Ahead of Thursday’s match against Sri Lanka, India captain Rohit Sharma reflected on his encounter with uncle Percy and shared his fond memories with him. Rohit was saddened by the death of Uncle Percy, who was one of his Sri Lankan cricket team’s biggest supporters.
Percy Abeysekara, popularly known as Uncle Percy, passed away on October 30th at the age of 87 after a long illness. He spent most of his life traveling with his Sri Lankan cricket team and began cheering at the 1979 World Cup. His presence in the stands waving the flag was a daily presence every time the Islanders played.
At the pre-match press conference, Rohit Sharma expressed his gratitude for meeting Percy Abeysekara during the Asia Cup. Over the years, he has spoken passionately about his love for cricket in Sri Lanka and his memories of discovering cricket in 2008.
“I was lucky enough to meet him during the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka. He was of course a big cricket fan of the Sri Lankan team. He was probably the first real person I met. ‘s fan and the support from his side for his team and players was great,” Rohit said.
“When we first visited Sri Lanka for the U-19 World Cup in 2005, he was there. I was a young boy. How things work outside the cricket field. I had no idea. I wasn’t like most of it. ‘But when I accompanied the Indian team in 2008, I met him for the first time, witnessed his passion and was also lucky enough to meet his family, son and grandson. It was very sweet. I went there with some of my team members,” added Rohit Sharma.
Uncle Percy’s passion for cricket has brought him into contact with international cricketers. In particular, he befriended Indian cricketers like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. The Indian captain visited Uncle Percy’s home during the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka and was shown the warmth and appreciation from her international players.
It Is A Sad Moment For All Of Us – Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma expressed his sadness over the loss and said it was a bad day for everyone involved in the match. He also said that it was a sad day for the whole community.
“This is a sad loss for the cricket fraternity. In my eyes, he was the biggest cricket fan at that point. There are so many fans now. But when I first He was the cricket fan I saw. Yes, it’s a sad moment for all of us,” added Rohit Sharma.
Even as his health deteriorated in his later years, Uncle Percy’s love for cricket never diminished. He continued to attend big cricket matches, wave the Sri Lankan flag, and cheer for his favorite team, which is a big mistake for his cricket community.
