Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Sangakkara gears up for bumper period


Kumar Sangakkara is confident Sri Lanka can carry their impressive Test form into the busy upcoming period of limited-overs cricket.

Sangakkara's side has been outstanding in gaining Test series victories over Pakistan and New Zealand, while they also defeated the former in a one-day series.

Sri Lanka now face the Kiwis and India in a tri-nations ODI series in preparation for the ICC Champions Trophy later this month, and Sangakkara is delighted with the form of his players.

"The batting of Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene was extraordinary in the Tests and everyone else played their part," he said.

"Everyone chipped and it just goes to show that if everyone is willing to fight, show character and put in the hard work as a team, results will follow.

"I'm sure with those qualities in the side we can walk away with a win.

"Every game we go into we are looking to win and to give it our best," he said on the eve of the first of two Twenty20 Internationals against the Black caps. "We've got to think long and hard about our combination for tomorrow's game.

"One good thing over the last two years with coach Chandika Hathurusinghe doing some great work with the A side is that we have a lot of young players coming through with top quality.

"So the talent is there and if we do our homework right, be confident, prepare as best as we can and go out there looking to win, and if our attitude is positive, we will do well."

Former skipper Jayawardene, who relinquished the captaincy so that Sangakkara could build a side for the 2011 World Cup, is happy with the progress of the team.

"Sangakkara is a very good leader and the team is heading in the right direction," Jayawardene said.

"As long as we keep motivating ourselves to be better cricketers we can keep challenging ourselves to be a better team in all forms of the game."

Sri Lanka have included uncapped 23-year-old all-rounder Gihan Rupasinghe in their squad along with fast bowler Isuru Udana, who featured in the World Twenty20 in England, and Mahela Udawatte.

All-rounder Angelo Mathews' recovery from a hamstring injury gives Sri Lanka further options.

No comments:

Post a Comment