Sri Lankan super-fan arrives in Australia

Christchurch, Feb 9 (IANS) Gayan Senanayaka is the super-fan of the Sri Lanka cricket side, attending over 200 games at home and abroad. Now, following their successful ICC T20 World Cup campaign in 2014, it’s no surprise that Senanayaka is excited about seeing his team in action on the world stage again.

"I hope to see all the Sri Lanka games, in New Zealand and Australia," said Senanayaka joyfully, in particular the tournament opener between Sri Lanka and New Zealand here Feb 14.

His cricket fanaticism came to life when, as a 17-year-old, Senanayaka watched Sri Lanka secure the 1996 World Cup.

As a tournament on home-soil, jointly hosted with India and Pakistan, Sri Lanka subsequently ushered in a cricketing wave that swept the nation, especially Senanayaka.

"Sri Lankan people became much more involved," Senanayaka explained, as the victory kick-started things for Sri Lankan cricket, “the players started to get recognised".

Off the field, Senanayaka has too gained recognition for his chanting prowess.

However, being in charge of so many cricket-mad supporters and getting them to make noise is no simple task. It takes a long lasting passion for the game and your country, something Gayan expresses deeply.

“I come to the ground and I talk to my crowd, I give them the music, the dancing and the cheering.”

Senanayaka has brought excitement to the Sri Lankan crowds for years, and he hopes to do so well into the future also. More than anything, though, Senanayaka wants to cheer Sri Lanka all the way to their third consecutive World Cup final.

“C’mon Sri Lanka!”