Former Sri Lankan cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya on Wednesday took a veiled dig at Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe after the latter was appointed as the acting President. Drawing a comparison with “Mr Bean”, the legendary comic character from the award-winning British sitcom, the former cricketer said, “Last man has no chance to bat alone in cricket. Leave GRACEFULLY.”

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Comparing PM Ranil Wickremesinghe’s situation to that of a legendary British sitcom, Jayasuriya imagined someone like him being brought into the team “despite selectors rejecting him because he is ACTOR and not a cricketer”.

In a tweet, Jayasuriya said, “However, not only does he play when (the) umpire rules him out, (he) refuses to leave the crease! No more games.”

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On Wednesday, fresh protests erupted in Sri Lanka after Wickremesinghe took over as the acting President of the island-nation, after embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled along with his wife and two bodyguards to Male in Maldives.

In a televised message, Lankan parliamentary speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said that Rajapaksa appointed the PM as the acting president, and will send his resignation letter on the day.

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Earlier, Abeywardena had spoken about Rajapaksa pledging to step down on July 13.

Protestors, however, demanded the resignation of both Wickremesinghe and Rajapaksa as they see the PM as an ally of the latter. Thousands of protestors took to the streets and even stormed inside Wickremesinghe’s office. Videos shared on social media showed people, both men and women, flaunting the Lankan national flag and standing atop the office building amid utter chaos.

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Despite attempts by police to control the mob, which included firing several rounds of tear gas shells, more and more people joined the protest and have now taken over the office of the PM.