Memories of Sri Lanka’s devastating loss to India in the Asia Cup final in September will provide additional motivation for the team as they prepare to face the hosts in a critical World Cup clash on Thursday, according to coach Chris Silverwood.
During the regional Asia Cup in Colombo, India dominantly bowled out Sri Lanka for only 50 runs, securing a resounding 10-wicket victory. This defeat served as a near-perfect build-up to the 50-overs showpiece event.
India’s men, led by Rohit Sharma, have exhibited exceptional form in the World Cup, winning all six of their round-robin matches. On the other hand, the island nation has managed to secure victory in only two of their six games.
“I hope that the loss in the Asia Cup will incentivize the players to come out and fight tomorrow, exhibiting plenty of spirit and embracing the challenge against the Indian side,” expressed Englishman Silverwood during a press conference on Wednesday.
“We acknowledge that they are a formidable side, having witnessed their splendid performances throughout this tournament. Nonetheless, this is a great opportunity for our players to showcase their skills and determination,” he added.
Thursday’s encounter will take place at the Wankhede Stadium, the same venue where the 2011 World Cup final was held, resulting in a triumph for the hosts.
Despite facing three consecutive defeats in the initial matches, Sri Lanka managed to halt their decline by securing consecutive victories against the Netherlands and defending champions England.
However, their journey to qualify for the semi-finals became complicated once again after a defeat to Afghanistan in their previous match.
Silverwood highlighted that Sri Lanka will have to confront a highly powerful Indian bowling attack if they hope to regain their momentum and return to the winning track.
“To be honest, I think any team in the world would desire a bowling attack like India’s,” he stated.
“We consider this as a significant challenge for our team. It provides an opportunity for us to compete against the best and measure our abilities against them,” Silverwood continued.
(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly; editing by Pritha Sarkar)
