In
the third Twenty20 match of the Sri Lanka tour of India, visitors had to suffer
a defeat by 91 runs and while addressing the press conference held after that
match, Sri Lanka assistant coach Naveed Nawaz said that Sri Lanka could easily
win the first match. Also, if Sri Lanka had won that match, Dasun and the team
could have won the tournament and changed history, he further added.
Meanwhile,
Sri Lanka’s Assistant Coach Naveed Nawaz described Yadav’s innings as an
outstanding performance that completely made the difference between the two
teams. “It was an outstanding innings by Suryakumar, which took the game away
from us. We tried several things, our bowlers tried a couple of plans, which
didn’t go well obviously.”
“He
was striking at 200 and sustained it till he got his hundred. So that’s a
special skill he has achieved,” Nawaz added.
After
the last match Sri Lanka Captain Dasun Shanaka said that they would take the
positives from the concluded Twenty20 International series and would like to
move forward with an improved performance in the upcoming One Day International
(ODI) series against India.
Anyway
Sri Lanka suffered a massive 91-run defeat in the third and final Twenty20
International on Saturday at Rajkot and conceded the series 1-2. “The way our
boys played the tournament, there were a lot of positives. The players have
improved a lot. Good to see them playing well,”
The
Sri Lankan Captain also expressed satisfaction about his own performances in
this Twenty20 International series, which was Sri Lanka’s first overseas series
for 2023. “Before coming here, I was not in top form, but I am very happy with
my own performances,” Shanaka revealed after having emerged as Sri Lanka’s
highest run-getter in the series.
Shanaka
collected a total of 124 runs from the three innings at an average of 62.00
with a highest score of 56 not out and ended with a magnificent strike-rate of
187.87.
The
Sri Lankan Captain also emphasised the importance of his services to the team
as a bowler and promised to play a more dominant role with the ball in the ODI
series. “Coming into the Twenty20 series, I had an injury, so I did not bowl
enough. Hopefully, I will bowl more in the ODIs. I want to keep the boys
relaxed on the field, but while batting it is a different game,” Shanaka said
after having sent down just a solitary over for the entire series.
Shanaka
also congratulated India’s middle order batter Suryakumar Yadav, who took the
game away from Sri Lanka by smashing an unbeaten 112 from just 51 deliveries.
