Back in the capital,unabashed patriotism,cricket is oozing

It looks more like hes crying out in anguish rather than letting out an intimidating war-cry.

It looks more like hes crying out in anguish rather than letting out an intimidating war-cry. The gigantic billboard carrying the picture of Tillakaratane Dilshan in his warrior avatar along with a couple of his comparatively sober-looking Sri Lankan teammate is the first sign of the World Cup finally hitting the urban shores of the Emerald Isle for the first of the two Colombo-legs. And just like in the villages and the fields around the rural outpost of Hambantota,the capital too seems all-set to embrace the quadrennial mega-event with warm yet partisan arms.

Players,journalists and fans alike had to travel around 50km at the least to get to the Mahinda Rajapakse International Cricket Stadium for the opening two matches a one-hour drive in most cases. The crippling traffic that almost brings life on the road in Colombo to a complete standstill though is a clear indicator that getting to the R Premadasa Stadium is going to be an equally time-consuming affair despite being not more than 3km from the Galle sea-face,which houses most of the prominent hotels in the city.

There are enough World Cup-inspired advertisements hanging from everywhere be it shops,buildings or hoardings along the way to make even an average cricket-fan stretch his neck out and peer through the car windows. Every lamp-post on the road adjoining the parliament houses carries a poster of one of the 15 Sri Lankans,on whose shoulders rest the hopes of the entire nation.

Muralis cover-drive

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Interestingly,probably keeping in mind the pitches on which the World Cup will be played in the subcontinent,it is the batsmen who are highlighted more prominently. Even in Muttiah Muralitharans case it is a picture of him playing a typically anti-textbook cover-drive rather than bowling a doosra that has been displayed.

The World Cup is also proving to be the best opportunity for the Sri Lankans to portray their patriotism. Almost every house both in the countryside en route to Hambantota and in the urban metropolis that is Colombo has the Sri Lankan flag fluttering proudly in its front-yard,off its roof or from any vantage point possible. Incidentally,each of the four light-towers at the Rajapakse Stadium has the Lion Flag with the gold lion holding a sword hoisted on top.

As the setting for the World Cup now shifts from the archaic to the state-of-the-art,Dilshan & Co will now have to provide more reasons for their compatriots to display their unabashed patriotism and wave the Sri Lankan flag with much more pride in the coming weeks,starting with a convincing showing against the Pakistanis on Saturday.