Sri Lanka manager backs Dinesh Chandimal's 'witchcraft' comment
What's the story
Days after intriguing comments from Dinesh Chandimal attributing Test win against Pakistan to 'witchcraft', the Sri Lankan captain was asked if he would resort to any such 'methods' ahead of their tour to India.
The team manager Asanka Gurusinha came to Chandimal's rescue saying that they believe in performing on the field.
He added, "We have or own religious beliefs like all of you."
Test win against Pak
Chandimal's remarks after victory over Pakistan
In a surprising result, Sri Lanka won the Test series against Pakistan 2-0, earlier this October, only to lose the following ODI and T20 series in a 5-0 and 3-0 whitewash.
The Lankan captain Dinesh Chandimal said that the Test win was because of 'witchcraft'. He said that he had received a special blessing from a 'meyni', or sorcerer, ahead of the Test series.
Information
Sports minister denies ordering team to use witchcraft
While Chandimal said, "You can have talent, but without this blessing (from sorcerer) you can't move forward." The country's sports minister, a week before the episode, denied ordering the national team to use witchcraft ahead of the Test series.
Not just sports
Religious beliefs or superstitions?
While Chandimal's comments were dismissed and made fun of, Sri Lanka's politicians, business leaders, and sports persons are no strangers to putting their faith in astrology and witchcraft.
For instance, former president of the country Mahindra Rajapakse called for elections two years ahead of schedule in 2015 on the advice of his personal astrologer. He however lost the election.