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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with members of Sri Lanka’s 1996 ICC Cricket World Cup-winning team during his official visit to the island nation. The meeting, which took place in Colombo, brought together several key figures from Sri Lanka’s historic cricket team, which had etched its name in history by defeating Australia in the final of the 1996 World Cup.
PM Modi shared his excitement about the meeting through a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Cricket connect! Delighted to interact with members of the 1996 Sri Lankan cricket team, which won the World Cup that year. This team captured the imagination of countless sports lovers!” The post was accompanied by images of Modi with Sri Lankan cricketing greats, marking a moment of sports diplomacy and camaraderie between the two nations.
Cricket connect!
Delighted to interact with members of the 1996 Sri Lankan cricket team, which won the World Cup that year. This team captured the imagination of countless sports lovers! pic.twitter.com/2ZprMmOtz6
Advertisement · Scroll to continue— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 5, 2025
Cricketers Reflect on Their Meeting with PM Modi
Members of the legendary team shared their thoughts on their interaction with PM Modi, highlighting his leadership and India’s contributions to Sri Lanka.
Marvan Atapattu expressed his admiration, stating, “It was an extraordinary meeting. We have been lucky—we have traveled the world and met many cricketers and legends. But to meet a head of state who is a strong leader who has brought India to its heights was an honor and privilege.”
It was an extraordinary meeting PM Modi, a leader who has brought India to such heights…it was a dream come true”, says legendary Sri Lankan cricketer Marvan Atapattu after meeting PM @narendramodi @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/hVBMyGGHNy
— DD News (@DDNewslive) April 5, 2025
Romesh Kaluwitharana acknowledged India’s role in supporting Sri Lanka, particularly during economic challenges, “From the time PM Modi came to power, he changed a lot of things. He did a lot of good for Sri Lanka, especially during the economic crisis. We are grateful for India. India has always been there for us. In cricket also, India has been helping us.”
Romesh Kaluwitharana,former Sri Lanka cricketer,acknowledges PM @narendramodi ‘s transformative leadership since taking office,benefiting Sri Lanka.He expresses gratitude to India for support during crises and financial aid in cricket tours. @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/qalav9ruhK
— DD News (@DDNewslive) April 5, 2025
Kumar Dharmasena praised Modi’s demeanor, saying, “This is the first time I have seen a leader like him. He is very friendly and very casual. It was fantastic. We were nervous before we met him. He is a fantastic leader. India is a giant neighbor of Sri Lanka, and it has given a lot of support to us.”
“It’s the first time I have seen a leader like him… it was fantastic … as the leader of a giant neighbour of Sri Lanka he has given lots of support to our country”, says Kumara Dharmasena a former cricketing legend known for his magic with bat and ball. @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/2T3JWQPc7s
— DD News (@DDNewslive) April 5, 2025
Aravinda de Silva spoke about Modi’s global stature and political achievements, remarking, “He is a person well respected around the world. He has done so much for India. It is a remarkable achievement to win three terms in such a big country. His influence on Sri Lanka is also important. It was quite nice chatting with him. We really enjoyed it.”
He is a person well respected around the world and he has done so much for India… being Prime Minister three times running is remarkable”, says Aravind de Silva, Sri Lankan cricketing great, after meeting PM @narendramodi @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/fAi9K5FZnF
— DD News (@DDNewslive) April 5, 2025
Chaminda Vaas reflected on their discussions, saying, “It is a great honor to meet him personally as the 1996 team. We talked about sports and how we beat India. We also talked about the future of Sri Lanka. PM is following cricket—he knows everything. Not only as a leader but also being the most powerful person in South Asia, his cricket knowledge is good.”
‘It’s a great honor to meet PM @narendramodi personally. We talked about sports and how in 1996 we(Sri Lanka) won the world cup. Prime Minister Modi is the most powerful leader in South Asia, his cricket knowledge is very good.’ Former Srilankan cricketer Chaminda Vaas pic.twitter.com/DVbc4hO0bq
— DD News (@DDNewslive) April 5, 2025
Sanath Jayasuriya also lauded the meeting, emphasizing their discussions on cricket and India’s progress under Modi, “It was a great meeting with the Honorable PM. We talked about the present and past of cricket. We talked about how he developed India as a country and as a nation. He explained what he did since 2014. It was a great meeting, a great experience for us.”
‘It was a great experience meeting PM @narendramodi. He explained nicely how he developed India as a nation’, says Sanath Jayasuriya former Sri Lankan cricketer after meeting PM Modi. pic.twitter.com/s8ZCOFPhRW
— DD News (@DDNewslive) April 5, 2025
Absence of Arjuna Ranatunga
While several members of the 1996 squad were present, including Aravinda de Silva and Sanath Jayasuriya, the team’s World Cup-winning captain, Arjuna Ranatunga, was absent from the meeting due to being overseas.
The 1996 Sri Lankan team made history on March 17 of that year by securing a dominant victory against Australia in the final. The summit clash, held in Lahore, saw Sri Lanka chase down Australia’s target of 242 with seven wickets in hand and 22 balls to spare. The match was a defining moment in Sri Lankan cricket history, with Aravinda de Silva’s unbeaten 107 playing a pivotal role, supported by Asanka Gurusinha’s 65 off 99 balls and Ranatunga’s quickfire 47 off 37 balls.
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