Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka has hailed his side’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 qualification as a “big achievement”, but insists the team has loftier goals in India later in the year.
Sri Lanka were the better side in all three facets against Zimbabwe in a top-of-the-table Qualifier meeting, capitalising on favourable bowling conditions during the Bulawayo morning, before an emphatic run chase saw them race to a nine-wicket win to book India tickets.
Left-arm fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka removed Joylord Gumbie, Wesley Madhevere and Craig Ervine within the first seven overs of play, setting up their attack to rip through Zimbabwe’s middle order. Despite a fightback from Sean Williams (56) and Sikandar Raza (31), world-class finger spinner Maheesh Theekshana continued the rot, taking 4/25 to bundle the hosts out for 165.
Sri Lanka’s top three ensured there were no nervous moments in the run chase, pressing on at pace in the pursuit of the target, underlined by Pathum Nissanka’s 102-ball 101*, brought up with a boundary to finish the contest.
Straight after the victory, Shanaka, who claimed the crucial wicket of Raza in the win (1/30), assured fans back home that qualification was just the first step of Sri Lanka’s World Cup plans as his side look to the team’s strong campaigns of yesteryear.
“It’s a big achievement but still we know what we have done in the past in World Cups especially, we won the 1996 World Cup and were the 2011 runners-up,” he said.
“We have been playing amazing cricket in the World Cup so it’s a much-needed thing for Sri Lanka to be up here in that big stage.”
Sri Lanka were first consigned to the Qualifier after finishing outside the top eight of the Cricket World Cup Super League, the competition that determined automatic spots for the 2023 tournament.
The side made a poor start to the cycle, losing a series to the West Indies 3-0 back in March 2021, before stumbles in Bangladesh and England. Also on the wrong end of results at home to both India and South Africa, Shanaka’s men were left with a gap too far to bridge for a place in the top eight, even with an uptick of form later in the competition.
The side showed glimpses against Australia, beating them in a home series back in June 2022, and then carried form into the Qualifier, victorious against Afghanistan 2-1 in a lead-in series.
Shanaka believed there would be enough quality in the team to secure qualification, even when thrown into a new challenge of a qualifying tournament.
“Coming through the Qualifier it is always tough, but still, we go through the process and we knew that with the team we have got here that we were going to qualify for the World Cup,” Shanaka added.
“Credit to the other teams they played really well in the tournament, some of the teams gave us some good fights in between, but still we are a better side.”
Sri Lanka is yet to concede a total in excess of 200 at the tournament, relentless with the new ball and pressing on through cunning middle-over plans. Five Sri Lankan quick bowlers have taken multiple wickets in the campaign, and the spin duo of Theekshana (13 wickets) and Wanindu Hasaranga (20) have asked constant questions of opposing batters, wearing them down with nagging lines and subtlety in their craft.
The personal plans and goals are carried out by each player in the team according to Shanaka, channelling their experience of conditions and high-level international cricket.
“This bunch of players, they have got their own skills and they utilise the conditions over here really well and that is what is important,” he added.
“Knowing the strength of our bowling and batting, that is the key to success, we stick to our basics really well, whatever the conditions and whatever the situation is.”
Sri Lanka face the West Indies in the last of their Super Six matches on 7 July and will take part in the tournament final on 9 July.
For Shanaka, with no threat of missing out on the World Cup proper, it’s time to prepare for India.
“Yes, there (was) pressure here, but still the pressure begins on the big stage,” Shanaka said.
“So I think that World Cup ahead is the main focus and main target for us, we are waiting to deliver there as well.”
Source: icc-cricket.com
