When Sri Lanka’s T20 skipper Charith Asalanka was quietly withdrawn from the tri-series in Pakistan, the early whispers blamed a bout of illness. But scratch beneath the surface and a different picture emerges — one where the captain’s defiance during the heated stand-off over continuing the Pakistan tour has come back to hit him like a nasty lifter on a cracked pitch.

Fast bowler Asitha Fernando, another key figure who padded up to return home, has suffered a similar fate. The pair go back a long way — teammates at Under-19 level when Roy Dias guided Sri Lanka to a rare series win in England in 2014. Both of them are back home now and not part of the tri-series in Bangladesh.

Asalanka, groomed meticulously for leadership, has long carried the air of a captain-in-waiting. At Richmond College he led with aplomb and his stint as Sri Lanka’s Under-19 skipper only polished those credentials further. When he debuted at 23, it felt inevitable that the armband would rest on his sleeve and once entrusted with the reins, he steered the side with a calm assurance that echoed Mahela Jayawardene’s trademark poise.

Under his watch Sri Lanka beat Australia and India in bilateral ODI series, climbing to number four in world rankings — a breath of fresh air after the Champions Trophy miss. With bat in hand, Asalanka earned a reputation for ice-cold finishing, often shepherding tricky chases and setting up imposing totals. His rise to number seven in the ICC ODI batting chart was no fluke.

But T20 cricket, the game’s madcap sprint, proved less forgiving. His returns with the bat dipped alarmingly, and Sri Lanka’s Asia Cup campaign unravelled with not a single second-round win. Meanwhile, some of his bowling changes raised eyebrows.

Entrusting the final over to a returning Dunith Wellalage with big-hitting Mohammad Nabi at the crease was a gamble and the youngster was launched for five sixes. Sri Lanka escaped that night, knocking Afghanistan out, but other blunders were not so easily covered up — like overlooking ex-captain Dasun Shanaka for a crucial over and instead handing the ball to Kamindu Mendis, whose ambidextrous spin could not prevent Bangladesh from chasing 169 on a tough deck.

Through it all, Asalanka maintained a spotless disciplinary record. He carried himself with dignity, never dragging the game into disrepute. But more recently, murmurs emerged of a small clique within the squad — predominantly his mates from Richmond. It was background noise until the bomb blast in Islamabad, 20 kilometres from the team hotel.

Despite assurances from Pakistani authorities and upgraded security plans, a small group — Asalanka included — stood firm that the tour should be abandoned. Sri Lanka Cricket, unwilling to blink, began lining up replacements. Though the players eventually agreed to stay after late-night persuasion, the damage had been done.

The message from top was unmistakable: no one is bigger than the game. Sri Lanka lost the ODI series with a match to spare, Asalanka sat out the finale and he was quietly flown home before the tri-series began.

The writing on the wall had appeared earlier when selectors named Dasun Shanaka as T20 vice-captain, a not-so-subtle hint that all was not well. Asalanka failed to read the field and now it seems Shanaka will retain the captaincy for the T20 World Cup on home soil. As for Asalanka, he suddenly finds himself not fighting for leadership, but fighting for his place in the XI.

In cricket, as in life, one misjudged shot can turn a match on its head. For Charith Asalanka, this might just be the toughest innings he has yet to rebuild.

https://www.telecomasia.net/blog/a-captain-knocked-over-by-his-own-bouncer/

Telecom Asia Sport