Dubai 7th September : Sri Lanka’s “Player of the Match’ Dasun Shanaka credited the team’s thrilling victory against India at the Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday to the confidence in the locker room after the team’s Asia Cup Super Four opener against Afghanistan at Sharjah on September 3 and gave them confidence to be able to take on Rohit Sharma’s team.The eight-wicket loss Sri Lanka got from Afghanistan in the Group B match on the 27th of August was a wake-up call to Sri Lanka’s former Asia Cup winners and the Islanders returned strongly in the Super Four to take revenge before gaining confidence needed to take on India on Tuesday night.
Shanaka who was awarded “Player of the Match for his 2/26 in two overs, and for his late-order pyrotechnics which took Sri Lanka over the line on Tuesday, stated post-match, “The confidence in the dressing room is very high.The bowlers in patches were very good bowlers.
Credit goes to Dilshan (Madushanka 3/24) and (Maheesh) Theekshana (1/29) They bowled really well.
“The batters were out to fight us, but we played very well.
We had a good discussion following the opening match (against Afghanistan), and we know what we can do.Pathum (Nissanka 52) and Kusal (Menids 57) set the tone beautifully and (Bhanuka) Rajapaksa (25 not out) and I (33 not out) created the chase.
Kusal Mendis, who set the tone of the chase with a 37-ball 57 Kusal Mendis said he was thrilled with the outcome.
“Very happy.
Pathum and I made a great beginning, but after that Rajapaksa and Shanaka made an incredible possibly the best team.The right-left hand combo was a success for us.I put in a lot of effort in Sri Lanka, and my coaches advised me to play the traditional game, play singles; play fours or the six.
“That’s helped us achieve our goals.We attempted to find the gap and that’s what we took.We played the normal game.We have power-hitters in the middle.My job is to play my regular game in the first six overs,” added Mendis.
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