[Reporter:]
Dad must be very happy after this knock. My question is regarding Mahela Jayawardene’s presence in the team. You have been consistently working with him. You spoke about how he is helping you with the sweeps also. We saw it today. If you could talk about how important the role of Mahela is in the dressing room and how it has helped you as a batter with him around.
[Sadeera Samarawickrama:]
Yeah, we know he is a legend so we can get any advice from him like in this kind of tournament – he knows how to handle big situations. So we go to him and we ask anything he give advice to us. So I think really happy to work with him
[Reporter:]
Can you talk about batting in the middle overs? It seemed like there was still something in the pitch for the bowlers. You guys showed great patience, you and Charith. So, just can you talk about what discussions you had in the middle when it got a little tough after Nissanka?
[Sadeera Samarawickrama:]
Yeah it was really tough in the middle part, because the ball was whipping at times, so myself and Charith – we thought that it’s not going to be easy in the latter part, so we have to bat well in the middle overs. So I think our plan is to take the game deeper. I think we got the singles and all that, so I think we stuck to our basics, that’s it.
[Reporter:]
You kind of anchored the chase right being part of multiple 50 plus partnerships and still stranded on 91 unable to complete that century. Is it bothering you that the 100 didn’t come up and since now you have points on the table, what shall be the approach in the upcoming games?
[Sadeera Samarawickrama:]
Actually, I didn’t look up to my scores because we needed a win. So that’s the main part so I think as a team we did really well today and as individual I really happy that I got 91 so unfortunately not 100 – but it’s good to be in the winning team every time so I think I’m really happy about the team performance.
[Reporter]
Two days ago, we noticed you were still practicing even after the scheduled practice sessions. Do you believe that your strong work ethic has been a key factor in your success?
[Sadeera Samarawickrama]
Absolutely, over the past year, I’ve consistently dedicated myself to training for my sport and have maintained that commitment. This is a consistent practice for me, and it’s through this diligent effort that I’ve been able to achieve success in various situations like this. I’m genuinely thrilled about it.
[Reporter]
You were part of three partnerships today that each scored more than 50 runs. Could you share your strategy for achieving this, especially since the wicket was a bit spinning?
[Sadeera Samarawickrama]
Absolutely, it was a challenging batting situation. Their bowlers bowled very well. And the wicket was very supportive of them. So, I told every player who came that they could complete this by hitting 40 or 42 overs. It is not easy. We have to do as much as possible and win. Because of the condition of the wicket, it is not easy for a new batsman to come and set up. We took the game right down to the last one or two overs, assessing how to secure the victory under the given circumstances.
[Reporter]
When you stepped onto the field, we had already lost two players with just fifty runs on the board. How did you handle the pressure and, in partnership with Pathum Nissanka, construct such an innings to secure victory? This is in contrast to our recent matches where the middle order struggled to make an impact. Could you elaborate on how you forged a partnership that ultimately led us to victory, all while managing the intense pressure of the moment?
[Sadeera Samarawickrama]
As previously mentioned, I want to reiterate that the next batsmen were going to face a challenging situation. As the overs progressed, it became evident that the pitch was offering more assistance to the bowlers than it did when we were bowling. The opposition bowlers displayed excellent accuracy in their line and length, particularly the spinners who delivered skillful performances. As I mentioned earlier, we aimed to prolong the match as deep as we could. If we couldn’t achieve that, there wasn’t much else we could do. Me and my batting partners focused on executing the fundamentals, which is why we were able to attain these scores.
[Reporter]
We had them at 91 for six wickets at a certain stage. However, they managed to accumulate approximately 171 runs for the remaining four wickets in 50 overs. What do you believe transpired during that period? Were we unable to exert enough pressure to restrict them to a lower score?
[Sadeera Samarawickrama]
I really think we put a lot of pressure on them. That’s why we were able to take six wickets. And considering those batsmen, they played well at that time. Our bowlers bowled well then. But they survived our balls very well at that time and built a good partnership. They were able to achieve a good result because they did what we did. I believe our fielding displayed some weaknesses. The bowlers performed admirably today, benefitting from favorable pitch conditions. In particular, Kasun Rajitha and Dilshan Madushanka exhibited exceptional performances right from the beginning. Aside from that crucial partnership, our bowlers maintained their excellence throughout the match today.
[Reporter]
In my view, what Sri Lanka required was a winning mindset, and I believe the Sri Lankan team got it today. With this victory, we are now set to face England in the upcoming match at Bangalore. What sorts of plans are we considering for the future?
[Sadeera Samarawickrama]
Actually, our plan was about how to win a game after the three games we lost and how to gain momentum as a team. Now, we know that next, we have to play very good teams. We don’t really have time to make mistakes. I believe it’s crucial for our team to come together and discuss our strategies, focus on fundamental aspects, and prepare for the upcoming matches. Moving forward, we must give 100% effort. It’s only by doing that that we can sustain our presence in this tournament.