Sri Lankan skipper Wanindu Hasaranga expressed his disappointment following their loss to South Africa in the T20 World Cup campaign opener, acknowledging the challenge of batting on a tough surface. Hasaranga revealed that his team aimed to score between 160-170 runs, considering the conditions, which he described as a “120 run wicket.”
Despite their efforts, Sri Lanka struggled to build momentum with the bat, managing only 77 runs before being bowled out. Hasaranga emphasized the importance of their bowling strength and explained that they opted to bat first with the intention of setting a defendable total. He remained optimistic about their performance in the tournament, expressing the team’s desire to improve, especially in their batting department.
Reflecting on the match, Sri Lanka’s decision to bat first did not yield the desired outcome, as they failed to capitalize on their opportunities. Apart from a few notable contributions from Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, and Kamindu Mendis, the batting order faltered against South Africa’s bowling attack.
In response, South Africa chased down the target comfortably, with Quinton de Kock and Heinrich Klaasen guiding them to victory. Despite losing some wickets, South Africa secured a six-wicket win with 22 balls to spare.
As Sri Lanka looks ahead to their remaining matches in the tournament, Hasaranga emphasized the need for improved performances, particularly in batting, to achieve better results.
