‘Boys have a point to prove…’: Sri Lanka’s Shanaka ahead of dead-rubber clash against India in Asia Cup

DUBAI: Ahead of Sri Lanka’s final Super Four match against India in the Asia Cup, allrounder Dasun Shanaka expressed hope for a competitive contest, stating that although his team is exiting the tournament, they still have a “point to prove” ahead of the T20 World Cup next year, which India and Sri Lanka will co-host.

India, which has already set up an Asia Cup final clash with Pakistan for the first time, will take on Sri Lanka, who have been eliminated from the competition with two losses in the Super Four stage after an unbeaten group stage phase, in what essentially is a dead rubber match. A win would let India walk away into the final with momentum, while Lankans will be playing for their pride, after having won the T20I Asia Cup back in 2022 and being the finalists of the 2023 ODI edition.

Shanaka said, “The best opponent in the tournament. We are looking for a fine match and need to prove a point. We are still good enough, but unfortunately out. But we’ve got a World Cup coming up, so this is a good clash against India. So, the boys have got a point to prove in this competition before leaving Dubai.”

Dasun Shanaka fought valiantly, but held on to a thrilling win

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In 24 T20Is against India, Shanaka has scored 430 runs in 22 innings at an average of 26.87, including two fifties and a strike rate exceeding 140. His highest score is an unbeaten 74. Shanaka was all praise for Team India’s dominance in the shortest format of the game since the last decade and credited their set-up for the same.

Speaking on some Indian players who could change the game, Shanaka called Indian T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav a “big match player”. Surya has scored just 59 runs in four innings, with his best being 47* against Pakistan. This year has been horrid for the Indian captain, having made just 87 runs in nine innings at an average of 12.42, with an abysmal strike rate of 112.98 that suggests he is nowhere his usual dominant self.

“Yeah, see, I like the way SKY (Suryakumar) plays. He has not scored many runs in this competition. But you know, he is a big match player and with the bowling, of course, Jasprit Bumrah (five wickets at an average of 22.00 in four matches with best figures of 2/18).

Shanaka also hailed Abhishek Sharma, saying that he has been in his prime form. “Abhishek Sharma in his prime form from IPL. So yeah, really happy for him,” said Shanaka.

In five matches so far, Abhishek has scored 248 runs in five innings at an average of 49.60 and a strike rate of 206.66, with two half-centuries and a best score of 75. He is the top run-getter in the ongoing Asia Cup. He is just 34 runs away from going past Pakistan’s Mohammed Rizwan (281 runs in six innings at an average of 56.20, with a strike rate of 117.57 and three fifties in 2022) to have the best-ever T20I Asia Cup by a batter.

This year, across all T20 matches, Sharma has scored 966 runs in 23 innings at an average of 42, with a strike rate above 203, including two centuries and five fifties.

Sri Lanka Squad: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka(c), Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Nuwan Thushara, Dunith Wellalage, Kamil Mishara, Nuwanidu Fernando, Binura Fernando, Janith Liyanage

India Squad: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Shivam Dube, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Sanju Samson(w), Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma. (ANI)