When politics stepped onto the cricket field, Chennai became an IPL fortress without its Sri Lankan stars in 2013
Can you imagine an IPL match in Chennai without players from one specific nation? Odd, right? Well, back in IPL 2013, all Sri Lankan cricketers and match officials were banned from playing in Chennai due to political tensions between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. This situation wasn’t merely about cricket; it represented something much more profound.
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So, how did this come about? What impact did it have on CSK and other teams? And the big question—did Chennai still stand strong as an IPL fortress without its Lankan superstars? Let’s explore!
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The IPL governing council declared that Sri Lankan players, match officials, and umpires would not be permitted to participate in matches held in Chennai, citing security concerns.
This decision followed Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister, J Jayalalithaa, writing to the Indian Prime Minister, urging a total ban on Sri Lankan involvement in Chennai’s games.
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The underlying issue? The ongoing strife between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka regarding the treatment of ethnic Tamils. Thus, while other IPL venues were graced by Lasith Malinga’s yorkers and Kumara Sangakkara’s stunning cover drives, Chennai remained a Lanka-free zone in IPL 2013!
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Did the ban impact the Chennai Super Kings (CSK)? Not significantly. CSK had only two Sri Lankan players, Nuwan Kulasekara and Akila Dananjaya, and neither was a regular in the lineup.
Other teams, like the Mumbai Indians with Malinga, Sunrisers Hyderabad with Sangakkara and Thisara Perera, and Delhi Daredevils with Mahela Jayawardene, felt the burden more heavily.
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But true to CSK’s style, they hardly batted an eyelid. Their home record remained impressive, and the fortress at Chepauk continued to be a stronghold!
Not everyone embraced the ban. Some fans and former cricketers wondered why politics had to intrude on sports. Others claimed that if India avoided bilateral cricket with PAK over security issues, Tamil Nadu’s choice made sense, too.
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The conversation sparked passionately, yet one thing was clear—IPL 2013 in Chennai stood out from the rest.
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Despite the ban, IPL 2013 moved forward in Chennai without Sri Lankan players, with CSK maintaining their stronghold at Chepauk. This stands out as one of those rare moments in IPL history where political tension influenced the tournament’s flow.
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Imagine the IPL today without Sri Lankan stars like Matheesha Pathirana and Wanindu Hasaranga—hard to fathom, right? Yet, back in 2013, that was the reality Chennai faced!
