Chris Silverwood on Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh - 'We need good competition, so the rivalry is great'

There isn’t any Tremendous League, they did not qualify for the Champions Trophy, and the subsequent ODI World Cup continues to be three years away, however that does not imply Sri Lanka are going to ease off. Positive, the general focus is basically on June’s T20 World Cup, however in line with head coach Chris Silverwood, an ODI sequence representing your nation, significantly towards a Bangladesh facet with which they now have a reasonably substantial rivalry, would not require a lot by the best way of exterior motivation.

“I believe the motivation is that you just’re enjoying in your nation. I believe you have seen on the sphere that there is two passionate groups enjoying for his or her nations,” Silverwood stated on the eve of the primary ODI. “I believe placing on that jersey and representing your nation is motivation sufficient. And that is precisely what we really feel in our dressing room. So, the motivation is there.”

The embers of the rivalry between the 2 sides had been as soon as extra stoked throughout the T20I sequence when Shoriful Islam celebrated a wicket within the first sport with the now notorious time-out gesture pointing at his wrist. Whereas the second sport went off with out incident, within the last T20I there have been some sturdy phrases shared by Towhid Hridoy in response to a remark by a Sri Lankan participant following the previous’s dismissal, after which Sri Lanka fanned the flames additional by posing for the sequence trophy with your complete staff performing the timed-out gesture.

Whereas each side have, at the least outwardly, spoken in direction of placing an finish to the forwards and backwards, Silverwood acknowledged that the rivalry has caused an excellent aggressive edge to each side.

“The rivalry is clearly nice. I believe we want good competitors. And as I stated concerning the T20, it was two good sides and we’ll play some aggressive cricket. I anticipate precisely the identical once more on this event, on this sequence. So that is what I will be in search of, some sturdy cricket being performed. And clearly each groups shall be in search of the identical, I ought to think about.”

When it comes to ODI preparation, it is a Sri Lanka facet nonetheless initially of its cycle, one which they’ve begun extraordinarily properly with sequence wins towards Zimbabwe and Afghanistan – as properly a string of excessive scores courtesy refreshing constructive intent from their batters. And Silverwood is eager to maintain constructing on this momentum.

“We’re in a brand new cycle now, so we’re once more constructing in direction of a mode of brand name of cricket that we need to play within the subsequent World Cup. And that is one thing that we’re attempting to invent throughout the staff, and this once more is a part of that strategy of doing that.

“We’re attempting to proceed the momentum that we have had from the sequence at residence as properly in Sri Lanka, the place we performed some improbable cricket. And I will be encouraging the fellows to exit and do the identical factor. So, the batsmen to go rating huge runs individually and as a staff to place these huge scores on the scoreboard. And we’re asking the bowlers to maintain producing their abilities and preserve getting higher and higher.”

Key to their batting hopes would be the returning Pathum Nissanka. The opener has been in he midst of essentially the most purple of purple patches lately, beginning along with his string of half centuries in final yr’s World Cup and peaking final month as he turned the primary Sri Lankan to attain an ODI double century. He was an enormous miss within the T20s having been dominated out with a hamstring harm, however he is again within the squad for the ODIs, and Silverwood has labelled his return as “huge”.

“I spoke earlier about improbable particular person contributions. You discuss Pathum particularly. I believe what he achieved in Kandy was nothing in need of distinctive. And clearly, we’re all very, very happy with him within the dressing room. What he has executed, he is gone from power to power within the latest previous and he is turn out to be most likely probably the most constant performers inside that batting lineup. So, he is a key member of that batting lineup. It is nice to have him right here.”

One other participant Sri Lanka shall be banking on is Kamindu Mendis. The ambidextrous former Below-19 captain discovered his means again to the nationwide facet following a three-year absence earlier this yr, and he has since grabbed his newest alternative with each palms. Given only one sport every towards Zimbabwe and Afghanistan, he impressed tremendously within the latter – practically stealing victory for Sri Lanka in a steep chase. He then got here into into the enjoying XI extra completely as a substitute for Kusal Perera, who was sidelined with a respiratory an infection, and proceeded to impress additional towards Bangladesh along with his formidable stroke play. Having circled the fringes for thus lengthy, he now lastly appears to be making a concerted stake for a constant berth.

“I believe he completely deserves it. I believe what we have seen within the T20 sequence has been very, excellent. However to be truthful to him, ever since, each time he is acquired a chance, he is taken it. So, you already know, once more, he is executed that. So, we’ve to present him all of a credit score. He works extremely onerous. He is very diligent along with his preparation, and I believe he is acquired the outcomes he deserves.”

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