TRAIL 2016 and the unleashing of hope

Little drops love made an ocean of hope 

Mahela Jayawardena, former cricket captain of Sri Lanka wept.  He recalled how his brother had died of cancer twenty years previously.  Through his tears he acknowledged that the past 28 days had been the most wonderful of his life and he thanked Sarinda Unamboowe and Nathan Sivagananathan for providing the opportunity.  

It was a poignant moment.  It was just one of many.  His weren’t the only tears and neither was he the only person moved to walk from the northern most end of the island all the way down to Matara on account of losing a loved one to cancer.  And it was not only about cancer or building a facility to those inflicted by the disease.  

“The Trail” which saw the direct participation of people and drew contributions from countless others from all parts of the world had a tangible goal, that of constructing a hospital.  But this ‘Trail’ as opposed to its precursor, the walk in the opposite direction, from Matara to Point Pedro in 2011 July, which was also about building a cancer hospital (in Tellippalai), was also about peace and unity.  

Returning home from London having seen his sister succumb to cancer, Nathan had wondered what kind of treatment facilities his own country had.  So he had visited the Maharagama Cancer Hospital, made inquiries about needs and done what was at the time possible.  ‘The walk’ idea, originally, however had nothing to do with cancer.  It was about walking the length of the country after the three decades long war ended.  That’s how Sarinda, a colleague at MAS, had got involved.  And then they thought, ‘let’s raise money to help cancer patients.’  That’s how the ‘Colours for Change Trust’ came about.  Good people like Nathan, Sarinda and Mahela stood up.  They spoke a few words.  They let their bodies do the rest of the talking.  

They had planned to start in January 2011, but many had thought it was too crazy an idea.  It was around that time that Chairman, MAS Holdings, Mahesh Amalean had asked them about this walk-idea of theirs.  He had promised to help.  Others had chipped in.  Some promised to walk, some gave money and others promised airtime on television.  When they finally set off, six months later, there had been 1,500 people ready to walk with them.  That effort, the emotions, the solidarities, friendships formed, the misconceptions that whittled away, the mistrust and enmity that dissolved in the hope that was generated and of course the fulfillment of objective, has been recorded.  It ended with another beginning.  Nathan and Sarinda said they wanted to walk again, this time from Point Pedro to Matara, another 670 kilometers to “honor and help those fighting cancer” by raising awareness and funds for a second hospital, this time in the Southern Province.  In Karapitiya.  

Thousands came together ‘to blaze a trail across Sri Lanka’, as per the fervent hope of the organizers.  There are thousands of testimonies posted on social media by those who came, those who walked, those who saw, cheered, were overawed and empowered, and those who gave one way or another.  There are thousands of pictures.  There were the occasional brag-shots let’s say, those that were more about ‘I was there’ than anything else, but those were the exceptions.  If only a single word was permitted as overall descriptive, it is undoubtedly ‘humility’.

Naturally.  How could anyone not be humble when Sarinda and Nathan have given new meaning to the word ‘humility’?  Wait, that would be a half-truth or less.  Courage, determination, commitment, community, generosity.  Hope.  They embodied all these things and more.  And yes, ebullience too.  

When it was all done, I wrote down my thoughts and posted on Facebook:

For more than 25 years I thought that ours was a generation that had lost its best to insurrection and war.  I still believe we lost many who could have made a difference. But then again, we have to make do with resources at hand. Today, I believe that fate (or whatever you may want to attribute this state of affairs to) was not too unkind. There are always people who rise up to the occasion, and people who make occasions rise up and embrace entire communities. Nathan Sivagananathan and Sarinda Unamboowe, in my eyes and I am sure in the eyes of countless people, stand up there among the best human beings that have walked this earth. They don't belong to our generation, but belong to all communities across time and space simply because ownership is not their thing, but sharing and caring are.

Here are a few of the thousands of other testimonies.  First Dumindra Ratnayake, formerly of Etisalat.  “Close your eyes, Think, how many people you know, friends, relations have succumbed or is suffering because of the dreaded disease called cancer. Count the number, just donate a dollar (Rs 150) for each one of them.  Something amazing is happeing these days, standing tall among all the other things that is happening around us. The TRAIL walk is possible becuase of two people, Sarinda Unamboowe and Nathan Sivagananathan , two amazing individuals in my opinion taking the initiative help millions without waiting for governments, institutions or others!”

Hilmy Cader, in an article titled “Learnings from the ‘Trail’” explains the overwhelming volunteer response thus: “The cause is life changing, the intent is sincere, those enabling it are not worried about who gets the credit, neither are they trying to glorify their names, (they are) willing to ‘walk the talk’ and there is ‘fun’ in the ‘hard’ work.”  He asks a pertinent question: “Can our political and business leaders learn something from this?”

The truth is that the till-collection alone brought in over fifty million rupees.  Passing vehicles, buses, people going to work, children on their way to school, even mendicants were turned into givers.  It is hard to think of any political organization garnering anything close to that through any kind of walk.  Governments tax; ‘The Trail’ was made for giving without compulsion.  Hilmy probably got it right.  

Sachini de Silva exclaimed, “humanity restored!”  Shazna Muzammil put it simply: “Walk. Unite. Heal”. 

Graham Marshall elaborated: “What can I say? This is a brilliant, moving piece of work, Sari and Nathan, the energy that Trail has created has to.... has to have moved the hearts of the people of our land to see beyond the narrow confines of their personal ‘what-can-I-get-from-this-day mindset’."  

They were among approximately 70,000 people who participated, who literally ‘walked the talk’.  Hundreds of thousands would have in all likelihood participated with eyes, thoughts, words and quiet contributions.  

Thirty two exceptional individuals did the entire 670 kilometers and each of them, I am sure, would say, following Sarinda and Nathan, ‘it’s not about us, we were part of something that was larger than all of us, a collective several times greater than the sum of its components.’  

Everyone had something to say ‘thank you’ to, someone to dedicate the effort to.  Nathan Sivagananathan had three special people: “1. My dad, who I lost many years ago for teaching us the act of giving at a young age and thinking of others before ourselves, 2. My sister Rajayogini, fondly known as Rajam who we lost to cancer 10years ago. She has been the inspiration for the cause and we miss her every day, and 3. Dhishal Jayawardena who was lost many years ago by Mahela Jayawardena, for being the light that has driven Mahela to support the cause.”  

On September 9, 2016, he recalled that terrible day when he lost his sister: “One of the saddest days of my life was the day my bone marrow match to my sister came in as non compatible. I was the last hope amongst the siblings and the search had to widen to others in the family and friends. Living in Sri Lanka the testing could not be conducted here and the blood donors had to give a sample which then had to be carried to DELHI for testing. I am ever grateful to Ushaan Abeywickrema who hand carried this several times to india beating all the customs regulations and the coordination by my ever efficient assistant shimmy Hassim. The results were negative sadly and I lost my sister....this is why cord blood storage is important for the future.  THIS IS WHY WE TRAIL.”

And so he adds, “Also to all those who succumbed to the disease. We are trying to make a difference, even if we save one life, the distance we walked with blisters and strapping and constant pain.....would have been worth it.”

Sarinda, at the end of it all, penned a few capture-all lines: “And just like that it's all over. Thinking back it all seems so surreal. The support, the participation, the energy, the passion and the emotion. There was [literally] blood, sweat and tears, but every drop of each was worth it. My fellow walkers.. my Trail family; I will miss you. Thank you for sharing this amazing journey with us. Sri Lanka... I have never been prouder to call you my home.”

A few years ago, Thrishantha Nanayakkara made a poignant and in a sense disturbing observation:  “All wars have been fought twice; once in the battlefield and once down the alleys of memory.”  What has transpired since May 2009 offers splendid but sad support to this uncomfortable and disconcerting claim.  But something happened between October 6 and November 2, 2016; something whose ‘happening’ was birthed many years previously, a journey that was completed but also one that happily mapped out other pathways to walk and most importantly demonstrated that Sri Lanka has the strength, the will and most importantly the tenderness to take the blows, fall at times, but stand up and keep walking.  

Something else happened between the 6th day of October and the 2nd day of November in the year 2016.  During those blistering days that made feet feel like cement blocks and yet did not stop people from flying, a sad but perhaps inevitable second battle field was being slowly and surely filled with a memory-making something that was felt and defied description; felt by those who walked, and those who gave and those who watched and those who knew.  The post-war alleyways of memory are typically lined with land-mine stories, unutterable grief, unnecessary fires and deep, deep, deep wounds.  There are flowers blooming in these places now.  Takes me back (yet once again) to the words of Faiz Ahmed Faiz.

“Your feet bleed, Faiz,

but something must surely bloom

as you water the desert

simply by walking through it”.

Mahela’s tears watered a post-conflict landscape that was unbearably desolate.  And not just his tears and not only tears.  There was sweat and blood that watered the alleyways we’ve had to contend with over the past seven years.  Most importantly, these ‘waters’ came from tens of thousands of hearts.  They are altering the colors of these memory-landscapes.  It is not over, Mahela said, and he’s right, and yet we can say with some certainty that something is blooming.  Each step walked by each foot stirred the dust of our most terrible days and the earth as though in surprise breathed out an amazing fragrance.  It’s the perfume of hope.  

The laying of the foundation stone says something but not all about the building
blocks of goodness that birthed an idea that stirred a nation.

Sarinda's brief notes 

Sarinda Unamboowe posted a ‘trail note’ at the end of each day.  Here are a few excerpts:

Day 1. Done. Massive crowd turnout at Point Pedro. Over 1500 walkers on first day. A blistering hot 16km 'warm up' day.  Humbled by the support. Looking forward to a first full walk tomorrow.

Day 2: Huge crowds and support right through Jaffna. Some of us have started developing a few blisters. Hopefully will get sorted out soon. Longer day than yesterday but the early departure meant much cooler weather. Great company and some meaningful chats along the way. 

Day 3: And we march on…27km's from Jaffna to Kodikamam. Longest day yet. Massive crowds again and huge collection of contributions along the way. Sri Lanka, you amaze me. 

We truly are ONE.  Come join us on this incredible journey.

[Day 4 was special.  ON this day, Sarinda Unamboowe has been awarded the Ithaca College Humanitarian Award and his son Sachin Unamboowe did the honors of receiving it on his behalf in upstate New York at his old college.]

Day 6: Hot hot hot.... not a patch of shade along the route. We need a massive tree planting campaign on the A9. 

Day 7: Today we met the three girls for Mankulam who made such an impression on us last walk. It was great to see them looking older and well taken care of with a better home to live in. Their smiles were so special to see. It's so amazing when people walk up to us and share stories of how the last walk had an impact of their lives. 

Day 8: The negative i continue to see is the sad amount of garbage along the A9. We have a massive garbage issue in our country and someone needs to start taking ownership and solving it. 

Day 10: The dreaded 30km day, the longest on TRAIL, turned out to be a breeze.  Walking conditions are improving but my blisters are giving birth... now I have a little family. 

Day 12:  Seeing friendly faces makes a huge difference to all our morale. Thank you one and all who come up to join us and keep us going. You have no idea how much having your energy helps. 

The response from the schools in Galgamuwa town was staggering. Incredible to see children supporting us so eagerly. 

Day 13: An amazing fact to note is that during the first half of this walk, which was entirely in the north / north central parts of the country, our tills have collected the same amount of money we collected during the entire walk in 2011. What amazing support in the north for a hospital in the South. One Sri Lanka!!!! Incredible!!! 

Day 14: This walk is so much about the journey.... not the destination. We lose so much when we just focus on finishing. Audrey Gomez-Jeganathan .. thank you for opening my eyes to that. 

Thank you Sri Lanka. I love you with all of my heart.

Day 15: Massive welcome in Kurunegala. Amazing crowds and support continues as we roll on towards our goal. One Sri Lanka with access to the best cancer treatment/cure for all. 

This is all so surreal

Day 16 : Roadside collections have exceeded Rs11million.  You have to experience this generosity to truly understand how special it is.

Day 17: And it RAINED.  The heavens opened up and it poured midway through the walk but and it was great fun.

Day 18: Sweaty Hugs' all round. Love you guys and truly, deeply, madly appreciate all you have done to make TRAIL the phenomenon it is.

Day 20: Monster crowd turned up in spite of the threat of some nasty showers.  For those of you who had to battle the massive traffic jam we caused, I sincerely apologize. Please bare with us. We will be out of Colombo by tomorrow. Just one more day....

Day 21: Wow.... Colombo !!!!! 13,000+ turned up to walk with us today. Absolutely blown away. I cannot believe the support we have got on this journey.

Day 22: Trail... what started as a wild dream, is now an amazing reality.

Day 24: I am asked many times, how we do this day after day. Truth is we depend on you, and your energy to carry us along. Every friend or supporter of Trail who joins, brings with them an amazing energy that carries us through the heat, the rain, the blisters and the general aches and pains. YOU make this happen. Thank you. 

Day 26: Sri Lanka.. you have such a generous and giving soul.

Day 27: What an incredible journey. What an incredible family this has become

Day 28: And just like that it's all over. Thinking back it all seems so surreal. The support, the participation, the energy, the passion and the emotion. There was [literally] blood, sweat and tears, but every drop of each was worth it. My fellow walkers.. my Trail family; I will miss you. Thank you for sharing this amazing journey with us. Sri Lanka... I have never been prouder to call you my home.

See also:

They polished the pearl with every push on the pedal

The humility of Sarinda and Nathan

Citizenship that cannot be robbed

Malinda Seneviratne is a freelance writer who contributes a weekly column for the Daily Mirror titled 'Subterranean Transcripts'.  Email: malindasenevi@gmail.com.  Twitter: malindasene.

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There’s life and cricket after the ‘Old Guard’ exits

Of course we are all disappointed.  We backed our boys to the hilt.  We forced ourselves to hope that they would win it all.  We all wanted a perfect farewell to our ‘grand old men’ (relatively speaking of course).  We wanted Sanga, Mahela, Dilly and Malinga to have a ‘Tendulkar Moment’ on March 29, 2015. Correspondents to sports pages wanted to write about the win and suggest tweaks that would get us into the Final.  Didn’t happen the way we liked it to happen.

 

On the plus side, no one’s had a heart attack.  No houses have been stoned or torched.  When our boys return no one will say ‘hoo hoo’.  On the contrary, the vast majority of fans will cheer them, pat them on the back and thank them for doing their best.  This is Sri Lanka.  It is not Pakistan or India.  In fact we are more like Bangladesh in this respect, except for the fact that had Sri Lanka progressed there would be less surprise than if Bangladesh had bested India.

So we lost.  So what?  Should we weep?  For those who shed a tear or think we should as a nation mourn, let me recount a conversation with Hindustan Times correspondent in Sri Lanka PK Balachandran which took place eight years ago when it was clear that Sri Lanka was going to lose to Australian in the World Cup final.

Sri Lanka had to bat out the last overs virtually in darkness.  It was a darker night back in Colombo and that’s not because of the time of day only.  On that very day Velupillai Prabhakaran sent a couple of toy planes to target who knows what in Colombo.  There was a blackout so that searchlights could locate these rogue planes.  I was listening to the commentary over a car radio.  I could see the searchlights crisscrossing the night sky.  Then I got a call from ‘Bala’. 

After the usual exchange of greetings, he put a question to me: ‘What does this mean to Sri Lanka?’  And he provided context: ‘There’s an LTTE air attack and you are about to lose the World Cup Final’. 

‘Bala, we don’t mix things up.  The LTTE is one thing, the World Cup is another.  Australia is a very good team.  Now had we lost to New Zealand in the Semi Final, it would have been pretty hard to take it.  Australia, we have to admit, is the better team.  They are not unbeatable though.  If we played them 10 times, we probably would win two games.  We hoped it would be one of those two games, but it wasn’t.’

Then we went on to talk about Buddhism and the notion of equanimity. 

This year is not too different except of course there’s no imminent LTTE threat.  We made it to the quarter final stage.  We lost to the two teams ahead of us in our group and defeated the four teams that ended below us.  South Africa was placed second in their group.  The odds were on them winning.  They did.  We might have made a match out of it, gone down fighting etc., but we didn’t.  Either way, it is not an unexpected result.  This is how good or bad we are and this is the distance that ability could take us. 

Mahela, Sanga, Dilshan and Malinga did not lose stature.  Not in the eyes of Sri Lankans.  Their place in history is secure.  They will be missed no doubt but that’s not something we need to dwell on.  World Cup 2015 is not yet done.  Some Sri Lankans might switch to another channel.   Cricket fans will watch some if not all of the remaining games. 

It is not the end of the world.  There was cricket before Mahela, Sanga, Dilshan and Malinga.  There will be cricket after them.  Better cricket perhaps, who can tell?  It’s time to say ‘goodbye’.  Time to say ‘Thanks’.  Time for a lump to make its presence felt in our collective throats.  The moment will pass, however. 

Let’s turn eyes, hearts and minds to the future.   

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Angelo Mathews read Mahela like no one did

Mahela retired.  Had to happen someday.  He’s been around long enough.  He’s done the hard yards.  He has the stats to show for it.  He has the moments.  The accolades.  And they will continue to come for a few days.  Then there will be the ‘distraction’ of the ODI series and the forget-all-else biggies, the World Cup.  He will duly reflect on his future in ODIs.  Then he will retire from that format as well.  And we’ll see another splash of stats, detailing of career highlights, accolades and the man himself looking back and offering some sober thoughts in his matter-of-fact way.  No frills.  A lot of humility.  Salaams to contemporary greats.  Philosophy. 

It will all add up to a grace that does justice to the way he has carried himself on and off the field over his fairly lengthy international career. 

This, however, is not about Mahela Jayawardena. Well, it is obviously framed by his retirement, but it is inspired by something that someone said about the man that no one else thought to touch on.  The man of this ‘writing-moment’ is not Mahela Jayawardena.  It is the current skipper Angelo Mathews.

When Angelo Mathews made his test debut against Pakistan in July 2009, Mahela Jayawardena was a 11-year veteran and one who had already had a stint as Sri Lanka’s test captain.  So it was natural that Angelo said ‘Mahela has been a pillar of strength, an older brother for me.’  Angelo was earmarked for captaincy.  He has played under Mahela, Kumar Sangakkara and Tillekaratne Dilshan. The first two had relatively long tenures at the helm and Angelo must have picked up a lot of tips.  There would have been some mentoring too on the part of Mahela and Kumar.  Angelo acknowledged. As he should.

He added, ‘He’s the smartest guy in the team, the go-to man always, and the effort that he makes with his knowledge and ability is wonderful.’  It has been observed by many that there were times (especially during Sri Lanka’s amazing run in the T-20 World Cup) when it was hard to figure out who was the real decision maker on the field.  It didn't matter whether it was Dinesh Chandimal or Lasith Malinga that strode out for the toss.  It hasn't been too different in Tests and ODIs either. It was less a matter of Angelo picking Mahela’s brains that Mahela dishing out voluntarily the most potent of brain-parts.  Angelo never showed annoyance.  More importantly he did not feel diminished but in fact showed maturity beyond his years to take it all and still not look as though he was a pedestrian in the affairs of the team.

The accolades, however, are run of the mill.  Expected.  Acknowledged with grace by all of course, but nevertheless not newsworthy outside of the need to jot down what the skipper had to say about a departing teammate and an icon of the game. 

Here’s where Angelo got in something everyone missed.  He said, ‘Thank you to his parents for bringing him up the way they have.’  That’s not about cricket. That’s about Mahela the human being.  Mahela the son.  Mahela the decent citizen. 

Mahela, in his farewell speech, thanks one and all. He did not forget his parents.  ‘They were there for me from day one,’ he said.  Goes for all parents.  Expected words from a son. Some of course don’t credit too many people and some forget parents and teachers believing that did it all ‘their way’ and even ‘on their own’.  Mahela’s acknowledgment is appreciated.  Angelo’s is special.  He was not talking of his own parents.  He was thoughtful enough to appreciate the significance of Mahela’s parents in his life, his career and his success. 

If you googled for Mahela’s parents, you might not find a picture.  Google ‘Mahela’s family’ and you get his wife and child.  There’s just one picture that came up in my search.  It was taken at an event welcoming the team after making it to the World Cup final in 2007: one among several pictures of the players and their families.  Mahela with his wife and his parents.  ‘Tired but happy to be home: Captain Mahela with his wife and parents’ the caption reads.

Angelo Mathews is not a silver tongued Sangakkara. Assertive as he is, Angelo does not have as authoritative a presence in the field as did Mahela. He is nevertheless a thinking captain.  That’s obvious.  He thinks deep about a lot of things.  That is not so obvious. Now we know.  

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Mahela's timely retirement and other tidbits

Mahela's decision

Mahela Jayawardena has announced his retirement from Test Cricket.  Good.  He's realized he has reached his peak and is on the way out anyway.  Best time to go.  Like Murali did. Like Sanath did not.  Now if only everyone knew how to pick that moment to say 'This is it, I am done, thanks for the good times, bye-bye!'  Sarath Fonseka had a good thing.  He blew it. Mahinda Rajapaksa...well, some would say he's had his ups and downs and perhaps has already had his last 'up'.  Ranil?  Did he ever peak?  Anyway, thanks Mahela for all the great moments.  

NGO Security

All Non Governmental Organizations are to come under the Ministry of Defence, we are told.  This could mean one of two things.  One, many NGOs are paying the price for the crimes of a few NGOs whose track records indicate that they were and/or are a threat to national security. There could be a difference reason for this decision.  Maybe the Government believes that NGOs NEED security.  Maybe this is because there are some NGO personalities who can't stop whining about their lives being under threat.  If this is the case, these NGOs should applaud this move.  Now, if something goes wrong, if some NGO activist is insulted, assaulted, abducted or killed, the blame will fall squarely on the defence establishment.  Maybe that's the silver lining to this move which some have described as being 'black' and 'ominous'.  Hardly discernible of course, but a line surely and silver-colored too!

Mental disorders and teaching disorders

It is reported that over 250 teachers in the Eastern Province are suffering from mental disorders and that the authorities don't know what to do with them.  The authorities can be forgiven.  After all they are not physicians and treating illnesses is not their job.  On the other hand what are the authorities doing about the thousands of teachers in and out of the Eastern Province who are suffering from 'teaching disorders', i.e. who don't do a stroke of work in class and/or are totally incompetent and therefore unable to offer proper instruction?

  

Sachithra's degrees

Sachithra Senanayake exceeds 43 degrees, the headline of a news story blared out.  Wow!  Even Mervin Silva (Dr) has just one.  But 43 degrees?  Where did he have the time to collect them?  It would be tall order to imagine Sachithra with a single 'degree cap but impossible to think of him wearing 43?!  Now we hear that he wants to bring it down to less than 15 degrees.  Good on him.  When will Mervin follow suit?

What the Govt can do, the NGOs can do better!

The Government of Sri Lanka has called upon the concerned parties to exercise utmost restraint in a bid to halt the violence and ensure a climate conducive to the recommencement of negotiations for a lasting solution to the conflict in Gaza.  The Government certain took its own cool time to issue this call, but then again the Govt was also slow in calling people to 'exercise utmost restraint' when 'Alutgama' happened.  On the other hand, sections of the NGO community that's so big on reconciliation and conflict resolution, and which operates much like voice-cut advocacy artists could have been prompt in response. Didn't happen.  

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Dinesh Chandimal: Sporting Personality of the Year 2014

Greatness in sports is often measured in the number and margins of victory.  Domination of a discipline or a sport over a long period of time naturally wins accolades.  Sports, after all, is mostly about winning. And yet, not everything that stands out for standing ovation has to do with besting the opposition.  Sometimes it is rising to the occasion to the point that you rise above yourself and your self-interest.  This is why ‘The Nation’ picks Dinesh Chandimal as the Sporting Personality of the Year 2014.

On that day in Dhaka there couldn’t have been any Sri Lankan without a smile.  There couldn’t have been many Sri Lankans anywhere in the world following the World T-20 final who is did not smile at that particular moment when Sri Lanka defeated India to win ICC silverware after 18 long years.  The entire team had broad grins. The officials too. And yet, one smile was special.  It belonged to someone who didn’t take the field.  Dinesh Chandimal.

There was a report that Chandimal wept when he heard he was dropped for the Semi-Final against the West Indies (he had been docked for the game against New Zealand due to a slow over-rate).  We don’t know if this is true.  It is never a happy thing to be dropped.  It is probably worse not to be picked at all (ask Marvan Atapattu, he has booked the defining chapter on ‘The Book of Drops’ if and when it gets written).  It was not that Chandimal was not picked.

It was not that he was dropped (he could have, so we are told, insisted on playing and that would have been it). What is ‘special’ about it all is that he was the designated captain of the team that went on to win the Championship.  And he, the captain, was dropped!   ‘Devastating’ doesn’t quite describe what he probably would have felt.

The man was woefully out of form and as Lasitha Malinga’s short and successful ‘captaining’ experience showed, a team that already had four skippers (Mahela Jayawardena, Kumar Sangakkara, Tillekeratne Dilshan and Angelo Matthews) didn’t really have to worry about him being dropped.  As someone pointed out, there was the ‘National Captain’, Lasith Malinga, and there was the ‘Leadership Council’ made of the aforementioned skippers.  Mahela led the leaders, it was pretty obvious.

What is beautiful about it all is that it was an issue for everyone except for Sri Lankans.  It is hard to think that the press of any country would not have raised a lot of questions if a designated captain abdicated for all intents and purposes in favor of one the men he is supposed to be leading.  For Sri Lankans, apart from a few wry jokes, it was as it should be. Logical to the last letter.

Still.

Still there’s the small issue of a young man who had been appointed captain and had to lead players who had a dozen years’ worth of experience more than he did.  There’s the small issue of having left Sri Lanka as captain and having to watch the final from the dressing room.  There’s also the small issue of Dinesh Chandimal running around the ground after Sri Lanka won the match, carrying the man who put the final touches to the campaign on his shoulders.  Dinesh Chandimal helped hold Kumar Sangakkara high.  He couldn’t stop smiling a schoolboyish smile.  That delight was unadulterated. That admiration was unadulterated.  And in this, there was as much ‘team,’ ‘team-spirit,’ and ‘leadership’ than anything we were privileged to watch unfold out there in the middle of the ground.

There was courage on the part of the selectors, that unhappy, ready to be maligned tribe; for they dropped the captain. Had Sri Lanka lost, someone might have said ‘you can’t win a match after dropping the skipper’.  Someone else might have said, ‘why did you pick him in the first place?’  A third might say ‘were you crazy to make him captain?’  Sanath was bold. Chandimal was humble.

Now that’s a World Cup story right there.  In some strange, round-about way, therein lies a gene-fact of a team-corporeality that helped bring the World Cup to Sri Lanka.  We didn’t have a single stand-out player in this tournament (as opposed to the previous two editions).  We do best, perhaps, when we do it together.  Dinesh Chandimal did his part and did it well.  With utmost grace.  Take a bow, Chandimal

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The morning after the World Cup Final

Mahela Jayawardena has resigned.  That’s a personal choice and it has to be respected.  Soon we’ll know why and then we can talk about it. For now, the man who led Sri Lanka to an incredible run in the T-20 World Cup has stepped down.  Post mortems will come later no doubt.  There will probably be a blame-game.  Lasith Malinga will be maligned. Match-fixing questions will be raised perhaps.  All this is incidental to the issue at hand.

Mahela resigned.  No one will know if he would still have resigned had Sri Lanka won the World Cup.  But if loss is reason enough that’s a signal to all those who hold high posts whose tenure has been marked with failure.  Mahela didn’t fail, no.  But compared to this blip on Sunday, there are enormous blunders committed by many in powerful places that warrant resignation, if not sacking. 

Resignation is a personal choice.  Sacking is not.  I doubt anyone is asking for Mahela’s head at this point.  Perhaps it is best; perhaps this is not the correct time.  Either way, this move makes it possible for a younger replacement to mature to levels necessary to lead the team to glory in the 50 over version of the World Cup a couple of years from now.

What of expectations?  Well, to put it brutally, they were buried.  What of the morning after?  It’s the same world, same set of problems, same reasons for hope, same fears.  Give or take a little.  There’s no devastation. 

I asked around.  What if we had lost to India?  What if it was Australia that beat us?  One answer to both questions: ‘Worse!’ 

Why?  I don’t know, I’ve not done a comprehensive survey.  But if I were to hazard a guess, I’d say that the rivalries with those two countries are more intense.  It’s probably got something to do with attitude.  Airs.  Gamesmanship as opposed to sportsmanship. 

The West Indies are different.  The match preview on www.cricinfo.com headlined the contest as ‘Calypso vs. Baila’.  There’s commonality there.  It’s probably the closest one can get to a home-vs-home game in international cricket.  That’s amazing, considering that the two teams reside at two ends of the world.  It’s possible that the crowds cheered a fraternal team, but my gut feeling is that had we played India or Australia and lost they’d still be there for Mahela and his men, who entertained and raised hopes although they fell at the end.  They were backed all the way.  It was not their day.  So what?   

Sarinda Unamboowe in a Facebook update, perhaps put it best: ‘Can we just blame it on the dancing girls and get on with it?  West Indies were the deserved winners.  Well done Sri Lanka. There are lots of positives we can take away from this.  Let’s build from here.’

Mahela led.  From the front. To the end.  West Indies proved to be the better team.  Sri Lankans were naturally disappointed.  And yet, when the last wicket fell and indeed when it defeat was clearly written on the wall, the crowds did not leave.  They stayed on. They stayed when the Windies danced.  They cheered the winners.  They cheered the losers.  Sri Lanka was not the better team on Sunday.  Sri Lanka, nevertheless, remained a great nation of cricket lovers. 

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