Malinga laments another abject batting show
View(s):Sri Lanka captain Lasith Malinga has lamented his batting side’s inability to build an innings following another crushing loss to India in the final T20I of the series in Pune. Chasing 202, Sri Lanka were bowled out for a paltry 123 with more than four overs to spare – the team’s fifth straight defeat in the format after a three-nil win in Pakistan.
Scores of 99, 117, 142, 142 and 115 in these five defeats point at an obvious problem, pore slightly deeper and you spot a mini-crisis. The team has been bowled out thrice and have lost six and nine wickets in the two other T20Is. “We give all the facilities – training sessions, we give everything. They can bat and they can hit the shots. But, they’ve to get the pattern [as] to how to build an innings,” Malinga said on Friday (January 10).
“That kind of thing we’re lacking. Last one-and-a-half/two years, we didn’t have that luxury. Previously, we had Sanga [Sangakkara], Mahela [Jayawardene] and [Tillakaratne] Dilshan – they know how to build an innings. The young players are really talented – they want to play their shots – but sometimes they’ve to be calm and handle the situation. That part is lacking… That part we can’t learn from the nets session and in the match situation they’ve to use their knowledge and they’ve to use their ability to handle the situation.
“The top-four batsmen have to get big runs like 70-80 runs and others have to play around them. Angelo (Mathews) and Dhananjaya showed how it is easy to play in these conditions. We need to get that mental preparation and their own hunger to get runs and that is what the top-order lacked in this tournament. Because people (players) are thinking it is 20 overs, like we have to hit every single ball. Partnership is very important and then they can catch up in the end.. No pressure now, we’re given all the freedom. I hope they’ll perform well in the next couple of months,” Malinga added.
The brunt of Sri Lanka’s protracted transition is borne by Malinga, who after leading to the side to the World T20 title in 2014, now has to take his side through the qualifiers route to make the main draw of the 2020 edition in Australia.
The skipper admitted the enormity of the challenge ahead but is optimistic of a turnaround before that given the potential of the still-to-mature players. “This is the first time I’m trying to qualify for the World Cup. But, we’ve to do that. Qualifier round means it [each match] will be like a final because of the knockout tournament. Before the World Cup qualifier, we’ve to be on top in skill and talent. Then, we can use it to win the qualifier matches.”
Malinga put the onus of the turnaround on himself. The 36-year-old went wicketless in the series, conceding over 40 and 41 in the two games against a team he has historically struggled. “We lost 2-0. I have to perform well, because I have experience playing T20 cricket, but I didn’t get a single wicket in this tournament, that is why we are in this situation, 65-70 per cent.
“Going forward, I am looking forward to get my job done. I can’t give excuse to others (on non performance) as I have wicket taking variations, skills. I have experience to play franchise cricket but at the end of the day, in this tournament I did not do anything for the team. I am looking to do my best going ahead.We have got a plus point that is Dhananjaya and [Lakshan] Sandakan and [Wanindu] Hasaranga bowled well in these conditions and against these kind of batting line up. Going forward, we are looking forward to giving opportunity to all the players because we didn’t have time to change our line-up and get new guys into the system,” he said.