30 October - Pune - Sri Lanka player Maheesh Theekshana post-match press conference
[Reporter:]
Tough game to play today, both the teams struggled to score quick runs. How do you see today's defeat and your tournament further?
[Maheesh Theekshana:]
I think today when we batted, the wicket was a little bit slow. Then when the dew came in, the wicket got a lot better when they batted. I think we did bowl really well on that wicket.
[Reporter:]
You had a good bowling partnership along with Hasaranga in ODI cricket and other formats as well. But in his absence, how much of a challenge has it been for you and how differently have you been adapting to that in this world cup?
[Maheesh Theekshana:]
Actually, it is a challenge because he is the main wicket-taking bowler we had. So, then we both had a partnership that some days I had to be the strike bowler, some days he will be the strike bowler. The other guy will keep pressure on the batsman.
So, with our combination right now, there's only one spinner can play, the wickets are really good. So, there's no turning. So, it's actually a good challenge for me and I think it's an opportunity for me as well.
[Reporter:]
Sri Lankan fan Percy passed away today, what do you have to say about him, he has been a supporter of Sri Lankan cricket for like almost six years.
[Maheesh Theekshana:]
I just heard about it; I didn't know actually. So, we feel sorry for him because he was the main guy who was there when I was a kid also. I saw him waving the flag so as a team we are disappointed to hear that story.
[Reporter] We batted first as we ended up on the losing side of the coin toss. Did you have a strategy in place to ensure we scored sufficient runs? Also, do you feel that our batting pace was somewhat slower than our typical performance, particularly when we needed to establish a target for today's match?
[Maheesh Theekshana:] I believe their bowling performance in the initial phase of the match was commendable. However, we failed to capitalize on the wickets we were preserving. The majority of our wicket losses occurred at crucial junctures. In moments when our partnerships were flourishing and our batsmen settled, we lost wickets. I believe this is a significant factor that contributed to our lower run total.
[Reporter:]
When you had a target of two hundred and forty-two runs, what kind of plan did you play with? Because we realized that today we did not play with a big plan. They played their game very well. We saw that there was no threat while batting without any nervousness.
[Maheesh Theekshana:]
I really don't think so. Because when we had 242 runs, we tried to get wickets. Dilshan Madhushanka took the first wicket for us. However, we struggled to apply the pressure we intended to exert on the opposition. The pitch conditions were quite favorable for batting. It seemed like the pitch played better when we were in the field compared to when we were batting. I believe the presence of dew might have had a slight impact on this. We made a substantial effort to create opportunities, and I believe our bowling performance was commendable.
[Reporter:]
Wanindu Hasaranga was absent from our team due to an injury. Pramodya Wickramasinghe, the chairman of the selection committee, made a concerted effort to have him included in the lineup. By giving natural treatment for his recovery. I'm not sure if you're aware, but a doctor associated with our team declined this approach. Had Wanindu Hasaranga been able to play, could it have potentially influenced the outcome of the match? for the overall tournament too?
[Maheesh Theekshana:]
I really don't know about it. So, I can't say anything about it. I really don't know about natural treatment. I know we have good physical therapists. I have been informed that we usually receive treatment from them. I am not aware of what you are saying. I am not aware of anything related to natural treatment.
[Reporter:]
Not for the first time, several times we have seen a batting collapse after being at a good level. There was 2 wickets at 130 and by the time we reached 180, we had lost 7 wickets. This kept happening, is there any internal discussion to prevent this? This happened on 4,5 times.
[Maheesh Theekshana:]
As a team, we've been actively addressing this issue. With experienced figures like Mahela on board as our batting coach and head coach, we're optimistic that our batsmen will perform well in the upcoming three matches.
[Reporter:]
What you said earlier in English, especially your bowling partnership with Wanindu Hasaranga, do you think we should change this combination from someone else? it would be better if there was a spinner. especially if there was another spin bowling option, by reducing from the batting side, it would be easier for you?
[Maheesh Theekshana:]
We failed a lot in our middle order, so we cannot reduce it from the batting side. We cannot add spinners because the wicket is good. We only have Wellalage and Dushmantha brother. Although they have a good experience, if the wicket is good, then it will negatively affect their confidence. In this kind of tournament, we can't just bring and add a player. I think as a team we cannot give a big responsibility to one such player because the wicket is good. If the other team collects about seventy runs for six to seven wickets, his confidence will be lost. It is difficult for us to take that kind of risk. We have three good players and we have one spinner. brother Anji and brother Dana and they cover ten overs so when we are a team it is everyone's responsibility. I believe we made a crucial mistake today, particularly as a spinner. I was eager to contribute with two or three wickets, but unfortunately, I fell short of that target. I take the blame for that. I take the blame for losing the match.
[Reporter:]
During the selection process for this competition, we observed the inclusion of both strong and experienced players. There was a sense of anticipation among people that the Sri Lankan team would become stronger and more successful with the addition of players like Chameera and Angelo. However, the ultimate outcome was not as expected, and even Afghanistan managed to secure a victory. Where do you believe we may have made missteps or gone wrong in our approach to this tournament?
[Maheesh Theekshana:]
From my perspective, it appears that in today's match, our inability to secure the middle overs played a significant role in our inability to win. On the bowling front, we did create opportunities to take more wickets, but we couldn't capitalize on them as effectively as desired. Nonetheless, I do believe our fielding has shown considerable improvement. The main area that requires enhancement is our batting, particularly in the middle order. We have the resources, and we are determined to make those improvements in our upcoming matches.