We lost due to our faults � Mahela
Sri Lanka take on Bangladesh today:
Prince Gunasekera Reporting From Bangladesh
Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardane said that they will play with a
balanced team and hope to give a good fight against Bangladesh at the
Sher- final decision is to be taken after supervise the pitch. The match
will be in great importance for Bangladesh to qualify for the finals.
Pakistan who have already qualified with nine points, will meet India or
Bangladesh in Thursday's final. Presently India stand second in the
points table with eight points and if Bangladesh win against Sri Lanka,
they will equal the points with India. As Bangladesh beat India in their
previous meeting, the home team will play in the final. On the other
hand, if Sri Lanka win today's match India will secure their final
berth.
Sri Lanka's hope to get into final has been shattered after India
beat Pakistan in an exciting match on Monday. India chased the huge
target of 329 with the help Virat Koli's superb knock of 183.
It is for the first time in Asian Cup tournament, Sri Lanka being out
of the final. When asked reasons for four times Asia Cup Champions and
Previous World Cup runner up Sri Lanka did not qualify for the final,
Mahela said that any team will lose if they make mistakes and pointed
out even the last time World Champion India have lost many matches after
their crowning.
�Lack of rest was not the only reason for our doom. We made lot of
mistakes in both batting and bowling. Our alternations for the injured
all-rounders did not bring fruitful results and caused imbalance in the
squad�, said Mahela.
Bangladesh has played 49 ODIs in this ground and have registered 20
victories and 29 losses. In contrast Sri Lanka has played 10 matches and
posted six victories and four losses in this ground. In the last meeting
of two countries in 2009, Bangladesh won the match with five wickets. |
