England underestimated us says Theekshana

BENGALURU: Key spinner Maheesh Theekshana said that England underestimated Sri Lanka and that’s why they lost yesterday’s World Cup match by eight wickets at Bengaluru.

“They underestimated our team because we had also lost three games and we only won against the Netherlands. That’s why the result went our way because we backed our strength and we went with simple plans.”

Theekshana said that Sri Lanka lost their first three matches because of their bowling. “We actually did some practice sessions to get more discipline. All the fast bowlers did their hard work before the game, so they knew what they had to do.”

Theekshana acknowledged that the presence of Angelo Mathews boosted the side tremendously.

“As a team, we are very happy that a very experienced player has joined us. Angelo has played in India. We have a lot to learn from him. Even when we bowled, we used his experience in the match. The whole team is very happy to have such an experienced player in the team.”

“In the initial four or five overs, we conceded a few runs due to our inability to find the right length. However, when Angelo took the ball, he utilized his experience to adjust the length. This allowed us to regain discipline in our bowling.”

“We saw Angelo’s success, and Lahiru (Kumara) emphasized the importance of maintaining discipline while bowling. Our strong bowling performance, characterized by wicket-taking, pressured the opposition into a defensive stance. They refrained from pressing forward and instead consistently attempted to clear the boundary with sixes and fours. So, we had a chance to take a wicket, that’s what we planned to do here.”

After yesterday’s win Theekshana said that the confidence of the team had increased. “We have won two matches so far. As a team, we are looking to play well in the upcoming four matches and reach the semi-finals.”

England captain Jos Buttler admitted that his team was not playing at their best after their loss to Sri Lanka.

 “We’re just not performing to the level that we expect of ourselves, that we need to, to compete and play our best,” said Buttler at the post-match press conference. “Performance is the obvious thing. A lot of us, I›ve seen it myself, are not performing to the level you expect of yourself or demand of yourself as an individual. It›s never for a lack of effort, it›s never for a lack of hard work or preparation. Look around the room. It›s not a lack of talent.”

“A lot of experienced guys who are fantastic cricketers. So absolutely, it›s a huge frustration. This tournament›s gone nowhere near the way we wanted to. It›s been a huge disappointment. If there was one golden egg that we were missing, then you›d hope to see that. But there is no secret, I don›t think. There›s no one else who can score your own runs or take your own wickets. That comes from the start, from the captain at the front. I›ve been a long way short of my best. As a leader, you want to lead through your own performance and I›ve not been able to do that.” – (ST)