Sri Lanka head coach Chris Silverwood heaped reward on pacer Matheesha Pathirana after the latter’s career-best 4 for 32 decreased Bangladesh to a paltry 164 in an Asia Cup match right here on the Pallekele International Stadium on Thursday.
Crediting him for being a fast learner, Silverwood mentioned that the lanky 20-year-old would very quickly be seen bowling with the brand new ball.
Asia Cup 2023: Asalanka, Samarawickrama, Pathirana lead Sri Lanka to five-wicket win over Bangladesh
“He has worked very hard, and he absorbs information very well. He will continue to develop, and it won’t be long before he has that new ball in his hand,” he mentioned.
Pathirana was Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni’s go-to weapon on the loss of life within the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL), the place he picked 18 of his 19 wickets within the final 4 overs at a frugal economic system of 8.01.
Against Bangladesh on Thursday too, Pathirana showcased his prowess with the older ball as he deceived Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman in the identical over with slower deliveries to wrap up the innings.
However, what caught the attention was Pathirana’s management with a more moderen ball. He dismissed Shakib Al Hasan within the eleventh over – his first –with additional tempo and later put a stranglehold on the scoring together with his disciplined line and size. His intelligent mixing of nose-and-toes lengths had Mushfiqur Rahim enjoying an uppercut straight into the palms of third-man within the thirty third over.
Silverwood revealed Pathirana has been engaged on bowling with the newer ball and had made a number of modifications to adapt and evolve into this new position.
“He came to the World Cup Qualifiers with us, and he did a lot of work on how to bowl with the newer ball. We did a couple of little tweaks – not so much to his action but more with the run-up. That just gave him access to the stumps and he found he got more control through that,” the coach mentioned, including that have within the IPL had additionally benefitted the teen.
It was a medical bowling efficiency by Sri Lanka, which is lacking three of its first-choice quick bowlers and star leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga as a result of accidents. However, Silverwood noticed the brighter aspect of it because the state of affairs gave a chance to others.
“We have seen that when players are missing, it gives opportunity to other people as well. We managed to see [Dunith] Wellalage come back into the team and other people perform, whereas elsewhere they wouldn’t have got that opportunity. For me, as much as it hurts to miss big players, it is exciting to see the other talent come in and get an opportunity to shine,” he mentioned.
Pathirana grabbed that chance with each palms and so did the remainder of the bowlers, based on Silverwood.
“We had a bowling attack that had a little bit for everyone. We have off-spinners, left-arm spinners, fast bowlers and the X-factor in Matheesha. We had everything covered and I was happy with the combinations we had.”
Source web site: sportstar.thehindu.com
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