We were prepared for an India fightback: MJ
First Published : 29 Jul 2012, 00:38
Last Modified : 30 Jul 2012, 10:45
Colombo, July 28: A comprehensive win in the second ODI was followed by a heart-breaking defeat for the Sri Lankan team. After walloping India for 138 to level the series 1-1, the hosts failed to defend a more than decent 286 in the third ODI at Colombo.
After losing the match by five wickets, Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene said he wasn’t surprised with the way the Indians came back in this match given the quality in their team. While maintaining his team lost despite playing good cricket, Jayawardene did not hesitate in pointing out where they went wrong.
Excerpts for Jayawardene’s post-match TV interview.
After the last match, did you expect such a performance from the Indians?
We knew we had to be prepared for something like this even after we got them all-out for 138 in the last game. They’re a quality team. I think we played very good cricket today despite making a few mistakes here and there. But credit to them; they played better cricket than us.
What were the mistakes that you committed as a team?
Up front we didn’t put pressure on them. After scoring 286, we gave them an easy start. Once we got those quick wickets, we had the game in our hands through the powerplays. But we bowled poorly and dropped Raina, which was a crucial wicket. We need to make sure we execute our plans well in critical situations and try to finish the game off.
The crowd witnessed a great game of cricket.
It was a great cricket match between two quality teams. It’s tough when you lose but you know you played a very good game and try to refocus on the next one.
After Nuwan Kulasekara, now you’ve lost Kumar Sangakkara due to a fractured finger. How big a blow is that for you?
I believe he will be out for 4-6 weeks. He’d probably get a well-deserved break. I guess this is the only way he could get a break. It opens the door for another youngster to come in and perform, which is great for us. Despite the injuries, we have to make sure we come back strongly in the next game.
