Sri Lanka’s Theekshana: ‘England underestimated us’
Digital Daily looks at England’s heavy loss to Sri Lanka during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, with former England captain Michael Atherton and ICC Digital Insider Ridhima Pathak
Theekshana played a key role in a Sri Lankan bowling effort that skittled England for just 156 in the first innings.
And the off-spinner believes that Sri Lanka’s mixed results earlier in the tournament meant that England came into the game with an underappreciation of the threat his team posed.
Match highlights as Sri Lanka pulled off a strong display in Bengaluru and marched to an eight-wicket win against England at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.
“I think they underestimated our team because we also lost three games and we only won against Netherlands," he said. "I think they underestimated us.
“That's why the result went our way because we backed our strength, we went with a simple plan, so that's why we won the game today.”
Innings highlights as Sri Lanka pacers were right on the mark to help bowl out England for 156 in their ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 clash.
Theekshana’s returns of 1/21 in 8.2 overs played a key role in ratcheting up the pressure on England’s middle order.
But he was given the platform to do so thanks to the early wickets picked up by his pace-bowling colleagues, with Lahiru Kumara (3/35) and Angelo Mathews (2/14) particularly impressive.
Player of the match highlights as Sri Lanka pacer Lahiru Kumara dismantled the England innings with three key wickets at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023
Both players had not featured in Sri Lanka’s previous game, with Mathews only this week linking up with the squad as an injury replacement, bowling for the first time in ODIs in almost three years.
But the veteran’s clever medium pace forced England into a number of errors, with the 36-year-old picking up the wickets of both Dawid Malan (28) and Moeen Ali (15).
And Kumara’s relentless quality in a brilliant spell of pace bowling, getting bounce and movement with a clever line and length, proved too much for England on the day.