Chris Silverwood, the head coach of the Sri Lanka National Cricket Team, says that this defeat should be considered as an encouragement in preparation for the World Cup Cricket Tournament and the Sri Lankan team should correct their shortcomings and prepare for it.
Speaking to the media after experiencing a massive 10-wicket defeat against India in the final of the Asia Cup ODI, Silverwood said this.
'First of all, we have to say that we are a team that played well to qualify for the final. Reaching the finals of a tournament is also a victory. But we cannot be happy with the way the final was played. It is common for players as well as coaches. We need to restore confidence in the players. This defeat will be an encouragement to the team when going to a huge tournament like the World Cup.
The Indian team bowled very well in the final, we have to admit that. Our batsmen collapsed. We are disappointed with the way we played in the final. There are several issues that need to be resolved before the World Cup.
However, the team should be viewed positively. The day of the final of the Asia Cup was obviously a bad day for us. It's a shame to end a match like this. It is hard for all of us to bear it. However, we should not forget that a big tournament is coming. We have a lot to learn from this massive defeat. By building trust among the players, we can move forward as a team. I believe it can be done', the Sri Lankan coach added.
This is the opinion of the Sri Lankan coach regarding the skills of Matisha Pathirana and Dunit Vellalaghe in this year's Asia Cup cricket tournament.
'Mathesha Pathirana and Dunith Vellalage played very well. Both of them proved that they are young players who can revolutionize the international cricket field. Kusal Mendis is back among the runs. We have good batsmen and good bowlers in our team. But it is important for a cricket team to progress steadily with equal talent. If you want to think about defeating teams like India, that consistency is important. "We have to play at our best in the World Cup," says Silverwood.
