The batting coach for Sri Lanka, Thilina Kandamby, believes the last ODI between her team and Bangladesh will be fascinating since the game, which is set for March 17 in the morning at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, would not be affected by the dew factor. In the first two ODIs in Chattogram, which were day-night matches, Dew was a big factor. Winning the toss became crucial because the team batting second had an advantage because the bowlers were finding it difficult to handle the wet ball.
Bangladesh won the first One-Day International by chasing down Sri Lanka’s total of 255 in 44.4 overs. However, Bangladesh’s 286 after they batted first in the second game was insufficient as the visitors reached the goal in 47.1 overs to tie the series.
“I believe there was less dew than there was the other day. There was dew from ball one the day before. After Sri Lanka’s victory in the second ODI, Kandamby said, “I think dew is a factor for discussion but anyway its 1-1 and the next game is a day game and the boys are very much up for it.”
The fact that the third ODI will take place during the day and that there won’t be any dew factor is interesting, considering the same thing occurred during the T20Is. We were aware at the beginning of the series that it would be a day game, so there are things we can talk about and work on,” he stated.
Kandamby also exhorted the group to step it up and become better fielders. “They dropped a couple catches as well, but we have to accept those catches of course. And there are still certain areas where we can get better at bowling, fielding, and hitting. We want to play better cricket in the next day or two, even though we haven’t yet played our best game.”
The way Charith Asalanka and Pathum Nissanka batted in the second ODI, according to Kandamby, impressed him. Asalanka achieved a score of 91, whereas Nissanka achieved a score in the three figures. The batting coach added that they must support these players in order to provide them a wealth of experience going into the upcoming 50-over World Cup. In 2023, Sri Lanka lacked experience, which contributed to their ninth-place position and failure to qualify for the Champions Trophy.
“These two batsmen (Charith and Pathum) they are in good form for last couple of months and I think they are scoring consistently, especially Pathum Nissanka at the top of the order and gradually becoming a more matured player,” Kandamby stated. It all comes down to evaluating the circumstances and the whole issue, and these two guys are usually pretty composed. That is the key, he added. They also obtained a great deal of information from outside sources, are great friends who hang out frequently, and are aware of their own strengths.
“Who will compete in the next World Cup is a mystery.” The 50-over World Cup is in three years, but I’m sure the selectors have a strategy, so by then, four or five guys will have played in roughly 100 games; in the last World Cup, we didn’t have the experienced players. They’ll perform better as long as they have exposure, he claimed.
