Sri Lanka will strive to come on top of the points table when they meet Scotland in their last preliminary round game of the world cup qualifying tournament today at Bulawayo ,commencing at 12.30 pm (Sri Lanka time).
Winning qualifying matches give more confidence to go forward and our team is in good shape to win matches here in Zimbabwe said Sri Lankan opener Dimuth Karunaratne who was adjudged man of the match for his maiden century against Ireland on Sunday. Actually the way we are batting in this tournament is very important. We had big issue as openers couldn’t stay a long time to build up good foundation but now both myself and Pathum Nissanka give a boost to the side which always paves the way to make over 300 runs total said Dimuth. We have really adjusted to the conditions.
Winning mentality always very important to go forward we know lesser known Associate country teams also have talented players and we never underestimate them and want to put up a fight against each team said the 35 year old left hander.
Actually when we put more runs on the Board our bowlers can play their part with more confidence. We saw excellent bowling from leg spinner Wanindu Hasaranga while two pacemen Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara always make an early break through and bowling, batting and fielding have clicked at right time to win the game said Dimuth. Especially we hope our seamer Dushmantha Chameera will come back very soon and our task is to enter the world cup first and our team combination is clicking at the right moment added Karunaratne.
I think we have good supporting staff headed by Chris Silverwood and our coaching consultant Mahela Jayawardena also with us and he is encouraging us to build up winning mentality. Our batting department is high class and all of them are in good form and this is the success of our innings. Today we saw if we have to win a ODI game we have make more than 300 runs to put pressure said Sri Lankan test captain Karunaratne .
Talking about personal performances Dimuth Karunaratne said getting maiden century gives me a boost while this is my 40th ODI and I had to play white ball cricket after a long time. If I could play more ODI’s I will get more runs and now want to give my best to the team with my experience. Actually last world cup in 2015 I couldn’t open the batting and always had chance to play as middle order batter but now as usual I have to open with Pathum Nissanka and our combination is clicking.
Meanwhile Sri Lanka team led by Dasun Shanaka is expected to play unchanged team today. The skipper himself is not in good touch in batting and he want to come back with a good innings today. Scotland led by Rechie Berrington have the services of Brandon McMullen who is in good form in this series having scored 136 against Oman and took five wickets haul against Ireland and Sri Lanka is looking to get his wicket early to make challenge against Scotish team. Micheal Leask the off spinner, leg spinner Mark Watt are the key spinners of the side but Sri Lankan leg spinner Wanindu Hasaranga is in terrific form claiming 15 wickets and three five wicket hauls in last three matches to equal the record of Waqar Younis of Pakistan and Hasaranga could be the match winner once again today.
Both Sri Lanka and Scotland having three wins each with 6 points in Group ‘B’ but Sri Lanka with highest run rate 3.469 while Scotland having 1.269 net run rate is in second place and the winner will be on top of the points table today. Oman in third place of the group having 4 points with two wins will enter super six. Meanwhile Zimbabwe who beat West Indies are on top of Group ‘A’ having 6 points while Netherlands and West Indies with two wins each having 4 points each and six teams are fighting each other in the super six round to enter the final. Two finalists will qualify for the World Cup which will be played in India next October.
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