Published: May 31, 2016, 05:51 PM (IST)
Edited: May 31, 2016, 05:51 PM (IST)
As Sri Lanka have lost the Test series against England with one Test match remaining on hand to be played at London, it is yet another defeat for the visitors despite some record breaking innings. This might be a big blow for Sri Lanka with their experienced player Tillakaratne Dilshan missing out on ODI series due to personal reasons. The news broke out on Tuesday evening and the what the personal reason is remains a mystery. Dilshan last played for ICC World T20 2016 and Asia Cup T20 2016, which was an up and down process. After Mahela Jayawardene and Sangakkara, the only experienced players on Sri Lanka’s side are Dilshan and Rangana Herath. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: England vs Sri Lanka, 1st ODI at Nottimgham
Sri Lanka who were defending champions in ICC World T20 2016, were not at their best in this edition. They have faced en number of defeats be it Tests, ODI or T20 cricket. Although, they did win the final group match against Afghanistan with price with Dilshan taking the lead with his knock of 83. A bigger blow came when Lasith Malinga, the man who had led them to the title two years back, stood down from captaincy before the tournament, and did not play a single match.
But Sri Lanka had their moments. Though the result may not show it, they pushed West Indies, making them earn their victory. Mathews led a gallant, if valiant, charge against England. And the spinners, like their counterparts from most teams, were impressive, if not excellent. Mathews is presently leading the team and looking to provide some respite from all the criticisms.
