Rex Clementine in Calcutta

Sri Lanka have improved their fielding tremendously over the last few months having identified fielding as one discipline where they needed to raise the standards. In the last two series, there have been the odd dropped catch or a misfield but when you drop a chance off Virat Kohli, then there’s hell to pay. That is exactly what happened in Guwahati on Tuesday.

Kohli, who wasn’t part of India’s T-20 side, returned for the ODIs and Kusal Mendis put him down on 52 while captain Dasun Shanaka missed another chance when he was on 81. The former Indian captain went onto post his 45th ODI hundred and the ninth against Sri Lanka. He ended with 113 off 87 balls as India posted a mammoth 373 for seven in 50 overs.

“Obviously they were costly and they proved to be critical in a game like this. When you give a player of Vriat’s ability those opportunities, he will take them. That’s exactly what he did. Well played to him first, but we need to take those opportunities.”

“I don’t think the dropped catches changed everything. Obviously we didn’t get off to a good start. Our discipline in the first ten overs was lacking when we bowled. We allowed India to get off to a good start. This is a very high scoring ground and India knew they had to get a good start. We had to push back and put the brakes. We did at times. When you have this class of Indian batsmen it is very difficult to stop them.”

Shanaka had scored Sri Lanka’s fastest half-century in the second T-20 in Pune putting the team in a winning position. His hundred in Guwahati saw his stocks rising further with Indian media highlighting the need for him to be part of the IPL.

“Dasun has done himself a world of good to be honest. I am sure the franchises will look at him as he’s proved he’s a very good talent and a great striker of the ball.”

Sri Lanka’s batters this series have left too much for their captain but Silverwood was hopeful others will contribute. “I don’t think we rely only on Dasun. He’s in great form and he’s shining at the moment. If you look we had Pathum scoring runs as well. The partnership between him and Dhananjaya de Silva was excellent and gave us momentum. Each individual has put their hands up and made it count. They need to put their hands up more. Fight it out and put more partnerships.”