These wins showed our character -Sanath Jayasuriya | Lanka rise up again

Just over three months ago, the Sri Lankan cricket team were being shot at in their team bus on their way to the Gadaffi Stadium.

Dealing with the trauma of March 3 would have been hard enough, but the team landed in London right in the middle of protests against alleged war crimes back home, where the Lankan army recently crushed the LTTE resistance.

Under the circumstances, it can’t be easy playing cricket. Under the circumstances, it’s only cricket that provides relief.

Sri Lanka beat the West Indies by 15 runs at Trent Bridge on Wednesday, their second comprehensive win on the bounce having thumped Australia by six wickets in their opener. “It’s been hard. These wins showed our character,” Sanath Jayasuriya said after the game.

Having not played together for a while, not many gave them a chance. Having lost to South Africa in the warm-ups, after they had only just managed to scrape past Bangladesh, they were expected to slink out of the group of death. Instead, with two big wins, they’re looking like strong contenders for a spot in the semis.

For the Lankan team, this event is an opportunity to reduce the hurt, and they’re intent on making the most of the painkillers.

“It felt odd getting into a team bus again to go from the airport to the hotel,” Sangakkara had said after the team landed in London, amidst high security. “For the team, the only thing that matters is the cricket,” he had said after the team bus had been blocked by protestors on their way to the ground the day they were to play Australia. There were protests against the government and the army at each of their practice games as well, but Kumar Sangakkara’s team have managed to ignore most distractions.

“The thing we’ve realised after Lahore is that life goes on.”

In control

On Wednesday, they were in control right through the 40 overs of cricket, thanks in no small measure to a blistering 47-ball 81 from Jayasuriya, the tournament’s oldest player (he turns 40 at the end of this month).

At the other end, Tillakaratne Dilshan played like he has done for the past couple of months — lots of power-hitting, lots of cheeky dabs, lots of entertainment, finishing with 74 of 47 deliveries.

The duo put on 124 runs in just over 12 overs as Lanka piled on an intimidating 192 in their 20 overs.

Source : Indian Express

Lahore attack behind us: Sanath Jayasuriya

London: Sri Lankan opener Sanath Jayasuriya has said that team had put behind the Lahore attack and were firmly focussed on the Twenty20 World Cup.

In a conversation with at the nets, Jayasuriya said: "It's all history now. It has been an unfortunate incident and we have to keep these things behind and look ahead and see what's in the present and in the future.

"We're looking forward to this particular tournament and we want to do well and play well here."

Jayasuriya said the IPL had given a lot of Lankan players great match practice.

"IPL was the key; the preparation is really good. IPL has given a lot of confidence," he said, while refusing to pinpoint any team as a favourite.

"In Twenty20 you can't predict. It's a short version of the game and some unexpected team can come and play well. It's too early to predict who will make it to the final."

The batsman, who had played a crucial role in Sri Lanka's 1996 World Cup title win, said the T20 World Cup was also special to him.

"I always try to play well whenever we get the opportunity. Even this particular series is an unique and special one for me and I'll try and do the best for my country," he said.

Source : Cricketnext

Like a Pak of cards | Jayasuriya shattered by Terrorist attack on Sri Lankan team

The terror attack on Sri Lankan cricketers in Lahore has left Sanath Jayasuriya, the Sri Lankan batting stalwart, shattered. It was in Pakistan that Jayasuriya remodelled himself as a classy opener in the 1996 World Cup and scored a dazzling double century at Faisalabad.

“This is for the first time that cricket has been targeted. It is an extremely unfortunate incident. We have never had this kind of problem. Though the good news is that all the players, in spite of injuries, are safe and are back in Sri Lanka,” he says.

It will be 20 years of cricket for the Sri Lankan batsman in December, and the news hit him harder because he remains as passionate about the game as ever. “I cannot imagine my life without cricket Be it in any form. The game has driven me all through out my life!” he says.

His association with the game and humanitarian work has also helped make a difference. Jayasuriya is a UN GoodWill Ambassador as well, and he says, “Coming from a country like ours, one has to do a lot of charity work and help people in any way one can. It becomes easier for a cricketer to convey a message. The people of Sri Lanka love cricket and they look up to us. It is a personal commitment.”