Sri Lanka’s interim head coach Sanath Jayasuriya admitted the third T20I against India at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday should not have gone to a Super Over. Sri Lanka were 108-1 after 15 overs and needed a run-a-ball 30 to chase down the target of 138.
The equation was brought to nine runs off the final two overs and the hosts also had six wickets in hand. The match was in their pocket but they let it slip as they lost four wickets in the last two overs and could only score eight runs.
Rinku Singh bowled the penultimate over, conceded only three runs, and also bagged two wickets. Furthermore, Suryakumar Yadav decided to roll his arm for the first time in T20Is in the final over and conceded only five runs to take the game into Super Over.
Sri Lanka could only manage two runs in the Super Over as Washington Sundar accounted for Kusal Perera and Pathum Nissanka.
Sanath Jayasuriya said as quoted by Cricbuzz, “The third game should never have gone to a Super Over. As coaches, you can tell stuff but handling pressure is for those out in the middle. We are aware that part-time bowlers. had got those crucial wickets. It is disappointing.
“Kusal Perera from the middle had made a gesture to send a right-hander in. His intentions of letting us know that a right-hander was needed is correct. We were prepared for the routine batting line-up. But when the set batter sends a message you need to listen to that. I would have been happier had Kusal Perera finished it off.”
The former attacking Sri Lanka opener added the team’s support staff will have to take the criticism to their chin and they must motivate the players to get the best out of them.
“It’s disappointing as a coach, but we have to take the criticism as well, as a coach, as a support staff, as a team. We are taking responsibility, you can’t go away from that.
“As long as they realize that, and make sure that, we’ll have to keep giving them the confidence and support I had to go through this (phase) in my time as a cricketer, every cricketer has to go through this. When criticism comes, you have to take it.”
The first ODI between India and Sri Lanka will be played in Colombo on Friday.
