In times of such tragedy, cricket almost seems like a pointless game with a couple of bats and a ball. And Sri Lanka and England will look to find the will and wherewithal to go ahead and play normally when the two sides meet in the 2nd ODI in Colombo.
Following the unfathomable death of Phil Hughes, the cricketing world, indeed the sporting world, have united as one in their grief as they try to make sense of the terrible tragedy.
With Pakistan and New Zealand, after abandoning a day of Test cricket, have gallantly gone ahead and resumed what they are meant to do, Sri Lanka and England must do the same as well.
"We might be playing for different sides and different countries but we're pretty much the same guys, trying to do our best for our teams at a sport we love," said England skipper Alastair Cook on Friday.
"Our intention is show our respects in the right way for Phil and try and put on a good show. It was a really sad day yesterday, a tragic day for cricket and the words I say here aren't going to do it justice. It's an incredibly sad changing room for us and all our thoughts are with Hughes' family and friends and those Australian players who knew him so well."
Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews was also in a sombre mood, as everyone tried to make sense of the tragedy that had struck so cruelly.
"It hasn't really been easy to concentrate," added Mathews. That was the first thing I heard when I woke up last morning, and I had a very tough day going through it. Everyone had a tough day. Even though he's an Australian, he's our mate.
"When you lose a friend of yours, it is very difficult to go through. I hope and pray that we never ever hear of such an incident again in cricket, or any other sport."
Sri Lanka head into the 2nd ODI with a 1-0 lead in this seven-match series. Their batsmen, finally, came to the fore, posting a score well in excess of 300, which England, courtesy a wonderful hundred from Moeen Ali and a nice half-century from Ravi Bopara, made a good fist of the chase, even if they fell short.
Both teams would have taken confidence from the 1st ODI, but it remains to be seen just how the tragedy that is currently enveloping cricket affects them on the field.
Where to Watch Live
The 2nd ODI match is scheduled to begin at 10 pm local time (10 pm IST, 4.30 am GMT) with live coverage on Ten Action in India and Ten Sports in Sri Lanka. The match can also be watched via live streaming online on Ten Sports Live.
Watch the action in the UK on Sky Sports 2, while audience can also catch the match by live streaming on Watch Sky Sports or Sky Go. Viewers in the US can watch the game on Willow TV or Willow TV Online.
Expected lineups: Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews, Lahiru Thirimanne, Jeevan Mendis, Thisara Perera, Dhammika Prasad, Rangana Herath, Ajantha Mendis.
England: Alastair Cook, Moeen Ali, Ian Bell, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Jos Buttler, Ravi Bopara, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, James Tredwell, Harry Gurney.
