Sri Lanka secured a significant eight-wicket victory against England in the 2023 ODI World Cup league stage match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. Pathum Nissanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama’s impressive half-centuries were instrumental in guiding Sri Lanka to the win. Angelo Matthews, returning to ODIs after 2020, made a remarkable impact, contributing crucial wickets and dismantling England’s batting lineup. Despite winning the toss, England struggled against Sri Lanka’s potent bowling attack, managing only 156 runs. This win injected fresh enthusiasm into Sri Lanka’s World Cup campaign, emphasizing the team’s reliance on captain Kusal Mendis’ batting prowess and the determination of their bowling unit for future successes.
Kusal Mendis, reflecting on the team’s performance, expressed satisfaction with the rising Net Run Rate (NRR), emphasizing its positive impact on the team. He praised the exceptional bowling display in the recent match, highlighting the collective effort of the entire team. With four games remaining, Mendis acknowledged the team’s potential to secure a spot in the semi-finals by winning three consecutive matches.
Mendis also commended the players for their outstanding performance in the previous game and expressed hope for continued success in the upcoming matches. He specifically lauded Kumara, recognizing him as Sri Lanka’s primary fast bowler, impressed by his speeds ranging between 140-145. Mendis expressed his delight at Kumara’s strong comeback in the recent match.
Additionally, Mendis showered praise on Mathews, emphasizing his versatility as a player who excels in both batting and handling pressure situations. He considered himself fortunate to play alongside Mathews. Mendis also highlighted the team’s excellent fielding in the recent game, expressing the team’s intent to maintain the same level of performance in the remaining four matches.
NRR going up is good for the team. We bowled very well today. Everyone did really well today. Another 4 games left. If we win 3 games back to back, we’ll be in the semis. Players did well last match also. Hope we can do well next couple of matches. Kumara did well today. He’s the main fast bowler in Sri Lanka. Bowled 140-145 speeds. Very happy that he came back strong today. Mathews bowled really well. He offers so many things. Can bat also. Can play the pressure situation also. I’m very lucky to be playing with him. Fielding was excellent today. Want to keep doing the same in the next 4 matches.
