Sri Lanka’s match-winner in their series clinching second T20I win against Pakistan at Lahore on Monday, Bhanuka Rajapaksa praised the coaches for helping the team beat the no. 1 ranked side in the world.
”Not an easy task to come to Pakistan and beat the No. 1 side but the confidence from the coaches helped a lot,” said Rajapaksa after winning the man of the match award for his exhilarating knock of 77 off 48 balls.
“Beating the No. 1 side, I would take it any day. It means a lot to me,” he said.
A second string Sri Lanka side did what no other team from the island nation had managed to do before: beating Pakistan in a T20I series!
Built on a rollicking half century Rajapaksa, who was just playing his second game for Sri Lanka, the tourists posted a total of 182/6 in their 20 overs.
In reply, Pakistan could only muster 147 in 19 overs as they fell to a 35-run defeat in the 2nd T20I of the 3-match series.
The 27-year-old Rajapaksa hit 6 sixes and 4 fours to put Sri Lanka on the path of a big total after last match’s hero Danushka Gunathilaka departed early for 15 off the bowling of Imad.
Rajapaksa and Shehan Jayasuriya got together at the crease and the duo forged a scintillating 94-run partnership off just 62 balls to take the game away from Pakistan.
Rajapaksa was particularly great to watch as he trusted his great hand-eye coordination to time the ball beautifully between gaps while not shying away from nailing the towering sixes either.
With one game to play, Sri Lanka’s 2-0 lead is unassailable, a remarkable turn-up considering the disparity between the sides’ in the MRF Tyres T20I Team Rankings. Pakistan’s experimental side hasn’t had the desired effect, while Sri Lanka’s second string have exceeded expectations, and will be hopeful of securing a clean sweep in the third T20I today.
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