16 February - Gqeberha - Sri Lanka Captain Chamari Athapaththu post-match press conference
[Reporter]
Just your comments on where you think we lost the game today.
[Chamari Athapaththu]
Actually, we have to score 150 plus runs in this wicket, otherwise we can’t win this game because Australia have a good batting lineup. So, I think for our play, we batted really good. But the 15th over we didn't execute our plan, we struggle a lot, and the Australian bowlers were bowling the right areas and they're bowling really is good, but we have to stick with our plan we didn't execute our plan that's how we lost this game.
[Reporter]
Commiserations on the result captain. What were conditions were like, and also how important partnerships would have been?
[Chamari Athapaththu]
Actually this wicket it is very friendly for the spinners with a slow wicket. So, so we had to stay there and take singles, doubles and build a partnership, but we couldn’t hit boundaries every time and sixes in this kind of wicket. So, that's what we have to do, but the thing is we didn't execute our plan because we played a lot of dud balls in middle overs, so we didn't get ones and two so that's the reason we couldn’t build good partnerships. Yeah.
[Reporter]
And Australia just seems to always have an extra gear or two. Can you give an idea of how difficult it is to face them, not just given the skill that they've got but also the depth in all departments. Can you give us just how difficult is it to face a team like Australia, given how skillful they are individually but also how much depth they have.
[Chamari Athapaththu]
Actually we all know how good their batting lineup is, their batters are really good and they can hit boundaries and sixes and the thing is, in my side we struggle a lot in the depth, because you know, we didn’t. We didn't hit sixes or score boundaries or and other things. So yeah exactly Australia played really good today.
[Reporter]
What would you make of the catch that Grace Harris took you looked in good rhythm you were tonking the ball pretty well but then when Grace Harris put that stunner, literally flying in the air, Australia's biggest threat by the way, how did that sort of change the complexion of the game?
[Chamari Athapaththu]
Grace Harris made a good catch. They have good fielders in the lineup so the thing is actually that moment, the game will change. So she will definitely change the game and Grace Harris in that kind of mode, she's a really good fielder and she's really good player. Yeah, I got out early and Harshitha batted really good.
[Reporter]
What was it like facing Ellyse Perry, you've faced her a number of times in international cricket. What is it that she brings to the table as a pace bowler or the movement that she gets off the pitch or in the air, and anything that has stood out for you, particularly in the way she has evolved her bowling?
[Chamari Athapaththu]
Yeah, she's a really good bowler, we all know she has a lot of skill, but the last couple of times I batted really good. I batted really good with her, but unfortunately she, she's a very good bowler. She's clever and very smart bowler. Today, she got my wicket. So, I have to respect her because I didn't respect that ball, that's it. That's why she got my wicket.
[Reporter]
What do you tell your side to pick them up for the next match because you're still in a reasonably good position as a side?
[Chamari Athapaththu]
Yeah, definitely we are in good position. We lost today but we have good positive things in today's game as well so we have to keep doing the same things in the next game and try to play positive cricket. Obviously, New Zealand at this tournament they are not in their mode, we know that, but we never underestimate the New Zealand side because they have a lot of good players, we will try our best to beat them and play well. We will try to play our positive cricket. I always say to my team “play your natural game don't take any pressure for the last game, because anything can happen in this format,” especially the T20 format so we stick with our plan we back our skills and play our natural game. That's it.
[Reporter]
The batters are having some problems in the middle overs. So, how do you plan to change that in the next game against New Zealand, a very important game?
[Chamari Athapaththu]
Yeah, especially because we are playing our next game in Paarl, it's a bit slower wicket because I think this wicket is at least a bit better than the Paarl wicket. So we have to adjust to those conditions, especially when we have to play some shots and lapping. Another thing we have to handle are the spinners, especially, I can mention they have two good spinners in the New Zealand team. So we have to look at them what they are planning and they have to rethink about that and we have a few plans. So tomorrow and day after tomorrow we have our training sessions and we try to adjust that area in the next game.
[Reporter]
What were the talks like in the group after that amazing win against Bangladesh it was the special one.
[Chamari Athapaththu]
Harshitha is our young cricketer and she's really a good and talented player. She finished that game really good. And I hope she will continue this performance in next couple of games unfortunately she did start today but she didn't finish that innings. Yeah, we are in good momentum because you know we played two good games and we won two games and today's game also we are playing really good. I'm not worried about today's game, not much, because we are playing against the world champion team. So, experience wise, skill wise they're on top but our team have very young players but I'm really happy about our performance and I think we can continue this performance in next game. And if we play our best definitely we can beat New Zealand and go through the semifinals and hopefully we can change history.
[Reporter]
Thanks, all the best. Thank you.