Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister visits cricketing legend in Trinidad:

Brian Lara has fond memories of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayka who represented the President of Sri Lanka at the CHOGM Summit visited the residence of the world famous cricketer Brian Lara. Trinidad is the hometown of this famous cricketer.

The Prime Minister visited the Brian Lara Pavilion and the Museum. Afterwards the delegation visited the residence of Brian Lara, who warmly welcomed the Sri Lankan delegation and had a friendly discussion.

Among the countries he had visited, Sri Lanka was one of the countries he liked, said Brian Lara. He remembered his matches at the SSC cricket ground and also mentioned Sri Lankan cricketers such as, Asanaka Gurusinghe, Arjuna Ranatunga and Sanath Jayasooriya. The Prime Minister also mentioned world famous cricketers.

Lara noted that the Prime Minister was a good cricket fan. The Prime Minister replied that not only him but everyone in Sri Lanka, young and old alike enjoyed cricket. ‘We visited, you because we enjoyed your play’, said the Prime Minister.

Brian Lara showed the Prime Minister the souvenirs he had collected on his world tours. He showed a T-shirt he had kept with him where the words ‘Sri Lanka’ was printed in front.

Brian Lara gifted a bat signed by him to the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister too presented him gifts.

The friendly discussion continued for about half an hour.

The Prime Minister said he liked Tinidad because it was very much like Sri Lanka with a similar environment, and said that Trinidad will be historically significant since it produced a talented and world famous cricketer like Brian Lara.