Cricket’s gloomy days are over  

by Rex Clementine

It’s been tough covering the national cricket team in the last decade. Repeated whitewashes, multiple corruption scandals and coups to ouster captains had seen Sri Lanka slumping in the official ICC rankings to the bottom half resulting in the team being forced to playing qualifying round games in major events like the World Cup. But gradually you see the team turning things around and the ridicule is over.

At the start of the tournament, former Indian batsman Gautam Gambhir said that he was surprised Sri Lanka had won five Asia Cups. That surprise is now set to become a shock as the team has played some stunning cricket and have one foot in the final. India, meanwhile, has one foot on the plane.

Gambhir is a ruling BJP Party MP from Delhi and he needs to be reminded that India had not beaten Sri Lanka in a World Cup match until 1999 after Sri Lanka humbled them in their inaugural meeting in 1979. Let him be also told that India has not won a Test series in South Africa while Sri Lanka have. Also that Sri Lanka had a Test triple centurion eight years before India had one although they had been playing Test cricket since 1932, exactly 50 years before Sri Lanka did.

In this Asia Cup, Sri Lanka had their backs to the wall after that horror game against Afghanistan. Then they completed a record run chase in Dubai to overcome Bangladesh and pulled off the highest successful run chase in Sharjah as well when they humbled Afghanistan. India are a different kettle of fish with players who are seasoned campaigners in T-20 cricket thanks to the IPL. Beating them is no easy task and it turned out to be another last over thriller.

Captain Dasun Shanaka has been a standout performer and has pulled off some thrilling run chases. But more than anything it is his captaincy that needs to be commended. Shanaka is not a Mike Brearley or a Mahela Jayawardene. Tactically there’s nothing special that you can see from him on the field. But it is his ability to bring the team together and keep the focus of his players that has helped him to make an impact. He maybe not the most popular guy around but he will get the job done for you.

On paper, this Sri Lankan attack is weak and inexperienced. There’s no Dushmantha Chameera or Kasun Rajitha. Everyone is wondering from where did this Dilshan Madushanka come from? His name goes as Lokkumarakkalage Dilshan Maudshanka and he’s only 21 years old. You may have noticed that Hambantota district is producing some quality fast bowlers in recent times and he too is from there.

Chaminda Vaas told us two years ago to keep an eye on him as he has both pace and creates awkward angles that a left-armer usually does.  We are going to hear a lot more of him in the future and the manner in which he cleaned up Virat Kohli for a duck was a treat to watch. There’s no better feeling for Sri Lankan fans than to see the former Indian captain dismissed cheaply for he has hurt the team time and again. You can safely assume that Madushanka will be owning an Audi or a Jaguar soon. An IPL call is just around the corner.

Kusal Mendis has been brilliant top of the order. He’s no power hitter but times the ball so well making use of field restrictions leaving power hitters like Bhanuka Rajapaksa and captain Shanaka to go after the bowling in the death overs. It’s been a brilliant campaign so far and it looks like the Asia Cup is coming home.