He is only 22 but he is able to absorb the pressure and come out on top in pressure situations and win matches for whichever team he plays. That is Wanindu Hasaranga the hero of Sri Lanka’s thrilling win over West Indies in the first ODI played at the SSC grounds on Saturday.
It was Hasaranga’s 42 not out off 39 balls that took Sri Lanka home with one wicket and five balls to spare in what turned out to be the highest successful run chase at this venue.
Over a month ago Hasaranga had produced a similar knock at the same venue in the final of Sri Lanka’s T20 inter-club tournament. On that occasion he blasted 60 not out off 34 balls and guided CCC to a last-ball win over Chilaw Marians after all seemed lost at 96-6 chasing a target of 163.
It was this experience Hasaranga said that he drew to win the game for his country.
“I was able to finish the match like this today because the T20 club final innings that I had played. Also in the practice matches I’d played well from lower in the order. That’s where I will bat in the national team, so even in those matches I batted 6, 7 and 8. Yes, they were club matches, but it did have an effect on my mind. I had the confidence that I can play these kinds of innings,” said Hasaranga after receiving his second Man of the Match award at an international match.
“As far as I know, someone who can finish matches is the kind of player who can have a long career. I wanted to be someone who could do that for the team.”
It was only the day before the start of the ODI series that head coach Mickey Arthur was singing the praises of Hasaranga’s capabilities to the media.
“Wanindu is a fantastic cricketer. The way he bowls the controls of his length has been amazing. I really marvel watching him go about his business and then coupled with his batting ability at the back end and his fielding. He is making a real name for himself,” said Arthur.
Even West Indies captain Kieron Pollard even though in defeat was full of praise for Hasaranga.
“He showed his mettle. He showed he wants to be in the national team,” said Pollard. “He also bowled pretty well. We watched him in the field he was bouncing around and he took that confidence into his batting. He showed that he has fight and courage and there is no better feeling than when you win a game against an international team, kudos to him.”
When Hasaranga was asked what words of encouragement the coach had given him he responded: “The coach said things that he’d seen in me maybe in former tours, or practice matches. There was nothing additional to that. He is constantly talking to me about things that are expected of me and what I can do for the team. Bowl dots in the middle overs and get wickets. Do well in the field. And finish a match when we get to situations like this. What he’s told me is that I’m a player who can do all of that.”
“All the coaches that have come in are great. They have really motivated the team. They tell us about what there is to gain from changing things and where we can go, as well as how to get there. They talk to players individually. In the last few months we are developing and coming up as a team.”
Apart for Arthur who is the head coach the coach staff comprises Grant Flower (batting coach), David Sekar (fast bowling coach), and Shane McDermott (fielding coach).
When Hasaranga walked in to bat at the fall of the sixth wicket at 215, Sri Lanka required 75 off 74 balls, chasing 290 for victory, the highest run chase at this ground. Thisara Perera and Hasaranga brought it down to 37 from 44 balls before Perera holed out in the deep for 32 off 22 balls attempting to hit a six.
There was disappointment and frustration all round that Thisara need not have taken that chance when Sri Lanka had so many balls in hand but Hasaranga put that dismissal into perspective. He revealed that during the partnership with Thisara, Sri Lanka had one eye on the Duckworth-Lewis par score, as the skies had darkened at the time. This explained Thisara holing out in his attempts to hit a six, even when Sri Lanka needed only 37 off 44.
“When I went to bat we still had 75 to get. Thisara was batting at the time. Thisara aiya had 10 or 15 at the time. Isuru aiya was also yet to bat. Both of them can play the big shots at any time. I managed to get a four and a six early on, without too much effort. So I tried to support Thisara when he was batting. And then to let Isuru aiya to get set, because we had enough overs left. I tried to stay at the wicket until it was necessary for me to take a risk,” explained Hasaranga whose brother Chaturanga de Silva played 7 ODIs and 2 T20Is for Sri Lanka.
“When Thisara and I were batting, it also looked like there was a bit of rain in the air. We wondered if the match would stop for bad light or what. It was almost 5:30 at the time. But we wanted to be 10 runs in front of the Duckworth-Lewis par score. We didn’t want to throw wickets away.
It was because we had tried to get ahead of the rate at that time that I was able to finish like I did,” said the former Richmond College cricketer.
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