7.35 PM Thursday, 28 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:57 06:11 12:27 15:53 18:37 19:51
28 March 2024

How Sri Lanka drowned out the Gayle force

Sri Lanka bowler Angelo Mathews (R) watches as West Indies cricketer Dwayne Bravo (C) successfully reaches into the crease during a runout attempt by Thisara Perera (L) during the ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup's Super Eight match between Sri Lanka and West Indies at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele on September 29, 2012. (AFP)

Published

 

Allaam Ousman in Pallekelle

If Sri Lanka do fail to win the World Twenty20 title, it won't be due to the pressures of playing at home.

In fact, the crowd factor and familiarity of conditions has worked to their advantage as West Indies found out to their dismay at Pallekelle on Saturday.

After Sri Lanka got their act together to conjure a Super Over win against New Zealand in the Super Eights opener on Thursday, fans have come to believe their side are among the best in the world.

Their legion of fans have not deserted them despite the debacle in Hambantota where they succumbed tamely to title favourites South Africa in a rain-shortened group match. 

Pallekelle nestled in the central hill capital of Kandy has seen the resurgence of Sri Lanka's fortunes.

They have risen phoenix-like under the inspired leadership of Mahela Jayawardena to emerge as hot contenders for the title.

After barely scraping through against the Black Caps despite a dominant performance, Sri Lanka coasted to a nine-wicket win in their Super Eight match.

The majority Sri Lankan fans who came in bus loads to fill the picturesque Pallekelle International Cricket Stadium went into a frenzy as the mighty West Indian batting line-up was restricted to 129-5.

West Indies failed to capitalise their powerplay overs as they only managed 20 runs off it and losing two wickets.

Spectators some of whom had coughed up Rs2,000 ($15) for a Rs50 ($0.55) ticket on the grass embankment, certainly got their monies worth though they failed to witness any fireworks from Chris Gayle. 

 

 

Instead it was Tillakaratne Dilshan who set the ground on fire.

First by taking two brilliant catches on the line to dismiss the big-hitting Marlon Samuels and Dwayne Bravo and then cracking three scorching boundaries in consecutive deliveries off Fidel Edwards to set the tempo during Sri Lanka's run-chase.

A sparkling unbroken 106-run partnership between skipper Jayawardena (65) and Kumar Sangakkara (39) ensured an emphatic nine-wicket win.

The result was never in doubt and although Sri Lanka has one leg in the semifinal, Jayawardena refused to get carried away for fear of throwing away the advantage.

"We are still not there. We just can't be complacent. I'm quite happy with our effort today. The boys stuck to their guns and executed the game plan.

“Quite happy with their all-round performance and very proud of the boys," he said.

Indeed West Indies skipper Darren Sammy refused to throw in the towel.

"I said before it would be a challenge in these conditions. It proved to be we were not to up our A game.

“It is a must win for us now going into the last Super Eight game (against New Zealand). We back ourselves to win," said Sammy.

An England win over Sri Lanka on Monday could bring mathematics into play.

"We play first against New Zealand. It is a massive game for England. It will be an interesting day on Monday," he added.

The bottom line was Sri Lanka exploited the home conditions as they stuck with a three-pronged spin attack with an eye on the tournament finale.

"The pitch suited them. In Sri Lanka we expect wickets to turn. It's nothing new to us. We just didn't adapt quickly enough when we batted," said Sammy.

The Windies skipper felt the crowd factor worked in Sri Lanka's favour.

"When you have crowd buzzing, for us as a team when the crowd is behind us it gives us that extra boost, extra energy.

“That's what Sri Lanka's been getting. The games they played have been really close and some they somehow managed to pull through," he said.

Jayawardena shrugged off this advantage and the fact they are favourites to make it to the last four.

"In West Indies they had home advantage.

“In England we got to the finals. That we can't control," he said.

"It's all about taking one game at a time and going through the processes. It's quite easy to make mistakes in Twenty20 cricket.

“We just need to make sure we are not complacent and try and control what we can control which is how we go out and perform out there," added the mercurial Jaywardena.

However, Sri Lanka have yet to play at R Premadasa Stadium, venue for the semifinals and finals in the capital Colombo, having opened their campaign in Hambantota and settling Kandy for the Super Eights.

"We just play to the conditions we've been given. Obviously we had to settle into two different venues of Hambantota and here (Pallekelle). Hopefully we'll get to Khettarama (R Premadasa Stadium) as well.

“You have to assess those conditions and see how we could go about those things," he said.

But Jayawardena was in no doubt the atmosphere caused by the music and revelry of their vocal fans have helped their cause.

"The way they go with the music, whole thing, it's a part and parcel of cricket.

“We grew up in our school cricket with those bands on stands playing in our big matches as well.

“Everyone enjoys that atmosphere. Having them behind us, we thoroughly enjoy that. It might be little bit of pressure.

“It's not a big deal, we definitely enjoy that," said Jayawardena who captained a leading Colombo school Nalanda which plays an annual 'big match' with Ananda which produced World Cup winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga.

Sammy succinctly explained the phenomenon of home advantage.

 

 

 

"Playing at home that's a wonderful thing. Always have a 12th man. If you are batting out there, it's three guys in the middle.

“On the field it's like 12 on the field," he said.

Asked whether Sri Lanka were good to go for the semifinals, Sammy said: "Any team can go (to the semifinals). They play at home so they have advantage.

“Yes they are a good side but it's Twenty20. It's anybody's game. Who plays better cricket on day normally wins cricket match.

“We back ourselves to beat New Zealand. Let England and Sri Lanka battle it out in the final game on Monday."