Sri Lanka and Pakistan Bring the Dhamaal Meme to Life

The Sri Lankan cricket team is back to its own country after having a rollercoaster ride in Pakistan. The team visited Pakistan for the T20I tri-series, but reportedly 16 of their players have now withdrawn from the tournament. Also, it seems that the team has just recreated the Dhamaal meme.

If you have watched the Dhamaal movie, you must be aware of the scene where Ritesh Deshmukh said, “Ham abhi South Asia ki 2nd safest jagah pe khade hai.” And just after he had finished saying this, boom, things took a drastic turn leaving the movie watchers in splits. This iconic meme might have been recreated by the Sri Lankan cricket team.

This statement was issued by Kusal Mendis on 10 November. Just a week before the T20I tri-series, when the Sri Lankan team thought they were safe in Pakistan, something unexpected happened. Just a day after the statement, a suicide bombing took place in Islamabad.

This incident took place at the District Judicial Complex, which resulted in deaths of 12 individuals and also left at least 30 people injured. For this, the Pakistan Government made some bold statements, and this all comes at a time when Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka are in Pakistan, preparing for the tri-series.

2. Sri Lanka Withdrawals

Following the incident that took place at Islamabad, the security concerns were back again. And this time, it was reported that at least 16 players from the Sri Lankan team withdrew from the series against Pakistan. Currently, both teams are going against each other in an ODI series.

At this time, the Sri Lankan Cricket Board decided to intervene. They had a talk with the Pakistan Cricket Board to ensure that their players remain safe. For this, the board has also issued a statement which :

“Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) was informed by the team management this morning that several members of the national team currently touring Pakistan have requested to return home, citing safety concerns. Following this development, SLC immediately engaged with the players and assured them that all such concerns are being duly addressed in close coordination with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the relevant authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of every member of the touring party. In this context, SLC has instructed all players, support staff, and team management to continue with the tour as scheduled.”

The board even talked about the serious actions it will take on the players who will withdraw themselves from the series. The replacements for the departing players will immediately be named, as they will be sent to Pakistan to play for the team.

The statement , “However, should any player or member of the touring party decide to return to Sri Lanka despite the directive issued by SLC to continue with the tour, Sri Lanka Cricket will immediately send replacements to ensure that the tour continues without interruption. If any player, players, or member of the support staff return despite SLC's directives, a formal review will be conducted to assess their actions, and an appropriate decision will be made upon the conclusion of the review.”

3. Sri Lankan Players in Pakistan 2009 Scandal

During 2009, Sri Lanka had a tour of Pakistan, which was also affected with the security reasons. This tour came out to be tragic, as the Sri Lankan players were attacked by terrorists. It should be noted that India was also a part of the same tour but refused to play due to security reasons. Sri Lanka and Pakistan had their first match to end in a draw.

And now it was time for the second match at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The first two days of the Test went peacefully. But on the third day, when the team was heading to the stadium, they were attacked by 12 armed terrorists near the Liberty Roundabout, just outside the stadium. The attackers even threw grenades at the team convoy.

This resulted in injuries to several players which included Kumar Sangakkara, Thilan Samaraweera, Ajantha Mendis, Tharanga Paranavitana, and Chaminda Vaas. Even six police personnel and two civilians were reportedly killed in this attack. The Sri Lankan team's bus driver, Mehar Mohammad Khalil showed bravery as he drove the entire team to the stadium safely.