Witchcraft Helped Us Win Test Series vs Pakistan, Says Sri Lanka Captain Dinesh Chandimal

Sri Lanka won the Test series against Pakistan 2-0 but suffered a 5-0 series whitewash in the ODIs against the same opponent which was soon followed by a 3-0 drubbing in the three-match Twenty20 International series. Sri Lanka's surprise two-match Test series win against Pakistan this month was down to witchcraft, captain Dinesh Chandimal said Tuesday, drawing mockery on social media. Chandimal scored a brilliant 155 in the first Test match that laid the foundation for the visitors to capitalise on a good first innings score and win the Test while the second Test saw the Sri Lankan captain score a half-century that helped the visitors reach a formidable first innings score. Chandimal has pretty much attributed his team's good performance to witchcraft that has drawn a lot of criticism from all quarters.

Chandimal told reporters he had received a special blessing from a meyni, or sorcerer, ahead of the two-match series in the United Arab Emirates.

"I am always ready to accept the blessings of anyone --whether it is a meyni or any clergy," Chandimal told reporters after returning to Colombo.

"You can have talent, but without this blessing you can't move forward."

His comments came a week after Sri Lanka's sports minister denied ordering the struggling national team to use witchcraft ahead of the Test series.

Dayasiri Jayasekara threatened to sue a sorcerer for claiming that at his request she cast a spell over Pakistan to ensure Sri Lanka's victory.

Several Sri Lankan politicians, business leaders and sports stars put their faith in witchcraft or astrology. Former president Mahinda Rajapakse took the advice of his personal astrologer before calling an election two years ahead of schedule in January 2015, only to lose badly.

Chandimal said the sorcerer he consulted was the mother of a friend, and he was willing to accept her blessings. But since the Test victory, Sri Lanka have fared less well losing both the one-day series as well as the T20Is. Sri Lankan fans made fun of Chandimal and criticised his sorcerer online, with many calling her a fraud.

"You made predictions, tied talismans, held poojas, but finally we were humiliated," posted one social media user.

(With AFP Inputs)