COLOMBO (AFP) – Australia’s cricketers hope to bring some “joy” to Sri Lanka, white-ball captain Aaron Finch said yesterday, as the island nation prepares for a seven-week tour while wrestling with an unprecedented economic crisis.
The squad arrived on Wednesday for their first all-format series against Sri Lanka in six years, at a time when fuel shortages, rolling blackouts and political turmoil have made life a misery for many.
The tour has raised security concerns in the Australian camp after deadly unrest in Sri Lanka last month, but Finch said his team were excited to be in the country.
“We’re here to play cricket and hopefully… we can bring some joy and some entertainment to Sri Lanka,” he told an online press conference.
“It’s such a special place to tour. The hospitality that you get here, the friendliness, and their love for the game is unbelievable,” he said.
Australia will play three Twenty20 internationals, five one-day internationals and two Test matches during the tour, which ends July 12.
