Take a bow, Asela!

By D.C. Ranatunga

Yet another last ball thriller. Winning two successive T20 games in the last ball should be a world record in cricket. The second game was certainly more thrilling than the first. To get 48 runs in three overs was no easy task. Asela Gunaratne had the confidence, the willpower, the guts to do it – and he did it. Possibly his disciplined Army training!

He was all smiles when he collected the Man of the Match trophy. But he was in a hurry to get it and come off. Was he uneasy to face the commentator’s questions? That was the impression he gave. If one is not fluent in English it’s nothing to be ashamed of. 

There have been many an occasion when players have answered in their mother tongue. When Inzamamm-l Haq was Pakistan’s captain he always spoke in his mother tongue. Another player accompanied him to translate what he said into English. There have been instances when Ravi Shastri asked questions from Indian players in Hindi and when they replied in Hindi, he summed up the answers in English. 

If I remember right, Mahela once accompanied Ajantha Mendis and translated the answers. Either the captain or the manager can always fill in the gap. Any Sri Lankan captain should have no difficulty in doing it. I am not so sure of the managers.

Some years back we read about Sri Lanka Cricket holding classes in spoken English and lessons on social etiquette for the benefit of players. Were they abandoned or weren’t the players interested? English is important for players even to converse with foreign players and build up friendships. 

The ‘kaduwa’ days when English was looked down upon are gone. The captains should make an extra effort to be fluent in English. Even to clarify a point with the umpire during a game he will have to converse in English.

Sri Lanka Cricket is getting down experts all the time. I am sure there will be volunteers to brush the players up in English. To begin with, why not approach Epasinghe or Palitha Perera? Over the years, all these players would have enjoyed their commentaries. They are friendly guys who will fit in well.

Cricket has come a long way from the days we were school boys. Those were the days when even radio commentaries were not there. We had to go and see a match to enjoy it. Even with radio commentaries we preferred to go to the grounds but now with TV the picture has changed. Most oldies (I certainly do) prefer to enjoy a match relaxing in a ‘haansi-putuwa’. 

The players have to be conscious in what they do and what they do in the field. They get exposed so much on TV particularly when a player misses a catch or when there is a ‘bokku’ – failing to cleanly field a ball. I recall the days when we used to shout ‘bokku’ whenever there was misfielding.

Coming back to the current T20 series, some argue that Sri Lanka is winning because the Aussie team is not their best. The same argument is valid for Sri Lanka – both captain and deputy are not playing. They are the most senior and our best players today.

It’s so heartening to see Sri Lankans in Australia filling the stands. The mood is the same as in Colombo or Kandy. Lion flags are aplenty. Papare bands and sing-songs galore. As Asela had said, the continuous cheering encouraged him. Even when the odds were down the crowds cheered encouraging the players.

As the saying goes ‘rasne yandtah issella’ (before the heat is off) Asela had been picked by the Mumbai Indians for three lakhs Indian Rupees for the IPL Series 10. Overnight he has become a ‘Laxapathiya’! Great!

To repeat what Sanga tweeted: ‘Take a bow Asela. Probably the best knock under pressure. So proud.’

Sanga has spoken for all Sri Lankans, Asela.