Hasaranga blames poor batting for early exit from T20 World Cup

Smiles are back on faces of Sri Lankan cricketers after their solitary win in T20 World Cup against Netherlands

• Admits  “We didn’t adjust to the pitches like other teams”
• Claims “Social media is done by a small group of people to make fans angry with us”

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

All-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga said that Sri Lanka had to make an early exit from the T20 World Cup because the batting was not good enough.

Sri Lanka ended up a disappointing third in their group (Group D) with three points which was not sufficient to displace the top two teams, South Africa and Bangladesh, who went through to the next round – the Super 8. Sri Lanka’s two losses in their first two games were to these two teams and the results had a devastating effect on their qualification for the next round.

“We know how good our team is, but unfortunately, we didn’t bring our A game into play in the first two matches,” said Hasaranga, after Sri Lanka’s 83-run win against the Netherlands. “By the time we brought our A game into play today it was too late for us to qualify. As captain, and as a player, I feel very sorry about it, coming to a World Cup and being eliminated in the very first round.”

“We know we have very good bowlers and they are experienced. Also, there are a few fast bowlers and a few spinners on the bench. If you take our bowling line-up, we are up there with the others. Unfortunately, the batting didn’t click the way we expected it to. That’s why we had to exit the World Cup so early.”

Not only the pitches that Sri Lanka played on, but most of the pitches prepared for other matches as well came under criticism from several quarters.

“We can put the blame on the pitches and make up stories when we lose a match, but as professional cricketers that is not an excuse,” said Hasaranga. “Other countries are also playing on the same pitches, so we have to adjust ourselves to it. We have to take that responsibility. That’s why we come to these tournaments representing the country. Rather than blame it on the pitches, we should improve our cricket and try to adjust to playing on these types of surfaces. I think we didn’t do that. That was the main mistake here.”

This is the second World Cup tournament that Sri Lanka has exited in the first round after the 50-over Cricket World Cup in India last November, and Hasaranga was of the view that they had not rectified the mistakes made.

“After every tournament we gather around and discuss what mistakes we have made. As a team, we should decide if we have rectified those mistakes. When you are an international team, those mistakes have to be rectified to win any match. We have discussed our mistakes in this World Cup and in the previous World Cup as well, but we have not rectified them.”

When it was brought to his attention that there was a lot of criticism against the team and the players on social media, Hasaranga replied: “First, as a player, we should not look at social media posts. We know how Sri Lankan fans are supporting us, wherever we play. Even today we saw they had come to support us. We can’t blame it on what is on social media. We know they are with us when we are winning matches and when we are losing matches. What is on social media is done by a small group of people to make other fans angry with us. As a player, the support we get from them is very important, especially when we are losing matches. We are not playing matches to lose but for our country. The fans know that too. I’m very thankful to the Sri Lankan cricket fans for supporting us.”