Sports
Chamika under fire after chief selector opens can of worms
By Rex Clementine
Promising all-rounder Chamika Karunaratne will not be considered for selection for a considerable period of time after Chairman of Selectors Pramodaya Wickremesinghe in an e-mail to SLC Secretary Mohan de Silva made a scathing attack on the player.
The mail is circulating in social media and was confirmed yesterday to be authentic and raises serious questions about the national cricket team’s conduct in Australia during the ICC Men’s T-20 World Cup where the former champions’ off the field activities received more attention than their on-field performances.
Team Manager Mahinda Halangoda was brought in for the job as he was known as a strict disciplinarian. Not many during their playing days took on Arjuna Ranatunga, but Halangoda was an exception having stood his ground and not given in to Arjuna during their SSC days. It is believed that Halangoda’s wings were clipped during the World Cup campaign and he may have been told to turn a blind eye to breach of discipline by influential individuals.
Wickremesinghe in his mail says, “I observed that his (Chamika) commitment towards training sessions was fast receding contrary to the high standards he maintained a few months ago.”
“I believe the reason for all the above mentioned is that he is not totally focused on cricket, which is a significant change from his earlier commitment even considering the importance of the ICC World T20.”
“If I’m to continue with what I observed, the whole reason for this is that he was more interested in his distractive personal matters other than cricket.”
“At the conclusion of the Australian tour, I had a meeting with the National Coach pertaining to tour selections for the Afghanistan inbound tour of Sri Lanka. While names were being discussed, Chamika’s name was discussed in detail, the outcome of the meeting on Chamika’s selection was to leave him out from this tour as the National Coach has lost trust in him as Chamika has been exposed in not being truthful to the coach on multiple occasions. It was the opinion of the Coach that Chamika was not focused on his game.”
“Even during the T20 World Cup in Australia I observed Chamika very closely, it was my observation that wherever we travelled internally, he was more focused on meeting ladies of Sri Lankan origin who were domiciled in Australia. Further, I would like to place on record that he has missed some training sessions on tour mentioning that he was feeling unwell, however I have reason to believe that he had accommodated female companions at the hotel. (I would propose that a request is made to the hotel to provide CCTV footage on the said dates he did not attend training sessions),” adds Wickremesinghe in his mail.
“I was also told by the team Manager that during our stay in Sydney, a Sri Lankan gentleman had called and wanted to meet with Chamika mentioning that he had a problem to solve with Chamika. Thereafter the Manager refused to accommodate his request unless there was a meaningful reason to meet him, at that point the gentleman had mentioned that Chamika had been calling his wife and bothering her with indecent proposals and being a nuisance. Contacting this gentleman via the Team Manager, you may be able to find out more depth about the activities of Chamika, which he had mentioned that he had evidence of some grave malpractices involving Chamika.”
Karunaratne was fined US$ 5000 for being involved in a fight in a Brisbane casino and was handed a one year suspended sentence. Further, he had been fined 1000 Australian Dollars while on tour for his excesses. “I also got to know from the team manager that he had been lighting oil lamps and incense sticks in his hotel room which is totally against the hotel safety policy, It would have been a major disaster if the room caught on fire and this came to light from the housekeeping and despite being told by the team manager not to leave the room without blowing out anything which has been lit with fire due to hotel rules. Despite the warning, he had repeated this, the day after having left the room with a “Do Not Disturb” sign outside his room and he was fined 1000 AUD by the team management.”
“The recent inappropriate behaviour by him and Dhanushka Gunathilaka. has hampered the team’s progress, unity and affected the mindset of our young national cricketers, who won the Asia Cup. We need to seriously address these issues and strict discipline has to be adhered to, ensuring these incidents will not happen again. A clear message has to be given to the team, that indiscipline will not be tolerated.”
Wickremesinghe ends his letter requesting SLC to send Karunaratne for counselling. “It is my view that Chamika be referred to Psychological counselling immediately prior to him taking part in any form of International Cricket as it would give this talented youngster, which we as selectors rate him highly for which he can bring to the table in the future for Sri Lankan Cricket.”
Pavan Rathnayake has re-entered Sri Lanka’s T20I squad following his 121 off 115 balls in the third ODI against England. Omitted from the squad to play England in three T20Is, however, are fast bowler Nuwan Thushara and batting allrounder Kamindu Mendis. Legspinner Dushan Hemantha has also been left out.
Left-arm-spinning allrounder Dunith Wellalage retains his place in the T20I squad, though he hasn’t played a T20I since September. Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga are the two other frontline spinners. Dhananjaya de Silva and Charith Asalanka – who both bowl fingerspin – are in the squad too.
On the seam-bowling front, Eshan Malinga and Pramod Madushan are in the squad, in addition to Dushmantha Chameera and Matheesha Pathirana. Thushara had been a consistent presence in Sri Lanka’s T20I squads over the past two years, but his omission comes after several modest performances since September.
Aside from Rathnayake’s inclusion, the batting is largely as expected, with Kusal Perera coming back in the only format he now plays.
Sri Lanka are yet to announce their squad for the T20 World Cup, which will start on February 7. Teams have time till January 31 to make changes to squads, following which they will have to get the approvals from the ICC to make changes.
Sri Lanka squad for England T20Is:
Dasun Shanaka (capt.), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Pramod Madushan, Matheesha Pathirana, Eshan Malinga
Australia Under 19s 314/7 in 50 overs (Oliver Peake 109, Nitesh Samuel 56; Jakeem Pollard 2-37, R’Jai Gittens 2-45) beat West Indies Under 19s 292/9 in 50 overs (Zachary Carter 64, Joshua Dorne 62; Charles Lachmund 4-66, Aryan Sharma 2-47) by 22 runs
Shiyam Dube hammered the third-fastest fifty by an Indian batter batter in T20Is, finishing with 65 off 23 balls, but it wasn’t enough as the New Zealand bowlers continued to chip away to register a 50-run win in the fourth T20I in Visakhapatnam.
New Zealand were lifted to a total of 215 with a power-packed fifty from Tim Seifert and a useful cameo in the death by Daryl Mitchell. It was an innings of three parts for New Zealand. They amassed 100 runs in the first 8.1 overs, lost 6 for 63 in the next eight and then smoked 47 in the last three to post their second-highest score in a T20I against India.
India then completely lost their way in the chase. Abhishek Sharma bagged a first-ball duck by slicing a high catch to Devon Conway at deep third. By the time 11 overs were done, India had slipped to 87 for 5, with the required rate rocketing to 14.33.
It was around this time that Dube took charge, with a 29-run over off Ish Sodhi before depositing Jacob Duffy for two more sixes to bring up a fifty in 15 balls. He was threatening to take the game away but was run out at the non-striker’s end off the bowler’s deflection, and India’s challenge ended as they were bowled out for 165 in 18.4 overs.
Mitchell Santner was the pick of the New Zealand bowlers, returning 3 for 26, while Jacob Duffy and Ish Sodhi picked up two wickets apiece. The series is now placed at 3-1 with a game to go.
Seifert was at his adventurous best in the powerplay as he came out swinging for the hills. Out of the first 12 balls of the innings, he faced 11 and thrashed them for 25. That included two leading edges over short third, and two boundaries in front of the wicket against Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, respectively. While Conway was initially subdued, managing 8 off 9 against the fast bowlers, he took down Ravi Bishnoi in the last over of the powerplay for two fours and a six. New Zealand racked up 71 in first six overs, their best powerplay against India in T20Is.
Once the field spread out and the spinners started operating, Seifert found it tougher to breach the gaps regularly. He had ransacked 46 runs in 21 balls in the powerplay, but managed just 16 of his next 15 balls. Conway, however, ensured the slowdown wasn’t apparent as he took on the spinners with authority. He slog-swept Kuldeep twice over deep midwicket before driving Bishnoi over the covers for four.
But once Conway fell carving Kuldeep to deep extra cover, New Zealand started to slip. Bumrah returned to nab Rachin Ravindra with a hard-length delivery for a simple return catch, while Arshdeep’s offcutter to Seifert couldn’t clear long-off. Glenn Phillips found the middle of the bat a few times but his innings was cut short when he chipped Kuldeep to long-on where Rinku Singh took the third of his four catches. While New Zealand were still maintaining an excellent scoring rate, they lost wickets regularly and when Mark Chapman fell at the start of the 16th over, it seemed like they would not get to 200.
Time and again, Mitchell has dragged New Zealand out of a hole and he was at it again. With the visitors 168 for 6 after 17, they needed a big finish. Zak Foulkes helped by sending Arshdeep for a four and six in the 18th over. Mitchell then took on Bumrah, thumping him for a four and six before Henry ended the over with a fortunate edge. Bumrah leaked 19 runs off the 19th, his second-costliest over in his T20I career. Rana then conceded 14 runs in the final over and New Zealand ended the innings on a high.
It’s been a feast or famine kind of a series for Abhishek and it was the latter this time with the opener falling for a golden duck. Suryakumar Kumar was squared up first ball and was nearly caught and bowled by Henry soon after, but didn’t last long. The lanky Duffy bent low in his follow-through to take a stunning catch as India slipped to 9 for 2 in two overs.
This was Sanju Samson’s chance to prove his worth but he fell short again. It was a weird start for him, where he was staying back to a lot of the full balls, almost pre-meditating the short delivery, with his feet stuck in the crease. He laced Sodhi through the covers and then whipped Duffy over deep midwicket in typical Samson style but was undone by Santner. He went back to a length ball that he should have ideally been forward for. The ball skidded through after pitching, and he almost played down the wrong line to be bowled for 24 off 15.
Hardik Pandya came and went and when Rinku fell after a sprightly 39, it seemed curtains for India’s chase.
Sodhi picked up Rana and Arshdeep in an over, before a mean Duffy bouncer had Kuldeep fending to Seifert as India were bowled out with eight balls left.
Brief scores:
New Zealand 215 for 7 in 20 overs (Tim Seifert 62, Devon Conway 44, Glenn Phillips 24, Daryl Mitchell 39*, Mitchell Santner 11, Zak Foulkes 13; Arshdeep Singh 2-33, Jaspreet Bumrah 1-38, Ravu Bishnoi 1-49, Kuldeep Yadav 2-39) beat India 165 in 18.4 overs (Sanju Samson 24, Shivam Dube 65, Rinku Singh 39, Ravi Bishnoi 10*; Matt Henry 1-24, Mitchell Santner 3-26, Jacob Duffy 2-33, Zak Foulkes 1-29, Ish Sodhi 2-46) by 50 runs
[Cricinfo]
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