'We can't give excuses': Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka lashes out at middle-order batters for making a mess of run chase

On a spin-friendly track of Pallekele where stroke-making was not easy, India's part-time spinners Suryakumar Yadav and Rinku Singh did not let Sri Lanka chase down nine runs from last two overs. Sri Lanka lost four wickets for just three runs in seven balls and the match progressed to super over after scores were level. As Sri Lanka lost two wickets in the super over, India won the third T20I to complete cleansweep. In a game where the hosts were ahead for most of the time, poor shot selection led to them losing. Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka who departed for a golden duck lashed out at middle-order batters after the loss for wrong shot selection. 
 

“I am really disappointed about our batting line-up, especially middle-order and late middle-order. Very bad shot selection was the reason. Spinners were bowling that's why Hasaranga came up the order. We gave him the license to hit one or two boundaries, that didn't work for us. Wrong shot selection on this pitch. When the ball gets old, our shot selection should be spot-on, it's really hard to bat on these tracks, Asalanka said in the post-match presentation. 

 

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“Definitely (the target was achievable), we can't give excuses. As professional cricketers, we need to do little bit more than this. I want to see good batting performances in the ODIs, not like T20s. Our top three and four have done well and that's the only positive I have. Boys will do something better,” he added.

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Collapse of epic proportions

Once again, Sri Lanka's top order performed well. Pathum Nissanka scored 26 whereas Kusal Mendis and Kusal Perera contributed with 40s. But Washington Sundar's double strikes in the 17th over helped India make a comeback. Wanindu Hasaranga was sent to attack Sundar but fell after scoring three runs from four balls. Asalanka got out caught behind. Rinku got rid of Ramesh Mendis and Kusal Mendis conceding just three runs in the penultimate over. In the last over, Chamindu Wickramsinghe scored a boundary but Kamindu Mendis and Maheesh Theekshana lost their wickets to Suryakumar. From 110/1, Sri Lanka lost seven wickets for just 22 runs from 26 balls.
 

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