The 2023 ODI World Cup has begun with a bang, but for Sri Lanka, the journey has been far from smooth sailing. In their opening clash against South Africa, Sri Lanka found themselves in a challenging situation, facing a daunting total of 428 runs in the first innings. Despite their valiant efforts, they managed to put up only 326 runs before being bundled out, resulting in a 102-run loss.
One cannot overlook the fact that a series of injuries have marred Sri Lanka’s campaign in the World Cup. The absence of key players due to injuries has undeniably impacted their performance. Among them, the absence of Maheesh Theekshana, a pivotal bowler in Sri Lanka’s lineup, was particularly noticeable.
Theekshana, known for his wily spin and ability to turn the game in Sri Lanka’s favor, missed the opening game against South Africa due to a hamstring injury he sustained during the Asia Cup 2023. His absence was keenly felt as the South African batters capitalized on his unavailability, piling up runs.
However, amid the gloomy atmosphere, there is a ray of hope for Sri Lanka. Assistant coach Naveed Nawaz delivered a promising update, stating that Theekshana has made a full recovery and will be ready to take the field in the upcoming clash against Pakistan. This news comes as a significant boost for the Sri Lankan team, as they can once again rely on his bowling prowess.
“He’s fit and should play tomorrow, didn’t want to risk him in the first game against medical advice but he should be ready here,” Naveed Nawaz was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Nawaz emphasized Theekshana’s fitness, mentioning that the decision to hold him back from the first game was a precautionary measure based on medical advice. Now, with Theekshana back in the mix, Sri Lanka can look forward to strengthening their bowling attack and turning the tables in their favor.
“It’s simple, we expect to face similar pitches, they’re not going to change; it’s going to be batting-friendly mostly. We have to look at our execution and see how we could’ve pulled back another 50-60 runs. We have to keep the group positive, that is most important. It’s a long tournament, we’re going to be playing, traveling and doing other things for over a month. We just have to take the learnings from each game and move forward,” Naveed Nawaz said.
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Looking ahead to their second World Cup encounter, Sri Lanka faces Pakistan at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Tuesday, October 10. Assistant coach Nawaz shed light on the conditions they anticipate for this crucial match.
Sri Lanka expects to encounter similar batting-friendly pitches, emphasizing that the pitch conditions are unlikely to change dramatically. With this knowledge in mind, they are focused on fine-tuning their execution and making improvements. Nawaz stressed the importance of maintaining a positive team spirit throughout the tournament, given its long duration and the challenges that lie ahead.
