Should have restricted South Africa to around 370: Shanaka

It is not often that a team scores 326 and ends up losing by more than 100 runs, but it was one of those days at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi as Sri Lanka, after winning the toss and opting to bowl, let South Africa put on a record-breaking 428 runs on the board.

READ: South Africa shatter records with three centurions in a run fest

It started well for the Lankans with Dilshan Madushanka dismissing Temba Bavuma in the second over, but tons from Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram and cameos from David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen led to the Proteas posting the highest total in World Cup history. 

Sri Lanka gave their everything with the bat but, in the end, fell short by a long distance.

At the post match presentation, skipper Dasun Shanaka rued his side’s execution with the ball, and claimed that the erratic showing in the first innings left his side with ‘too much to do’ in the chase.

“We should have kept them to somewhere around 370 and that would have been a bit manageable,” Shanaka said.

“We missed our lengths and the execution wasn't there.

“We got some batters who were striking it really well, but there was too much to do.”

Sri Lanka entered the tournament without both Dushmantha Chameera and Wanindu Hasaranga but, on the day, did not also have the services of Maheesh Theekshana, who missed the encounter due to a hamstring strain. The borderline second-string line-up had a day to forget — Pathirana 1/95 off 10 being the worst of the lot — and Shanaka hoped for a better performance from the bowlers in the next encounter.

“Missing those three bowlers (Chameera, Hasaranga and Theekshana) is huge, but that's the part of the game, we have to move on and it's an opportunity for others,” the Lankan skipper said.

“We need to get our execution right in the next game.”

As a result of the heavy defeat, Sri Lanka’s NRR has taken a beating, with it now reading     -2.040. Shanaka’s side have two days off before their next encounter against Pakistan in Hyderabad on Tuesday, October 10th.