Sanath Jayasuriya, the head coach, was shocked after Sri Lanka lost to India in the final over of their Asia Cup Super Fours match in Dubai.
Their passing immediately evoked thoughts of July 2024, when they wasted what ought to have been a simple pursuit against India. With six wickets remaining, Sri Lanka needed just nine runs from two overs on that improbable night at Pallekele. However, as the match entered a Super Over, they faltered against the bowling of Rinku Singh and Suryakumar Yadav, managing only one run, which Suryakumar scored with a single delivery.
With centurion Pathum Nissanka on strike and six wickets left in the final over on Friday, Sri Lanka needed 12 runs to win. However, he went down right away, and there was a chance to end the match in regular time when Dasun Shanaka struck the final ball towards wide long-on with Sri Lanka needing three to win. However, Shanaka, who was totally ignorant that Kuldeep Yadav had misfielded and that there might have been a chance for a third, stretched out a full-length dive to finish the second run and tie the score, expecting the ball to be thrown at his end. When Sri Lanka faltered once more, it meant that the game would be decided in the Super Over.
“I would’ve preferred to finish games in normal time,” Jayasuriya stated during the press conference held after the game. “Neither a coach nor a captain desires to attend a Super Over. Dasun, regrettably, failed to finish the third run. There isn’t a mental block against India, though. We’ve given them confidence, and our hitting lineup is formidable. Although chasing 200 (203) is never simple, we came quite close, demonstrating our calibre.
Nissanka is one of the best examples of Sri Lanka’s class and quality, which are undeniable. Since making his debut as a Test batter in 2021, he has developed into a strong white-ball player. Only last week, following the group stage, Nissanka talked highly of Jayasuriya’s impact and the flexibility the coach has allowed him to carve out a niche for himself while also allowing him to make mistakes. He paid it forward in style on Friday, converting what at one point appeared to be a difficult chase of 203 into a breeze with a magnificent 107 off 58 balls.
The character that underpinned the innings was perhaps more noteworthy. After the fact, Jayasuriya disclosed that Nissanka had been experiencing hamstring and groin pains since the group stage. But he persevered through the suffering because he was determined to deliver for the squad. Nissanka risked his life when up to three Indian fielders cramped up on a humid night.
At short fine leg, with 12 needed off the last over, Varun Chakravarthy was finally stopped by an ill-advised flick that went straight into his hands. After a second-wicket stand of 127 in just 70 deliveries, which saw Nissanka and Kusal Perera score 58 off 32 balls, Jayasuriya was full of praise for them.
“When you’re chasing 202 (203), you have to keep finding boundaries,” Jayasuriya stated. “The secret was their collaboration. When we began to lose wickets, the momentum changed. Someone has to take chances in a chase, therefore that’s normal. Unfortunately, Pathum left at the wrong moment, and things started to change after that. Nevertheless, it was an excellent cricket match.
“Kusal is among our team’s top spin players. I wish he had batted for a longer period of time, but he did a good job in that role once more. They both took measured chances and set boundaries when they want them. Despite a recent hamstring strain, Pathum gave the squad his all, demonstrating his dedication.
After defeating Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Hong Kong in what was nicknamed the “group of death,” Sri Lanka advanced through the group stages undefeated, thus it didn’t seem conceivable that they would return home without a victory from their three Super Four games. Jayasuriya emphasised the need for the batters to adjust to difficult conditions more quickly as he looked back on their performance and ahead to the next six months building up to the T20 World Cup in February.
“Quickly assessing conditions is crucial in T20 cricket,” Jayasuriya stated.
The first-round pitches in Abu Dhabi, for instance, had bounce and pace, but in the second round, things changed, and we were too slow to adjust. We paid for that. The Super Four encounter against Bangladesh was disappointing because, although 168 on that pitch was a respectable score, we were unable to protect it with our bowling. In contrast to Pakistan, we were slow to adjust and failed to evaluate the situation [in Abu Dhabi] promptly enough.
“India performed admirably today, scoring more than 200. Our boys shown their ability to pursue that, but we were once again unsuccessful. I’m quite happy aside from the Bangladesh match, but I’m sad I didn’t make it to the final. We are capable of bowling and batting. The secret is to carry out plans in response to obstacles and circumstances. This team can succeed greatly if we constantly do that.”
India
