without the Anthem Ceremony.”
Well, it has always been a tradition in International cricket that the players sing the national anthem of their country before the match starts as the anthem is considered as a symbol of national pride and allegiance for a player. So let’s see how the cricketing world reacts to the host’s decision.
