Sports

We wanted a score in the range of 160 – Pathum Nissanka

Published

4 years ago

2021/11/1

Rex Clementine in Sharjah

One of Sri Lanka’s stars during the ICC T-20 World Cup campaign, Pathum Nissanka admitted that his team was a few run short in their epic second round clash against South Africa on Saturday in Sharjah. There has been lot of criticism on skipper Dasun Shanaka’s option to bowl the last over and Lahiru Kumara’s choices with regard to his line and length against Killer Miller (David Miller).

Sri Lanka lost a close contest by three wickets as Kagiso Rabada brought up the winning runs in the penultimate ball.

The 2014 champions looked set to post in excess of 160 when Chairth Asalanka and Nissanka were involved in 41-run partnership for the second wicket. But Asalanka was run out and then Sri Lanka’s middle order could not handle the wrist spin of Tabraiz Shamsi; with numbers four, five and six; Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Avishka Fernando and Wanindu Hasaranga falling to him.

“We lost a few wickets early and I wanted to bat deep. Targeted the last five overs to score some runs. We wanted to get 160 but realized the wicket was a bit slow and then decided to get something in the range of 140 to 145,” Nissanka told a group of Sri Lankan journalists yesterday.

During the water break, Head Coach Mickey Arthur had come along and had revised the target. “The coach came over and said that we will reassess things and go for 140 as it is not easy batting. He wanted me to bat till the 20th over as it was tough for new batsmen to get set.”

“The wicket was slow yesterday and if you see they needed to bat till the last over to score the winning runs,” Nissanaka explained.

This has been a dream year for Nissanka so far. He became the only Sri Lankan to score a Test hundred overseas and was a late inclusion to the T-20 set up and has done well having emerged as the competition’s highest run scorer.

“It’s my best knock in T-20 cricket so very pleased with the effort. There’s been lot of help from senior players and coaches. Trained hard and the results are there to be seen. The presence of Mahela was quite good. He gave me a few tips on how to plan things and when to attack and when to defend.”

The result was a bitter pill to swallow for the team as Sri Lanka’s chances of a semi-final berth is almost over. “We are gutted with the result. But we gave a good fight and it was a good comeback from us. Lahiru had bowled well and we backed him to bowl the last over. We backed him and we gave him all the support but there were a few errors and the game slipped away from us. We have done fairly well. We hope to finish off the campaign well by winning the next two games and try and see whether there’s any chance to reach the semis.

Seven members of Sri Lanka’s World Cup squad were members of the class of 2016. Sri Lanka Under-19 team under Charith Asalanka toured England and won a series there and the team comprised Nissanka, Asalanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Avishka Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Kamindu Mendis and Praveen Jayawickrama. They are all now delivering for the senior side..

“There’s lot of good understanding between us. It helps when you bat and stuff and when you run between the wickets.”

With men like Roy Dias in charge of our young players, the future is in good hands.

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Nissanka ton stuns Australia, puts Sri Lanka in Super Eights

Published

3 hours ago

2026/02/16

Priyan

Pathum Nissanka celebrates his second T20I century [Cricinfo]

Sri Lanka survived an early onslaught to qualify for the 2026 T20 World Cup Super Eights, leaving Australia right at the exit door and hoping for a miracle.

The returning captain Mitchell Marsh and the returning-to-runs Travis Head were brutal in taking Australia to 104 in the first 50 legal deliveries, but some spectacular fielding and spin bowling helped Sri Lanka take 10 for 77 off the last 70 balls.

In front of a partying full house in Pallekele, Sri Lanka’s two most prolific batters, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis, brought out both the axe and paper cuts to slice through the chase. Nissanka, who had earlier dropped Glenn Maxwell and then dismissed him with a stunner, went on to score an unbeaten hundred and take Sri Lanka home with two overs to spare.

In the absence of Matheesha Pathirana, who walked off with a calf injury in his first over, their spinners contributed six wickets to go with excellent closing from Dushmantha Chameera. Australia’s lead spinner Adam Zampa, among the best T20 spinners of all time, took no wicket and was lucky to go for only 41 in his four overs.

Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 184/2 in 18 overs [Pathum Nissanka 100*, Kusal Mendis 51, Pavan Rathnayake 2*; Marcus Stoinis 2-41] beat Australia 181/10 in 20 overs [Mitchell Marsh 54, Travis Head 56, Josh Inglis 27, Glenn Maxwell 22; Dushmantha Chameera 2-56, Maheesh Theekshana 1-37, Dushan Hemantha 3-37, Dunith Wellalage 1-33, Kamindu Mendis 1-19] by eight wickets

[Cricinfo]

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New Zealand eye Super Eight spot against Canada

Published

4 hours ago

2026/02/16

Priyan

Tim Seifert and Finn Allen are among the best dangerous openers in world cricket [Cricinfo]

A win against Canada in their first T20I against them on Tuesday will firm up New Zealand’s spot in the Super Eight. This result will also knock out Canada; South Africa have already qualified for the next round from Group D with three wins in as many games.

New Zealand have faced Canada just three times in international cricket so far – each time in ODI World Cups. Their most recent meeting coming in the 2011 edition in Mumbai. They have won all three games and are poised to make it 4-0 against Canada in World Cups, despite the absence of Lockie Ferguson. The fast bowler has returned home for the birth of his first child and is expected to link up with the side ahead of the Super Eight. In Ferguson’s absence, Kyle Jamieson, who wasn’t even in the main squad in the first place, is set to make his T20 World Cup bow.

As for Canada, they had their moments against South Africa and UAE but they have failed to convert those into wins. On Friday in Delhi, they had UAE at 66 for 4 in the 13th over in a chase of 151, but they left the door ajar for Aryansh Sharma and Sohaib Khan to sneak home. Canada can’t afford such slip-ups against New Zealand – and then Afghanistan – if they are to notch up a win in this World Cup.

Kyle Jamieson doesn’t quite have Ferguson’s express pace, but can bang it away on a hard length and stifle the opposition batters. He also has some slower variations in his repertoire and his high-arm release could pose a big threat, especially to batters who are facing him for the first time.

Once known as “Vettori” in Canada’s club cricket circuit, Saad Bin Zafar will run into the team that was once captained by one of his heroes. The Canada left-arm spinner often attacks the stumps and keeps it tight, as his economy rate of 6.02 across 67 T20Is suggests. At 39, Saad knows he won’t be playing the game for long and will be eager to cause a few upsets on the big stage.

Jamieson is set to slot in for Ferguson unless New Zealand want to give veteran legspinner Ish Sodhi a game.

New Zealand (probable): Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (capt), Jimmy Neesham, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy

Canada are likely to play the same XI that lost to South Africa and UAE.

Canada (probable): Dilpreet Bajwa (capt), Yuvraj Samra, Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Shreyas Movva (wk), Harsh Thaker, Saad Bin Zafar, Jaskaran Singh, Dilon Heyliger, Kaleem Sana, Ansh Patel

[Cricinfo]

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Pathirana under injury cloud as he leaves the field early

Published

5 hours ago

2026/02/16

Priyan

Matheesha Pathirana walked off midway through his opening over (Cricinfo)

Sri Lanka fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana left the field four balls into his first over, after collapsing to the ground clutching his left calf, and did not return to the field during Sri Lanka’s bowling innings against Australia. Having briefly received treatment from the Sri Lanka physiotherapist immediately after sustaining the injury, Pathirana hobbled off the field with assistance from support staff.

He then spent the majority of the innings being treated in the dressing room. Sri Lanka will likely send him off for scans as soon as the match finishes.

“Matheesha Pathirana experienced discomfort in his left leg calf while bowling during the match and was unable to continue,” a statement read. “He will not bowl further in this game. A scan will be conducted tomorrow to determine the extent of the injury.”

Pathirana had begun well against Australia, bowling two dot balls and giving away three runs (including a wide) in those first four deliveries. The last two balls of the over were delivered by Dasun Shanaka, who gave away a four and bowled a dot.

Pathirana is the quickest bowler in Sri Lanka’s attack, and a key part of their death-bowling plans for the tournament in particular. He is also the second Sri Lanka bowler to come under an injury cloud, with Wanindu Hasaranga already having been ruled out of the World Cup with a hamstring injury of his own.

After this game against Australa, Sri Lanka have another group match to play, against Zimbabwe. They have not earned qualification for the Super Eights yet.

(Cricinfo)