"We never wanted to play qualifier tournament but..." SL skipper Shanaka after victory against Netherlands
Jul 09, 2023
Harare [Zimbabwe], July 9 : Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka reflected on what the Cricket World Cup Qualifier final victory meant for his team after they claimed a comfortable victory against the Netherlands on Sunday.
Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga ripped apart the Dutch batting line-up as the spinner duo combined to claim six wickets. The Netherlands bundled out for a score of 105.
In the post-match presentation, Shanaka went on to describe the importance of the success that they achieved by remaining unbeaten throughout the tournament.
"We never wanted to play a qualifier tournament and that is what the rest of the boys believe. Playing the qualifiers puts pressure and winning it is a big thing (for us). I want to thank Cricket Zimbabwe for organizing this tournament, and all the Zimbabwean fans, Sri Lankan fans in Zimbabwe and all our supporters around the world," Shanaka said in the post-match presentation as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
He further went on to heap praise on his spinners that have been the key reason for the success that they have enjoyed as a team throughout the tournament.
"For a while, I have been playing with them so I know the time when to use them. Chris and Mahela was there to support us. We prepare the plans pretty early. Even in the World Cup, they will play a big role for Sri Lanka," Shanaka added.
Finally, he revealed the major concern he had before the beginning of the tournament that could have affected the entire team.
"Prior to this tournament, we had a good series against Afghanistan. Coming here, everyone in our team wanted to prove that we are a better side than to play the qualifiers. We wanted to put up our best performances. The only concern was injuries. Apart from that, we had full control in every game and in every situation. The top order, middle order, the bowlers - everyone performed very well," Shanaka signed off.
Coming to the match, Netherlands managed to restrict Sri Lanka to a chasable score of 233. In response, they struggled to stitch up partnerships and Theekshana, Madushanka and Hasaranga made short work of the Dutch batting line-up to ensure that their team ended the tournament unbeaten.
