Shanaka hurricane blows Oman out of the park.Skipper makes welcome return to form and raises hopes of making play-offs. BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports Editor)
Dasun Shanaka made a timely return to form producing a hurricane and record breaking innings that spurred Sri Lanka to a convincing 105-run win over Oman at Pallekelle.
The hills of Pallekelle reverberated to the deafening cheers of local fans as Sri Lanka, led by an inspirational skipper, lifted hopes of making an impression on their home decks in the T20 World Cup.
The out of sorts Sri Lanka skipper who has been under the microscope for his lack of contribution to the batting, exploded against a debatably average Oman bowling attack as he raced to 50 off 19 balls before departing in the 15th over after setting the stage for a winning par score.
Shanaka’s blistering knock that included five sixers, was the fastest for Sri Lanka in T20 cricket beating his previous best and was the fifth fastest ithe T20 World Cup.
The positive from Shanaka’s innings also did unearth somethingof relevance, where he really should bat, up the order, rather than come in later in the innings when the run rate needs acceleration.
Sri Lanka coach Sanath Jayasuriya gambled and won by promoting Shanaka up the order when wickets fell cheaply and may have found the answer to take the pressure off the under fire skipper and let him go about his game with less pressure on his already burdened shoulders.
He showed glimpses of his former potential as a bludgeoning batter and shifted the spotlight from himself for the moment, as Sri Lanka’s batting inconsistency remains in question.
Losing openers Kamil Mishara and Pathum Nissanka early sent alarm bells through the Sri Lanka camp until consistent Kusal Mendis teamed up with promising young Pavan Rathnayake and the soon went about restoring the innings.
Together they added 94 runs for the third wicket before Rathnayake was clean bowled for a masterful 60 off 28 deliveries.
Enter Shanaka, and the fireworks exploded as he took total control of proceedings leaving Mendis a veritable bystander, marvelling as his skipper went about tearing the hapless Omani attack apart.
It would have torn into the heartstrings of Oman’s 14 -year coach Duleep Mendis’s well laid plans to derail his home country’s aspirations.
The momentum shift certainly changed the course of the game and gave Sri Lanka two wins from two games before their acid test when they confront contenders, the Australians next.
Two down for 42, and a sense of foreboding gripped Sri Lanka fans. But Kusal Mendis stood stood firm and defiant, finding an ally in emerging super talent Pavan Rathnayake and together they waded into Oman’s attack and taking Sri Lanka into ascendancy.
Mendis, showing the maturity of a world class batter, played the sheet anchor role letting first, Rathnayake, then Shanaka play the leading role. But his contribution was as good as both.
After Rathnayake’s dismissal, Skipper Shanaka and Mendis piloted Sri Lanka towards a winning total.
Sri Lanka finally reached 225 for 5 in their allotment. The total was built around Kusal Mendis, 61 off 45 balls, Dasun Shanaka 50 off 20 balls, Pavan Ratnayake 60 off 28 deliverers and Kamindu Mendis 19 off 7 balls boosted them to a defendable score.
Oman was never o the game in reply losing three wickets early. They were never able to dig themselves out of the early collapse as Sri Lanka’s bowlers les by Maheesh Theekshana and Dushmantha Chameera led a disciplined attack that strangled them out of the game.
But Maheesh Theekshana who was under a form slump, teamed up with paceman Dushmantha Chameera and rattled the Oman top order to derail any chance of a challenge.
Chameera 2 for 19 off 2 overs, and Theekshana an impressive 2 for 11 off 4 overs stifled any chance of Oman being competitive.
Next game, and Australia, will remind Sri Lanka where they belong in the competition and the uncertain surface in Pallekelle will hold the key to Sri Lanka’s future in the T20 World Cup.
England recently whitewashed the Sri Lankans in Pallekelle exposing an acute weakness about off pace bowling and shot making that is a counter.
But then, England’s success in Sri Lanka has been under question in India on different surfaces where West Indies humbled them against the grain. It was a predictable I mentioned about their progress on different tracks out of Pallekelle.
From a Sri Lankan perspective, there’s nothing to get too excited about as the real contests lie ahead. Beating lowly Ireland who were unlucky and their worst enemy, and Oman, is no indication of their worth until they meet the best. That road seems long and uncertain.
There is now a reasonable belief that the mindset within the Sri Lankan set-up is beginning to shift about national pride over division. If I’m right, this is how success is and can be achieved. Playing at home, Sri Lanka needs to maximise it at in familiar conditions.
These opportunities don’t come around everyday.
