As Sri Lanka suffered another humiliating defeat in the fourth match of the ODI series against Pakistan, their 11th consecutive loss, at Sharjah Cricket Stadium yesterday, Cricket Age brings five reasons why team suffered defeat :
1. Dinesh Chandimal at number three : just like third ODI, Chandimal derailed Sri Lanka innings once again coming at number three. Captain Upul Tharanga himself accepted they lost the plot after being 59 for 2 in ten overs. Strike rate of 74 suggests Chandimal is not suitable for all important number three position, as he can’t carry the momentum openers provides to the team.
2. Sadeera at number five : Instead of Chandimal, Sadeera Samarwikrama should have come to number three, but team management sloted him an unfamiliar number five position. His strike rate in domestic cricket in all formats is especially impressive. He has a strike rate of 81.42 in first class cricket, 88.19 in list A matches and 91.7 in a single test he has played so far. The higher strike rate indicates he is a free flowing batsman and suitable for number three.
3. Inclusion of Seekuge Prasanna : It’s mysterious how Seekuge comes into the team again and again. A slogger, and a non-spinning spinner, he might be good in t20, but there are little chance for him to succeed in ODI cricket. He replaced Jeffery Vandersay, which was a joke! Vandersay proved in the series he is much sensible batsman than Seekuge and he is a front line bowler.
4. Thisara Perera at number 8 : the critics of allrounder will also accept that when Thisara gets some overs to settle down, he offten plays impact innings. He mostly fails, when team asks him to smash sixes from the first ball. But, team management sent him at number eight, even after Seekuge. He came and perished without troubling the scorer.
5. Mystery of Gunathilika : Danushka Gunathilika was suspended for six matches, than ExCo reduced the ban to three matches. Logically, he was available for the selection, but team management made a blunder by not including him. What’s the logic to reduce the ban, if management didn’t want him in the crisis.
