20 October – Lucknow – Sri Lanka Assistant Coach Naveed Nawaz pre-match press conference

[Reporter:]

Sri Lanka, as you know, we are the only team that has not got points on the board. Is there any sort of pressure on the team going into tomorrow’s game? And how has been the preparations for tomorrow’s game?

[Naveed Nawaz:]

Obviously, we haven’t got any points so far. There is a pressure to win a game. The last couple of games we have been performing on and off well in departments, but I think we are yet to produce a tidy game so far. We have addressed issues and we have trained the last couple of days with a new captain in place. I think the group is positive and we are looking forward to it.

[Reporter:]

The first two games we batted really well scoring past 300 runs but in Lucknow we didn’t click very well – scoring only 209. How do you feel about that and are you ready to take that challenge for the next game against Netherlands, because Netherlands is a day game?

[Naveed Nawaz:]

Well, yeah, obviously the first two games, from a batting perspective I think we did well. The main thing is that we have a clear plan of how we want to bat in the middle and different players have their different methods of playing and it’s important that we all align individual performance into a team plan.

We have discussed that and hopefully the players are very clear of how we are planning to go about it. We are looking forward to continuing the normal performance as a batting group.

[Reporter:]

What is the dew factor for the match?

[Naveed Nawaz:]

Well, I think the dew factor is not going to be there, so I think the wicket is going to be good as usual. We saw that in the Australia game as well. It might take a little bit of turn, but I think it’s not going to be much of a difference. The only thing is the night dew factor is going to be gone.

[Reporter:]

Hi. So, losing someone like Dasun is quite a big blow, that too in midway of a tournament. So how the dressing room is coping with that?

And secondly, you are going to face the Netherlands, right? The team that has recently caused an upset against South Africa. So, is that something going through the minds of the players, or it’s just another game like the previous ones?

[Naveed Nawaz:]

Well, losing Dasun is a loss for us. Any team losing the captain of the team is going to have an impact. But Kusal Mendis has been deputising for Dasun for a long time and he’s an experienced player so it’s not affected us into that effect.

I think we have no control over things that are happening in the tournament, which obviously in a long tournament like this there can be ups and downs. So, we are not thinking about it. We are more focused on our game and how we can come on a day and try and have a tidy performance and do less mistakes in the middle, as the batting, bowling, and fielding groups go and execute our plans with less mistakes. So, we are focused on that at the moment.

[Reporter:]

[inaudible question]

[Naveed Nawaz:]

We have to take one match at a time because we can’t play five, six matches at a time. So, we need to be focused on our next game. Obviously, we have drawn up plans about how we are going to play in the rest of the tournament, but it’s very important that we stay in the present and deal with your challenges which you face next. So, we are not thinking too far ahead. We are trying to deal with what we have in hand and move forward.

[Reporter:]

Can you give us an update about Dasun Shanaka? And he has been retained in the team and why do you all decide to keep him in India? Any particular reason for that?

[Naveed Nawaz:]

Yeah, He’s in the process of rehabilitation and he started training already, he’s not in the 15-member squad, but he’s in as one of the reserve players. So once his rehabilitation process is done and once, we know whether he’s available for selection, I think selectors wanted to keep him as a backup in case we face any other injuries in the batting order as a option.

[Reporter:]

Angelo Mathews is coming in and he’s not played an ODI since June – How ready do you think is he to play immediately or is he someone you will hold out and see if you need to really bring him into XI say by the next game or do you think he is ready to walk into the XI tomorrow?

[Naveed Nawaz:]

No, he can’t walk into the game tomorrow because he is not included in the 15 submitted to the ICC. We need to release one of the players from the squad for either Angelo or Dushmantha Chameera to come in. So, like I said before, we have a few injury concerns, so we’ll make that decision in the coming days, depending on the reports from medicals.

[Reporter:]

Looking back do you think it is the bowling that you need to work hard on looking ahead to the rest of the tournament?

[Naveed Nawaz:]

Well, as you know, we came into this tournament with a lot of injuries to our main bowlers. We have been having this in the last couple of months. Wanindu Hasaranga was ruled out and Dushmantha Chameera was ruled out. Mahesh Theekshana was ruled out for the first couple of games. So, we had a concern there, to be honest. But we are playing with a really young group of bowlers, so they are bound to make mistakes. The way forward is how we can learn from the mistakes and move forward. It’s a long tournament, it’s a nine-game tournament we are playing. So, I think the players have room to learn and improve their capabilities, because we’ve got a very capable group, no doubt, and the tournament is long enough for them to learn from their mistakes and move forward. So, we are still hopeful to play a tidy game tomorrow and to see our chances moving forward.

[Reporter]

Naveed, We face the next match having lost three games in a row. Because the Netherlands have beaten South Africa, they are in good shape. How do you see this challenge?

[Naveed Nawaz]

The fact that the Netherlands beat South Africa was beyond our control. As I mentioned earlier, when playing a tournament that has been going on for a long time like this, there may be mistakes in some places. We focus on the order in which we play and what mistakes we made in the previous matches, how can we correct those things, how can we make fewer mistakes in our batting, bowling, and fielding, and how can we have an impact on focusing. I think there is no point in getting unnecessary pressure on us by thinking about things that we cannot control.

[Reporter]

Naveed, Kusal Janith Perera was hit by a ball and injured, has he recovered from it now? Is he available for selection in tomorrow’s competition? Also, can you give a little update on Matheesha Pathirana’s condition? He has also been injured for several days after the match against Pakistan. Can you give an update on their injuries?

[Naveed Nawaz]

Discussing Kusal’s situation, there’s a specific protocol in place when a player is struck on the head by a ball. Medical professionals and doctors closely observe him for a five-day period. Yesterday, he participated in training, and he’s actively training today as well. Following today’s training session, he will make a decision regarding his availability for tomorrow’s match. About whether he can play or not. Matisha Pathirana has not recovered yet. He is still in his rehabilitation process. I think he has a ten-day process. After ten days we can tell what his condition is. Currently, he is not available for selection.

[Reporter]

Naveed, Do we have a strategy for utilizing Mathews and the fast bowler effectively? Additionally, if we win the toss tomorrow, have we decided whether we’ll opt to bat first or bowl first? Can you provide information on our plans in that regard? Could you elaborate on the roles of Dushmantha Chameera and Angelo Mathews in the tournament?

[Naveed Nawaz]

Currently, those two are not in the 15 squad. Today they are coming to India. We have about four days until the next match. We will have to think about them only after they come here and after the confirmation of Matisha Pathirana’s condition. Currently the selectors are thinking about how to cover the options we need and how to use substitute players for them. We should practice on this pitch extensively and get our team ready for these conditions. We haven’t had a chance to inspect the wicket in our previous visits, but today, we have the opportunity. Once we assess the pitch, we’ll make decisions on our approach accordingly.

[Reporter]

Naveed, In the last match we saw some weakness in the bowling department, especially Dilshan Madushanka said that if his side had support from the other side, the match could have been changed. What is the plan for bowling in tomorrow’s match? Hoping to make a difference in the bowling sector?

[Naveed Nawaz]

The final lineup of eleven players for the match has yet to be determined. As mentioned earlier, Dilshan Madushanka has emerged as a key fast bowler due to Dushmantha Chamira’s injury, and he has assumed this role admirably. I believe he is performing effectively as the primary fast bowler in the team. Following Matheesha Pathiranage’s injury, we find ourselves with limited alternatives. We only have one fast bowler to add to the team. We’ll assess the wicket and determine the most suitable composition for our fast-bowling unit in this match.

[Reporter]

Naveed, Pathirana is the sole player with an injury. Mathews and Dushmantha Chameera will also be coming today. Assuming we receive permission from the ICC tonight, which of these two will be added to the 15-member squad? If that happens, will that player have the opportunity to participate in tomorrow’s match?

[Naveed Nawaz]

No, no chance to play.

[Reporter]

In that case, priority will be given to either Dushmantha Chameera or Mathews to fill that vacancy.?

[Naveed Nawaz]

No, they can’t play right now. We have given 15 to the ICC for now.

[Reporter]

What I meant is that Pathirana has been referred to the ICC’s technical committee.

[Naveed Nawaz]

No. Not referred yet.

[Reporter]

When evaluating our team’s performance over the past few months, it’s evident that there have been shortcomings, particularly in the midfield, specifically with our sixth and seventh players. Given these weaknesses, do you believe it might have been beneficial to include a seasoned player like Angelo Mathews in the squad for this tournament in the early, as the team has continued to exhibit vulnerabilities?

[Naveed Nawaz]

I cannot comment on the selection. But there was a weakness in our midfield. I admit it. It was there even in the qualifiers. No. 6 and 7 had weakness. I cannot say here who are the players we need to replace. The selection committee is there for that. I think it is their business. I don’t know how those guys planned it because I wasn’t involved in the selection. But we had an issue in the midfield.

[Reporter]

Excluding Matheesha and Kusal, has the technical committee provided replacements for any of the other fifteen players thus far?

[Naveed Nawaz]

We haven’t requested replacements for Matisha or Kusal, and in fact, we haven’t requested replacements for any other players either.

[Reporter]

A noticeable aspect is that Dhananjaya Silva has yet to reach his expected performance level. We anticipate contributions from him both in batting and bowling, but this has not materialized thus far. Do we have any plans in place to address this situation? The importance of the support staff comes into play, as they play a crucial role. If players face continued challenges, it’s the responsibility of the support staff to provide assistance and help them progress. What are your thoughts on this matter?

[Naveed Nawaz]

If we talk about Dhananjaya de Silva’s technical things, there is no big mistake to talk about technical things. There are little things in his game approach. We are talking about those things. I think as coaches there is a level we can do when working with a player. In the last season, there was not much time to make big changes in the players. Because if a player makes a big change during a tournament, it can be a big disadvantage for us. Sometimes the players don’t like it that much. Because there is a risk that the change will be effective for them or not. But I think Dhananjaya de Silva has done something as a player. He is good at both bowling and batting. But from the side of consistency, there is a shortcoming. The most important thing is that every player in Sri Lanka should have a backup.

We should have developed a trend. If a player has any such problem, then there is a chance to put that player out for a while, correct his mistakes, and join the game.