Sri Lanka Relies on Asia Cup Cricket Tournament Amid Daily Challenges

Sri Lanka Relies on Asia Cup Cricket Tournament Amid Daily Challenges

Colombo, Sri Lanka – Until a few months ago, SMS Senaratne struggled to put three meals⁤ on‌ the ⁤table for his family.

“When the economic‍ crisis struck the country two years ‌ago⁢ it took away our savings, our car and our ability to feed our three children,” Senaratne, a sports merchandise seller, told Al Jazeera outside the ​R Premadasa Cricket Stadium in Colombo earlier this week.

In‌ between fixing his stall’s display of blue and green cricket shirts ​and caps, Senaratne explained how the Sri Lankan public struggled to survive during the country’s worst economic crisis since its independence in 1948.

“Our business ‌of making and selling ​sports merchandise relies‍ on the demand from sports goods stores, but⁣ ever since the​ economic‍ slump came in 2021, we have not received enough orders,” he said.

Following the coronavirus pandemic, the small island nation of 22 million ‍people was ⁣hit by fuel‍ and food shortages as well as alarmingly high inflation over two years.

The economic crisis snowballed into a political​ one ⁤as mobs of mostly young Sri Lankans stormed the house of then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, forcing ‌him to flee⁣ the country and resign.

Article from www.aljazeera.com

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