SAJEEWA JAYAKODY
Sri Lanka’s dramatic resurgence at the ICC World Cup can be largely attributed to the return of Angelo Mathews, the seasoned campaigner who has played under the likes of Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Tillekeratne Dilshan, and even captained the Sri Lankan side in the 2015 ICC World Cup. His influence on the team, which recently trounced the defending champions, has been nothing short of phenomenal.
Angelo Mathews’ comeback has breathed life into the Sri Lankan squad, which had a rocky start to the tournament. Playing in his fourth ICC World Cup, Mathews brings a wealth of experience, with over 120 wickets, nearly 6,000 runs, 40 half-centuries, and three centuries to his name. He is undoubtedly a massive asset for the team.
“We are really happy to have an experienced player in the side. Mathews has extensive experience playing in India, so there’s a lot we can learn from him. He used his experience well in his bowling. As a team, we are delighted to have a player of his caliber,” said Maheesh Theekshana, a rising star in the Sri Lankan squad.
During their match against the defending champions, England, Mathews’ contribution was pivotal. Theekshana explained, “During the first five overs, runs were leaking from us. But when Angelo Mathews came to bowl, he used his experience, bowled back of the length, and helped us maintain discipline. We saw Mathews’ decision-making pay off when Lahiru Kumara bowled. Our plan was to maintain discipline, especially after taking two wickets. When we bowled good balls, the batsmen struggled and looked to release pressure by hitting boundaries. This provided us with opportunities to take wickets.”
The pitch at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore was a balanced one, offering assistance to both spinners and pacers while also being conducive for batters. “It’s different from the pitch we played on today. There was some turn, and it offered support for the fast bowlers with good bounce. During the IPL, it was a flat wicket where teams could score more runs. It’s not a difficult pitch, actually. We scored 160 runs for two wickets within 25 overs. We maintained the momentum, which is why we won,” said Theekshana, who partnered with Angelo Mathews to contain the English batters during the Power Play.
Sri Lanka’s surprise decision to include Lahiru Kumara, who had a tough outing against the Aussies, proved to be a strategic move. “Considering the pitch condition and the history of the ground, we decided to go with one spinner and three pacers. It worked well for us as a team. We aimed to pressure the batsmen from both ends with a good bowling partnership,” Theekshana added.
Sri Lanka’s impressive win against defending champions England propelled them to fifth place in the points table, setting the stage for a crucial clash against Afghanistan on October 30. “Our confidence has risen, and we hope to win the next four games to secure a place in the semi-finals,” Theekshana expressed.
The Sri Lankan fast bowlers, who had struggled with indiscipline in the initial matches, displayed a marked improvement against England. Theekshana highlighted, “Our plan was to bowl well in the middle overs because we didn’t perform well in the first few games. All the fast bowlers put in disciplined efforts in the lead-up to the game. Our plan was simple: bowl with discipline.”
