'Wonderful inititative' - Fans react as Jay Shah gives 50,000 USD to the Ground staff in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka were to host nine games in the Asia Cup 2023 with four games going to Pakistan. Rain threatened to thwart a lot of games in Sri Lanka. Some of the games in the Group Stage were washed out or were hit by rain which was a big problem. The weather in Colombo was very iffy.

Advertisment

But after some time the weather in Colombo got better. Rain has been the seventh player in the Asia Cup and the groundsmen in Sri Lanka have been the eighth player. Whenever there has been rain the ground staff in Sri Lanka have come in whenever required and covered the entire ground in a very rapid fashion which has helped the game cut down on delays and have earlier start times than usual.

Colombo has had rainy weather right through the Asia Cup

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) are proud to announce a well-deserved prize money of USD 50,000 for the dedicated curators and groundsmen at Colombo and Kandy. Their unwavering commitment and hard work made the Asia Cup 2023 an unforgettable spectacle. From pitch perfection to lush outfields, they ensured the stage was set for thrilling cricket action. This recognition highlights the critical role these individuals play in cricket's success. Let's celebrate and honour their yeoman services! Jay Shah said in a tweet to pay tribute to the Sri Lankan ground staff.

Advertisment

There were a lot of problems with Colombo as a venue due to the rains by the ACC and SLC have pulled through. There were talks earlier to change the venue to Hambantota where it was drier but the ACC changed their decision and said that the matches would remain in Colombo.

When the rain relented and the games could go on some amazing thrillers were on show to the cricket-loving Sri Lankan public who enjoyed some great performances on show. The Asia Cup was well and truly back on its feet.

Let us take a look at the reactions on Twitter:

Advertisment

This support is truly admirable. It's the least ACC could have done for such hard-working people who worked tirelessly to make sure that we get to see the game in spite of frequent stoppages. But having said that, questions should be raised about the scheduling of this Asia Cup.

— Rahul Sharma (@CricFnatic) September 17, 2023

What a super gesture, this is what sportsmanship is all about,on and off the field this beautiful game is making it large & fulfilling for all stakeholders including the ones who are the unsung heroes and make play possible in the toughest conditions 👍🏏🏆🇱🇰🇮🇳

— ShapathShah (@Shapathgshah1) September 17, 2023

Well it indeed is a good decision but what if you had put your ego aside and let the host country decide the venues for the Asia Cup matches

— Dr. Jari Ullah (@jariullah123) September 17, 2023

Truly deserves 👏

— MrDeepak (@X_MrDeepak) September 17, 2023

बहुत शानदार

— ⚡R D 📖 (@therdmeme) September 17, 2023

Amazing! These unsung heroes deserve every penny for their hard work. Cricket wouldn't be the same without their dedication and expertise in maintaining those iconic fields. Bravo, curators and groundsmen of Colombo and Kandy! 🏏💪

— Somanath Mishra🇮🇳 (@somnath_bbsr) September 17, 2023

Great gesture by BCCI ❤️

— Hussain (@imhussy92) September 17, 2023

pic.twitter.com/un0PmVZkpT

— Moana (@ladynationalist) September 17, 2023