Coach Warnakulasuriya and skipper Mubarak express confidence:

Lankan cricketers set to win a medal

Dinesh Weerawansa Reporting From China

Coach Sumithra Warnakulasuriya said Sri Lanka is confident of making it to the final of the 16th Asian Games men’s Twenty20 cricket tournament.

The former Royal and Sri Lanka ‘A’ opening batsman said the Lankan team is eagerly looking forward to the tournament, which is a new experience for them altogether.

“Unfortunately, the draw is such that we have received a bye to play directly in the quarter finals. It would have been better if we had got a couple of preliminary round games. That would have given the boys some room to adjust to conditions here,” de said.

Asked about the newly built ground for the cricket competition of the Asian Games, Warnakulasuriya said China has done a lot to construct a new ground. “IT looks okey. But the wicket seems to be a little slow one.

Nevertheless, it is a nice venue with a beautiful stadium,” he said.

Sri Lanka team had a long work out at the venue this morning, under the watchful eyes of Warnakulasuriya.

“We had a good fielding session. But the ground looks uneven and I don’t want to risk the players too much because they could twist their ankles when running on an uneven surface. But its all part of the Games and this is a new experience,” he said.

The Sri Lanka cricket coach for the Asian Games said it is an ideal atmosphere for the players at the Athletes Villages. “It is a totally new experience for the cricketers, to share an apartment, share rooms.

Normally on cricket tours they get a single room but here, two plays share one room each in that apartment. It’s like one family and a nice feeling in true sportsmanship,” he said.

Asked about his view on the inclusion of cricket in the Asian Games proper for the first time in six decades, Warnakulasuriya said it is a positive sign and sounds well for the game across Asia, beyond the Indian subcontinent. “It is a good thing.

That paves way to further popularise the game beyond South Asia to the other parts of Asia. But it is yet to determine how successful it is going to be,” he said.

Sri Lanka coach seems to be a little worried about the facilities for cricket. “True that there is a good stadium. But we don’t have a practice venue meant exclusively for cricket. The boys have to practice at a football ground or so. There are no proper indoor nets for them to train.

Bu we are learning things at the Asian Games level and have nothing to bargain. Our aim is to make Sri Lanka proud with a medal here,” Warnakulasuriya said.

Sri Lanka captain Jehan Mubarak said his team is teen to test their skills at Asian Games level which is a totally new experience for them.

“It is a new experience and we are looking forward to share that with a medal. The lads are keen and we are looking forward to our quarter final match with a positive mind,” Mubarak said.

However, Sri Lanka’s opponents in Wednesday’s quarter final match, is still unknown. They are down to play the second-placed team pool ‘D’, which includes Hong Kong, Nepal and Maldives. The winners of this group will play Afghanistan in the other quarter final match scheduled for Wednesday.

The final group standings would only be known after the last round of preliminary round matches on Tuesday.

In the first round of qualifiers, Malaysia beat China by 89 runs in a pool C game while Hong Kong beat Nepal by 30 runs in a pool D match. Guanggong Cricket Stadium is the sole venue for the Asian Games cricket tournaments.

With a series of unimpressive performance by Sri Lanka in most other sports, men’s cricket gives them an ideal opportunity to win a medal, perhaps that much needed gold that Sri Lanka has been looking for!

- GUANGZHOU, Monday.