By BIPIN DANI
Barring Mahela Jaywardene, IPL's all Sri Lankan players and support staff (men and women) who participated in the recently concluded IPL (Indian Premier League) in the UAE missed watching the final.
"We could not watch the men's final", former women's team captain Shashikala Jayawardene, confirmed over the telephone from her hotel room in Colombo on Thursday morning.
"Myself, Chamari Atapattu, Isuru Udana, Muthiah Muralitharan and Mario Villavarayan came in the same Emirates flight on Wednesday early morning",
Both women players played the Women's T-20 Challenge, Isuru played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore and Murali and Mario were part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad teams as bowling consultant and the physical trainer respectively.
"We were in the night flight at the time when the final was underway (on November 10) . There was no flight on 11th and therefore had to leave without watching the final", she added.
All of them, (and may be Mahela Jayawardene, the Mumbai Indians coach, who may have arrived on Wednesday) are on a 14-day quarantine.
Sharing her experience of playing in the tournament, Shashikala says, "Our team (Supernovas) had a spark in them because Harman is a very positive, brave and strong character which affects us in a positive way. I really enjoyed being with a great bunch of cricketers".
"Coach Mamatha Maben was very supportive as well as the manager Trupti Madam and the support staff. So, I would like to thank BCCI for having such a wonderful event under these circumstances. Overall, we are happy that we played some good cricket after being away from cricket for 7 to 8 months due to this corona pandemic", she signed off.
