• Ex-captain says took leaf out of Brook’s book 
• Credits Avishka and Pavan’s maturity and class
• Notes victory will be tonic for SL cricket 

Ex-Sri Lanka white-ball captain Dasun Shanaka says that the team had always believed chasing down a daunting target of 429 to win their run-laden Bank Alfalah ODI Tri-Series match against England on Thursday (22) by 2-wickets, was within their abilities.

He made this remark speaking to emcee Zainab Abbas of the host broadcaster, during the post-match review by the television commentary team, on what proved to be a record-shattering One-Day International (ODI) at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

“It was an incredible run chase from where we were a couple of nights before,” Shanaka said. “It was very important to cross over the line and chasing 400 plus is never easy. Really happy about the way each individual performed.”

Asked as to when Sri Lanka had believed it was chasable when faced with a humongous total mid-innings, the former skipper put it down to pre-match team talk and a new-found belief.

He identified them as factors which had turned a seemingly insurmountable target to one which they managed to overcome with a delivery to spare.

“See there was a lot of team talk before the games happened and one thing which stands out is Gary (Kirsten). He is very clear about how we must play.”

The all-rounder said that if England captain Harry Brook could bat the way he did in producing a double century (116-ball 202) to propel his team to what seemed to be a match-winning score at the half way stage, there was no reason for Sri Lanka to not take a leaf out of his book and get across the line.

“To be honest Brooksy played one of the knocks, credit to him and we really enjoyed it being the opposition team. But at the same time what we thought was, if they (England) could do that, why couldn't our team do that. That was the discussion.”

Shanaka recalled to the format after more than two years, remarked that in a chase as steep as the one which they faced on Thursday, it was crucial to start well, and noted that they had got there despite skipper Kusal Mendis perishing for a duck via a runout without facing a delivery.

He credited centurion Pavan Rathnayake (130) and opener Avishka Fernando (97) for underlining their maturity and class during the now-emphatic chase, and praised Janith Liyanage-with an unbeaten 61 off 27 balls, for finishing things off for the Lankans.

“He (Liyanage) hasn’t finished off that many games in that way, and it was a wonderful knock to see as well,” observed Shanaka, who himself dazzled his way to a 50-ball 97 inclusive of eight maximums and six fours, to keep the Lankan reply afloat after being promoted in the order. 

When questioned by commentator Roshan Abeysinghe as to how his team had psychologically managed to be in the game when faced with an uphill challenge, the former captain put it down to being in a now or never situation, having lost the triangular series opener to hosts Pakistan two days earlier by 37-runs.

“See, for us it was now or never. If we had lost tonight then we would have been out of the competition. It was the mindset of the players. To be honest, I think Janith (Liyanage) had spoken to the coach and captain, of myself going higher in the order. So, I think it was the right decision to make in this game and it was the turning point.”

He added that he had felt the target was within his team’s reach during the 166-run third-wicket partnership between Fernando and Rathnayake, and emphasised that his mindset was to time the ball well while rotating the strike, when striding out to bat.

Pressed as to what the surreal result would do to cricket here, Shanaka observed that it was important to turn tables on a strong ODI team as England, and maintained that there were still match-winners sitting out as well as more talented players back home.

“There are a few players who are absent as well. I feel that this win could boost Sri Lankan cricket, for the players and to everyone that see that we can do this, so keep believing that is the thing we need to ask.”