Skipper Dasun Shanaka on Sunday called the Asia Cup triumph a “real turnaround” for Sri Lankan cricket ahead of the T20 World Cup and dedicated the win to the crisis-hit nation.
Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan by 23 runs in the final with Bhanuka Rajapaksa hitting an unbeaten 71 and Wanindu Hasaranga starring with bat and ball in Dubai.
Asia Cup: Sri Lanka defeat Pakistan to lift trophy – ‘Played like a team of true champions’
The win was nothing short of a fairytale ending for a team which started the tournament, a precursor to the World Cup starting next month in Australia, with a heavy loss against Afghanistan.
But Shanaka’s men bounced back with five successive wins, taking down tournament favourites India in a Super Four contest and then twice getting past Pakistan with ease.
“The players have been playing good cricket for two, three years but the winning factor was not there,” Shanaka said after Sri Lanka’s sixth Asia Cup title.
“This will be a real good turnaround in our cricket. This lot (of players) will continue for another five, six years, so that will be a very good sign for us.”
Asia Cup final, PAK v SL as it happened: Rajapaksa, Madushan, Hasaranga lead Sri Lanka to famous win
The island nation has suffered months of…
