The argument that cricket and politics are separate was always dubious – not least given what a ‘national’ team represents.

In April, Sri Lanka’s cash-strapped government suddenly raised taxes on imported cars – from 95% to 120%.

The overnight raise drew this comment from ‘fp’, a reader of Lanka Business Online:

"The video showing summary executions during the final days of Sri Lanka's war in May 2009 provides clear-cut evidence of war crimes.

"I tried to die. That was better for me. But then I found that I was being revived so that I can be killed by torture in Sri Lanka. I don't feel any animosity towards anyone but I cannot understand why the British authorities saved my life only to send me back to where I would be killed."

During 2009, even as 40,000 Tamil civilians were being systematically killed by the Sri Lankan military, the UK government approved arms sales worth £700,000 to Sri Lanka. Even after Sri Lanka declared victory, and the war over, the UK government approved sales of arms to £1,000,000

The emergence of new evidence of war crimes against Tamil civilians has led to questions on Britain's tacit backing of the Sri Lankan government.

Speaking in the House of Commons against the deportation of Tamil refugees to Sri Lanka, opposition (Labour) MP Siobhain McDonagh said the UK government had Tamil blood on its hands.

“Though Sri Lanka became independent, the Tamils living in that country were struggling for many years against the injustice of being treated as second class citizens.

Cricket commentator and former England captain Mike Atherton wrote in The Times Thursday:

“The government and its agents continued to be responsible for serious human rights problems.

“The targeting of civilians is a war crime. If proved, these charges go right up the chain of command of Sri Lanka’s military and government.

Speaking after Tuesday’s transmission of Channel 4’s documentary ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’, Britain's Foreign Office Minister for South Asia, Alistair Burt, said in a statement: