Kusal Mendis hopeful Sri Lanka can turn the corner

• Go into Super Eights beset by injuries

Top order batsman Kusal Mendis has huge hopes that Sri Lanka can reach the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup despite the fact that they are without three of their key bowlers through injuries.

Sri Lanka begin their quest towards achieving that target when they take on England in their first of three Super Eight matches at Pallekele on Sunday. England in fact outplayed Sri Lanka 3-0 in the forerunner three-match T20I series to the T20 World Cup, but that is history. Since then Sri Lanka has picked up and come back strongly to defeat Ireland, Oman and Australia in the T20 World Cup group stage to qualify for a place in the Super Eight.

“If you take the previous matches, the way we finished the game against Australia and today (against Zimbabwe), the batsmen are in form. If we have a total of around 180 we will be able to chase that down,” said Mendis at the post-match press conference that followed the match against Zimbabwe on Thursday. “I am keen to see that we reach a semi-final or final. Although we have two or three injuries in our team we have a good back up, we have a few all-rounders as well who have been performing well. I have great belief that we can reach the semi-finals.”

Kusal Mendis

Dion Ebrahim

“Everyone knows that we are without three key bowlers who have performed well for the country. The absence of Matheesha (Pathirana), Wanindu (Hasaranga) and Eshan (Malinga) is a big loss to the team. We have to see with the replacement we have how we can move forward. Wanindu has been replaced by Dushan Hemantha; he has a very different skill. We are looking to go with him and Dilshan (Madushanka) has also come into the team. From partner to partner their skills are different. We have to back their skills and move forward.”

Sri Lanka still has issues dealing with the middle overs where the bowlers are found wanting when they don’t take wickets.

“When Dushmantha (Chameera) returns to the team we will be able to get an over or two from him and get a wicket. We spoke a lot about keeping the run rate down, if we are unable to get wickets in the middle overs. Even if the opposition has wickets in hand, as we are good in the death overs, we will be able to catch up. So we talk a lot more about keeping the runs down than taking wickets in the middle overs,” said Mendis. “In batting as the wickets at RPICS are generally slow, we try to preserve our wickets in the middle overs and try and make up in the final overs. Our total today was quite sufficient, but Zimbabwe batted well, you have to give credit to them. They put a lot of pressure on our spinners. Because we could not get a wicket or two in the middle overs our target looked insufficient.”

Lapses on the field also contributed to Sri Lanka’s defeat by six wickets to Zimbabwe in their final Group B match.

“I think there were two or three mistakes. That can happen, especially since we played the previous three matches very well,” said Mendis. “We need to correct those mistakes. We missed two or three boundaries, and I know that could also have been a reason for the result. Overall, we did well in the first-round matches. It was only today that we had a few small errors in our batting and fielding. I hope we can correct them as we move forward.”

In this T20 World Cup, Mendis’ approach to the game has been different and that has made him score consistently. He made three consecutive fifties in the first three games, before being dismissed for 14 against Zimbabwe. 

“Previously I played as an opener, number 3 is a different role. My role is to bat as long as possible and if the openers give a good start to continue that momentum. I played a different game to my previous ones. The coaching staff and captain have specifically told what they expect from me. I think I was able to deliver. I didn’t do anything big at practice.”

Zimbabwe’s batting coach Dion Ebrahim described his team’s qualification for the Super Eights as one of elation.

“The feeling in the change room, the feeling with all the players and staff is that of elation and joy. I guess when we set out to come over to Sri Lanka with the World Cup in mind we had certain goals and with that we also had the sense of belief that we could achieve what we are looking to show and what we have shown.”

“In terms of preparation, in terms of plans, we’d be comfortable that we have ticked all the right boxes to approach the game in the best possible manner. We all know that T20 is a fickle format. We can often hinge on one or two moments of brilliance. We just hope that we can continue performing at the level that we know we’re capable of and what we’ve shown over the last three games.”