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In the process one man stood out – Kumar Sangakkara. He had played well, he was Player of the Final and had announced his retirement – along with his pal Mahela – from T20 cricket. What a fitting farewell tribute the victory was!
Much has been written about Kumar’s performance on the field. Equally he has been lauded for his utterances off the field. He hit the headlines after his brilliant MCC Spirit of Cricket Colin Cowdrey Lecture at Lord’s in July 2011 described as “a remarkable piece of oratory delivered with polish and poise”. He was the first Sri Lankan to be invited to deliver the Cowdrey lecture which he considered was “not only a great honour for me, but also for my fellow countrymen”.
"Fans are of different races, castes, ethnicities and religions who together celebrate their diversity by uniting for a common national cause. They are my foundation, they are my family. I will play my cricket for them. Their spirit is the true spirit of cricket. With me are all my people. I am Tamil, Sinhalese, Muslim and Burgher. I am a Buddhist, a Hindu, a follower of Islam and Christianity. I am today, and always, proudly Sri Lankan
It is remarkable that in a very short period an alien game has become our national obsession, played and followed with almost fanatical passion and love. A game that brings the nation to a standstill; a sport so powerful it is capable of transcending war and politics
– Kumar Sangakkara
"
It’s an opportune time to go back to what he said particularly about the cricket fans and what cricket means to him. At the outset of his speech, he said that cricket in Sri Lanka is no longer just a sport, and described it as “a shared passion that is a source of fun and a force for unity. It is a treasured sport that occupies a celebrated place in our society”.
“It is remarkable that in a very short period an alien game has become our national obsession, played and followed with almost fanatical passion and love. A game that brings the nation to a standstill; a sport so powerful it is capable of transcending war and politics,” he added.
Towards the end he said that it is not the administrators or players that sustain the game – it is the cricket-loving public. “It is their passion that powers cricket and if they turn their backs on cricket then the whole system will come crashing down.”
Stressing that his loyalty will be to the ordinary Sri Lankan fan, he referred to “their 20 million hearts beating collectively as one to our island rhythm and filled with an undying and ever-loyal love for this our game”.
He ended saying: “Fans are of different races, castes, ethnicities and religions who together celebrate their diversity by uniting for a common national cause. They are my foundation, they are my family. I will play my cricket for them. Their spirit is the true spirit of cricket. With me are all my people. I am Tamil, Sinhalese, Muslim and Burgher. I am a Buddhist, a Hindu, a follower of Islam and Christianity. I am today, and always, proudly Sri Lankan.”
The lecture became the talking point everywhere with many admiring him for the guts he had in commenting on what he felt of cricket administration in Sri Lanka.
It was also instrumental in making him the LMD Sri Lankan of the Year. Nominating him for the award, Jayantha Dhanapala, recipient of the title in 2006, referred to his representative role as the quintessential Sri Lankan when he travels abroad and speaks to the global media and as a role model for our youth. This was nowhere more evident than his sparkling Cowdrey Lecture at the MCC recently, he said.
In the same year he was named the ICC Player of the Year 2011 as well as LG’s People’s Choice Award. Previously he was Living magazine’s first Personality of the Year (2005), a title he was awarded the second time four years later.
