Exclusive: 'Put race, religion, party aside' - Muttiah Muralitharan opens up on Sri Lanka economic crisis

Zee Exclusive: "People must put their party, race, religion aside. We need to come together as a nation and tackle the situation. That's the way I think it should happen," Muralitharan told Zee Media in an exclusive interview.

Sri Lanka cricket great Muttiah Muralitharan spoke to Zee Media on country's economic crisis and his current IPL tour to India.

Sri Lanka cricket great Muttiah Muralitharan has opened up on the economic crisis in his country. The off-spinner, who is currently in India for the ongoing season of the IPL, said that all the stakeholders - politicians, bureaucrats and financial experts - must sit together in order to tackle the crisis that has erupted after the devaluation of Sri Lanka's currency.

"People in powerful positions must put their party, race, religion aside. We need to come together as a nation and tackle the situation. That's the way I think it should happen," Muralitharan told Zee Media in an exclusive interview.

'Mismanagement is not the only thing to blame'

Muralitharan said that there are multiple factors that have led to the cirsis. "There are collective reasons for it. It has not come up in a day. It's the pandemic time. Jobs are lost. Oil prices are going up. Of course, there's mismanagement too. But mismanagement is not the only thing to blame," said the retired Right-arm off break bowler.

'Help needed from India, China'

Muttiah Muralitharan also hoped that Sri Lanka's neighbours - India and China - would come forward for help. "We need help from our neighbours like India and China. Agencies like IMF," Muralitharan said.

'Crisis not built in a day'

Muralitharan further said that the current economic crisis hasn't come up in Sri Lanka in a single day. He said that it was always building up in the country. He added that Sri Lanka is a small economy that has more imports and less exports.

"Dollar crisis has come into Sri Lanka.  We have to import a lot of goods. Now, freight charges are going up. What used to come in for $100 now comes for for $700. Energy bills are going up. It has not come in a day. It is being built up and built up," Muralitharan said. 

Second Part Of The Interview Will Be Published Later In The Day