Rehan Fernando is excited during a 20-minute drive to the Premadasa, not precisely by the thoughts of an India vs Pakistan match that keeps millions of fans busy across stadiums, living rooms, pubs, and social media.
“I am going to get a lot of Uber requests on Sunday for stadium drop-offs and pick-ups. Need to keep Suzuki Every fuelled and ready for the rush hours,” Fernando sing-songs.
The 41-year-old, a father of two, knows that Sunday alone can add substantially to his wallet. “I heard tickets have been sold out. Who knows! Maybe I will get enough money to do some pending repair works.”
Fernando’s words reflect the mood across Sri Lanka. For many, the India vs Pakistan match, even without a direct connection to them, is a money spinner.Fernando is not alone.
The hopes of a financial windfall are spreading across sections of Lankan society. In Colombo’s posh Park Street Mews, the city’s evenings and nights pulse with activity.
A short drive through Kynsey Mawatha past De Soysa Circle shows glitzy buildings, wide clean roads, luxury car showrooms, exclusive suitings, and fine-dine restaurants. The 2km stretch captures Colombo’s cosmopolitan energy.
The road opens into a street of pubs and bistros, but on a Saturday night, Indian and Pakistani visitors outnumber locals.
“We are struggling to find seats for our customers. We generally get good footfalls on weekends, but we have not expected this kind of numbers,” says Michael Amarasiri, store manager of a well-known waterhole in the city.
Amarasiri is also linked to the travel side of the weekend. His brother-in-law runs a travel company, and the uncertain nature of the match created challenges.
“Till last week, we were unsure whether the match would happen or not. We have also received some requests to cancel the room bookings after Pakistan announced its decision to boycott this match. But once it was decided to get on with the match, we received calls to revive the cancelled room bookings, and also more fans from India, particularly from Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru, have approached us for two-night or even one-night stays,” says Amarasiri.
“Yeah, we cannot entertain everyone but we also have tried to link with small-time tour operators and individuals who are giving houses on rent to accommodate as many requests as possible. We also have found out that the airfare has really gone through the roof in the last couple of days,” he says.
"Maybe we can have more India vs Pakistan matches in Colombo. Why don't we have a bilateral series between them here?" Amarasiri chuckles.
While organised sectors benefit, local vendors are also ready. Khettarama Road is teeming with young men selling Indian and Pakistani jerseys, hats, flags, and offering temporary tattoos.
Stalls sell lemonade, fruit juice, and coconut water to fans queuing under the sun. Even players notice it.
Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha said, “I have done at least 4-5 tours of Sri Lanka. I have seen the best people of my life here. They are very nice people and their hospitality is very good. So we are enjoying our time here.”
