India could come to the rescue of Sri Lanka to restart its cricketing economics following the aborted England tour of the island and an uncertain South African tour in the aftermath of the coronavirus lockdown that has brought global sport to a complete standstill.
India is slated to tour Sri Lanka commencing in the last week of June for what is expected to be a money-spinning six-match series featuring three ODIs and three T20 Internationals.
The tour could be a saving face for Sri Lanka Cricket which fears a possible bankruptcy as several of its development projects have been put on hold and funds expected to diminish without any on-field action to bring in the revenue.
But while Sri Lanka looks forward to the visit of the Indians, cricket administrators are also wary of the matches successfully marketed to advertisers.
"A tour by India has always been very profitable for all parties concerned, especially if you take the current situation where funds are needed. But our biggest danger will come if advertisers don't get in there", said Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Mohan de Silva.
India's tour of Sri Lanka will also be their first fling at international level and the series remains crucial for both countries.
Should the tour be a non-starter, which Sri Lanka Cricket hopes will not be the case, the sport's keepers will be compelled to take drastic measures in view of what is been seen as "thumping salaries" paid to a full house of foreing coaches and other experts.
Several development projects like swimming pools in Kandy and Dambulla and the contruction of an international venue in Diyagama just outside Colombo have also been halted to save on funds.
Sri Lanka has also put on hold until the end of April, finalising and selling its television broadcast rights to an overseas partner which covers the country's international cricket at home that is in turn marketed to advertisers during matches.
Meanwhile the International Cricket Council (ICC) has called a television conference scheduled for April 23 among its full members that includes Sri Lanka to discuss how the sport could be put back on track with the T20 World Cup to look forward to in October this year.