Sri Lanka Captain Disappointed Post T20I Loss to India, Eyes Better ODI Performance

Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka voiced his disappointment following their defeat to India in the third T20I. Pointing out poor shot selection, especially in the middle and late order, he expressed hope for a better showing in the upcoming ODI series against India.

In the wake of Sri Lanka's loss to India in the third T20I of the series, skipper Charith Asalanka expressed his disappointment with the team's batting performance. Asalanka, who was dismissed for a golden duck in the 17th over by Washington Sundar, criticized the middle-order and late middle-order batters for their poor shot choices.

Addressing the press post-match, Asalanka did not hold back. 'I am really disappointed about our batting line-up, especially middle-order and late middle-order. Very bad shot selection was the reason. Spinners were bowling; that's why Hasaranga came up the order. We gave him the license to hit one or two boundaries, that didn't work for us. Wrong shot selection on this pitch. When the ball gets old, our shot selection should be spot-on, it's really hard to bat on these tracks. Definitely, the target was gettable; we can't give excuses,' he stated. He stressed the need for professional cricketers to step up and expressed hope for stronger batting performances in the forthcoming ODIs against India.

Recapping the match, Sri Lanka elected to bowl first. India put up a team effort with all batters contributing, setting a target of 137/9. Shubman Gill led the scoreboard with 39 runs, while Riyan Parag and Washington Sundar added crucial runs in the death overs. Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga were the standout bowlers for Sri Lanka, claiming five wickets between them.

In response, Sri Lanka's Kusal Perera and Kusal Mendis were top performers, but their efforts led only to a tie, taking the game to a super over. Pathum Nissanka also chipped in with 26 runs. India's bowlers, including Rinku Singh and skipper Suryakumar Yadav, held their nerve in the final stages, with Yadav defending six runs in the last over. In the super over, Sri Lanka managed a mere 2/2, and Suryakumar Yadav sealed the victory for India with the first ball. Washington Sundar was named Player of the Match, while Suryakumar Yadav took home the Player of the Series award.

(With inputs from agencies.)