Now that the most crucial match ended unexpectedly with both teams, Sri Lanka and Australia sharing a point each, we will have to be more concerned about our progress in the tournament. Sri Lanka has to take on Zimbabwe and New Zealand in the remaining games and the results of those games will be vital on where we will end up in the group.
If we end up lower among the first four then our opponents will be a top team from the other group. Like most people think there will not be much of a difference after we qualify for the knockout stages where the real competition is.
For me it’s immaterial where we end up after the first round. It’s all about how we perform from there on. The World Cup is all about playing competitive encounters against good sides. We will have to take the best out of what we went through in the group stages and move forward to reach the final.
By former Sri Lanka rugby captain Dr. Maiya Gunasekera
Had we won the match yesterday it would have been a great boost for our campaign after winning and losing a match. History indicates that the side to win the toss and score more that 250 runs has a very good chance of winning a match under lights. We won the toss and progressed but ultimately had to be content to share a point each with the Aussies.
If that was our fate then we should accept it but I’m sure that after sort of tying a game the Sri Lankans should not relax from here on. We must beat Zimbabwe and New Zealand in the upcoming games and set ourselves in a comfortable stage for the knockout stages.
Incidents like yesterday’s unnecessary run out of Mahela Jayawardena and Angelo Mathews playing loose shots when a good knock from him was much expected against Pakistan should be corrected. We have a very good variety among our players and we have a very good chance of clinching the title this time. We should think correctly and face up to the situation from here on. I believe that we can get there.
By Tikiri Kobbekaduwa, Governor Central Province, a former cricketer
I thought Sri Lanka was playing very well until the rains came down. Particularly Sangakkara was playing very well and could have gone on to get a century and we had a chance of the team getting a big score on the board.
I felt that the Australians were concerned about the way our players were playing the strokes and with the dew factor we had a good chance of winning the match.
Our team selection too was good and I think selectors have carefully studied the pitch and selected the team. We had three spinners.
Our overall performance too has been good and we will not have any problems in reaching the quarters finals and reaching the semi finals. I am confident that we will enter the finals and go on to win the cup.
I wish the team all success.
By Chandani Hettiarachchi – Singer
The winning of the toss itself was a big advantage to our team yesterday. The way we performed as well, until the rains came down was good. We were batting patiently and was heading for a big score. I believe that we had a chance of winning the match.
According to what we have been playing I am confident that we can reach the finals. Since we are playing in home conditions we have a better advantage.
The song dedicated to the team by me was also to encourage the team and have the blessings of God. We should encourage the team to win the cup for the country.
By Ronnie Leitch - Singer
I had strong feeling that with the presence of Lasith Malinga we could have won the match. One reason that Australia would have been batting under lights and the moisture would have had and effect.
The future remains a big question. The biggest threat to Sri Lanka is from India and South Africa. However we could get somewhere such as the quarter finals or even the semi finals the way we are perfoming.
The performance so far by Sri Lanka has been very promising though we lost to Pakistan with a small margin.
It is not the batting, but it is the Malinga factor that will take us somewhere.
By J.Washeedharan, Shopkeeper from Batticaloa
Many youth and even old people gathered in the town to watch the match which was being screened in TV show rooms, but they were sad the match had to be abandoned due to bad weather.
The interest in cricket has been increasing with the return of normalcy with many youngsters beginning to play softball cricket. This has help to increase the number of supporters backing the Sri Lankan team.
I am confident that Sri Lanka will enter the finals as they have been playing well.
Not only me, but my friends too believe that the Sri Lankan team can win the cup as they did in 1996.
By Rohan Tuan Ousman, a goldsmith from Anuradhapura
Yesteday’s game could have gone in favour of the host team simply because the side batting second has always found it difficult under lights at the Premadasa Stadium.
Furthermore we had seven wickets to play around with.
I feel that Sri Lanka will reach the quarter final because, to get there we need just one more win.
However after the quarter finals the entire tournament will be thrown wide open.
I am convinced that the home team would also reach the semi finals along with Australia, India and the unpredictable Pakistanis.
By Shafana Sitthy from Puttalam
We were disappointed that the rains ruined the game. We were expecting a keen contest between the two sides as Australia had turned out to be our traditional rivals now.
I have been closely following the Sri Lankan team watching all the matches. We have been playing well and progressing well. Most of our batsman have been in form and the bowlers doing their role.
We should not be over confident as at the next round with just one match we can be thrown out from the tournament.
According to the performace so far and if we continue to play well we can easily progress to the semi final level.
By Rajiv Sebestian - Singer
The Australians were fielding well at yesterday’s match. The Australians were not allowing to build good partnerships.The rains in one way was a blessing to us.
Sangakkara’s captaincy is good and he is playing without pressure. I too like if Sri Lanka wins but we should not put pressure on the Sri Lankan team. Whether we win or lose we should be able to accept the result. |
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