Chamari Athapaththu laments Asia Cup disappointment but says her team can bounce back at the Asian Games.
Defiant skipper is hungry for Gold in Japan.
BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE.
(eLanka Sports Editor)
Chamari Athapaththu is confident Sri Lanka can bounce back and turn things around at the forthcoming Asian Games in Japan.
After a disappointing loss in the final of the Asia Cup in Dubai last week, Sri Lanka’s courageous skipper admitted that the team failed to fire under perceived pressure to go back-to-back against the strong Indian line-up.
While beating India will always be a daunting task, she was confident that if the team fires on the day winning Gold at the Games is not out of reach.
If they can go all the way, it will emulate the success they had in 2014 which has been a long time coming.
India will always be the benchmark in Asia and in fact the world. Beating them on a given day therefore will take a herculean effort.
Sri Lanka’s batting sensation has an insatiable thirst for success and her determination has driven her country to recognition and respect against the best.
Now with an emerging team that doesn’t rely on her ability alone, Sri Lanka’s chances of success rides on at least half a dozen star class players particularly exciting batter Harshita Samarawickrema, Imesha Dulani, Vishmi Gunaratne, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, Hasini Perera and a penetrative bowling attack that can trouble the best batters around.
Athapaththu who is respected worldwide, and has been contracted by some of the biggest franchises around the world in the limited overs format, is in her twilight years.
But her continuing hunger for success has not diminished her intent and has the best teams in the world plotting her early dismissal to gain an advantage.
Sri Lanka’s skipper would want nothing more than to add Gold at the Asian Games to add to a plethora of outstanding achievements she has won in a memorable career as skipper.
Sri Lanka have sent a strong contingent of 156 athletes and teams in 24 events for the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya in Japan who will be part of a 11,000 athletes from 45 countries in Asia.
