Sri Lanka finish off campaign in style beating defending champions

Rex Clementine in Abu Dhabi

Sri Lanka finished off their campaign in the ICC T-20 World Cup in style beating defending champions West Indies in a convincing fashion here in Abu Dhabi yesterday. Having set a target of 190, Sri Lanka’s bowlers came up with a splendid effort to restrict the two time World Champions to 169 as Wanindu Hasaranga caused heavy damage. The leg-spinner bowed off as the tournament’s highest wicket taker having snared 16 victims. It’s the highest haul by a Sri Lankan in a T-20 World Cup with the previous best being Ajantha Mendis’ 12 scalps in the 2012 edition at home.

Shimron Hetmyer put up a brilliant show finishing on an unbeaten 81 off 54 deliveries with eight fours and four sixes. But the Windies were always playing catch up chasing the massive target.

Never mind that Sri Lanka did not qualify for the semi-finals. This young bunch has been an absolute treat to watch.

Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka, Sri Lanka Under-19 team mates in 2016, have carried the senior team’s batting in this campaign. Asalanka signs off as tournament’s highest run scorer with 231 runs and an average of 46 and strike rate of 141. Nissanka is not far behind having scored 221 runs having played two more games than Asalanka. Jos Buttler comes in third with 214 runs.

What do Pathum Nissanka and Sir Jack Hobbs have in common? Both their fathers were groundsmen.  What do Charith Asalanka and Kumar Sangakkara have in common? They had/have an insatiable appetite for runs.

Asalanka, the captain in waiting is 24 while Nissanka is a few months younger to him. How Nissanka was not even in the reserve list lead up to the World Cup is mind-boggling. But as philosopher Sangakkara once said, selectors like god go about their business in mysterious ways.

Sri Lanka had to wait for four years to find Asanka Gurusinha’s replacement at number three. Sanga came along and he was prolific there for a decade and half. Six years after Sanga’s retirement, we have unearthed another gem in Asalanka. A long career awaits him and he will probably make his Test debut as well in two weeks time at his hometown – Galle.

Both youngsters completed half-centuries adding 91 off 61 balls to turn the tide in Sri Lanka’s favour.

They had set things up nicely for the middle order to throw caution to the wind in the last five overs and skipper Dasun Shanaka promoted himself to number four position and smashed an unbeaten 25 off 14 balls.

West Indies struggled lacking genuine pace.

Sri Lanka rued losing to South Africa a close game and a few mistakes against England and Australia proved to be costly during the World Cup.