Sri Lanka got here into the Afghanistan match on the MCA Stadium in Pune on a excessive, after dismantling defending champion England by eight wickets in its earlier recreation.
However on Monday, the island nation was introduced again to the bottom by a medical Afghanistan facet, which now has the semifinal spot in its sights.
Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana selected to level out how his facet wasn’t helped out by the various circumstances.
“I feel at the moment after we batted, the wicket was a little bit bit sluggish. Then when the dew got here in, the wicket bought so much higher once they batted. I feel we did bowl very well on that wicket,” mentioned Theekshana after the match.
Sri Lankan spin bowling coach Piyal Wijetunge although selected to lavish reward on Afghanistan.
“They’re on high of their recreation now. They’re bowling nicely. And their batting and fielding have been distinctive too. You must give credit score to Afghanistan, as they’re a comparatively new crew.” mentioned Wijetunge.
Sri Lanka was held again by its effort with the bat, with not one of the batters succeeding to speed up after settling in, as Afghan bowlers stored plugging away.
“We had been comfortably positioned at 150 for 3 however stored shedding wickets at essential moments. In order that made the distinction. Clearly, if you lose wickets, your run price drops. We should settle for the truth that we didn’t play our greatest,” added Wijetunge.
The defeat additionally has made Sri Lanka’s development within the match uncertain. However Wijetunge selected to see this as a possibility for his facet to show its fortitude. “That is the stress of the World Cup. It’s a unhealthy loss for us. We should bounce again on the earliest.”