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T20 World Cup: Dasun Shanaka has faith in his Lankan team

Captain Dasun Shanaka is still hopeful that Sri Lanka can still make it to the semifinals by winning their next two games

Published: Mon 31 Oct 2022, 9:16 PM

  • By
  • Anis Sajan

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Sri Lanka's captain Dasun Shanaka. — AFP

Sri Lanka's captain Dasun Shanaka. — AFP

What’s gone wrong with team Sri Lanka in this World Cup in Australia after coming into it in form on the back of winning the Asia Cup beating big teams like India and Pakistan?

After going down in the first game to Namibia, Sri Lanka made it to the Super 12 with a big win over the UAE and in the Super 12 started their campaign well beating Netherlands by nine wickets.

But in the next two games against Australia and New Zealand, they fell apart completely in all the departments — be it batting, bowling and especially fielding.

Dasun Shanaka with Anis Sajan

Dasun Shanaka with Anis Sajan

Moreover, injuries to their key fast bowlers like Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka and left-arm pacer Binura Fernando has also hampered their pace bowling plans.

Their main batsmen Kusal Mendis, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Pathun Nishanka, Charith Asalanka and Dhananjaya de Silva have not scored runs as a unit and it was clearly evident when they folded up for just 102 runs in their last game against New Zealand in Sydney.

Sri Lanka’s star leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, on whom they rely a lot, too went for plenty in the game against Australia, going for 53 runs in just three overs. He has got just three wickets in the Super 12 in the three games.

Most appalling has been their catching where their fielders have dropped crucial catches in both their losses to Australia and New Zealand.

Captain Dasun Shanaka is still hopeful that Sri Lanka can still make it to the semifinals by winning their next two games against Afghanistan and England. But he wants his team to fire as a unit as they did in the Asia Cup.

After their demoralising loss against Afghanistan in the first game, the Lankans went on to win the next five games to lift the Asia Cup title.

Shanaka believes his team have what it takes to turn their fortunes around and replicate the Asia Cup dream run.

Anis Sajan is the vice-chairman of the Danube Group



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