Arjuna Ranatunga Faces Twitterati Wrath After Taunting Indian Cricket Fans

Arjuna Ranatunga asked Sri Lankan fans not to behave like Indian spectators.

Former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga was derided on Twitter after his remarks regarding crowd trouble during the India vs Sri Lanka 3rd ODI in Pallekele infuriated Indian cricket fans. Ranatunga stirred up controversy when he asked Sri Lankan fans not to misbehave and not act ‘like Indian spectators’. The Sri Lankan’s remarks were in reference to Indian fans disrupting the 1996 World Cup semi-final match between India and Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Twitterati on Thursday came out in force to voice their objection to the statements made by Ranatunga.

Crowd trouble forced the umpires to stop play for about 35 minutes when India were cruising to a series-clinching win in the third ODI in Pallekele on August 27.

India were 210 for four after 44 overs, needing another eight runs to win, when the players were sent back into the dressing room, following the rowdy behaviour from the home supporters, who resorted to throwing bottles onto the field of play.

“I request our cricket lovers not to behave like Indian spectators. We have a very good history and culture. Such misbehaviour is not accepted in our culture and history,” Ranatunga was quoted as saying in various Indian media reports.

Needless to say, the comments didn’t go down too well with the Indian fans.

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