Sport in Sri Lanka is a significant part of Sri Lankan
culture. Volleyball is the national sport in Sri Lanka. Cricket is the most
popular sport in Sri Lanka. Rugby union
is also popular. Other popular sports are water sports, badminton, athletics, football,
basketball and tennis. Sri Lanka's schools and colleges regularly organize
sports and athletics teams, competing on provincial and national levels.
The Sri Lanka national cricket team achieved
considerable success beginning in the 1990s, rising from the underdog status to
winning the 1996 Cricket World Cup. The Sri Lankan national cricket team
reached the finals of the 2007 Cricket World Cup, where they lost to Australia
at the Kensington Oval, in Bridgetown, Barbados.[3] After qualifying to play in
the finals of the 2011 Cricket World Cup, Sri Lanka was beaten by India.[4] The
legendary Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan also ended his incredible
career at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai which hosted the 2011 World Cup
finals. The national cricket team of Sri Lanka has won the Asia Cup in 1986,
1997, 2004 and 2008.
Sri Lanka has a large number of sports stadiums,
including Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu Stadium &
R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium in
Hambantota, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, Rangiri Dambulla
International Stadium in Dambulla and Galle International Stadium in Galle. The
country co-hosted the 1996 Cricket World Cup with India and Pakistan, the 2011
Cricket World Cup with India and Bangladesh and has hosted the Asia Cup
tournament on numerous occasions. Water sports such as boating, surfing, swimming
and scuba diving on the coast, the beaches and backwaters attract a large
number of Sri Lankans and foreign tourists.
0 comments :
Post a Comment