World T20 :

What past cricketers and sports writers say...

by Ranjan Anandappa

Ranjit Fernando: Former Sri Lanka vice-captain: Sri Lanka’s Twenty20 World Cup victory epitomizes the true spirit and character of our cricket.

Great team spirit and enjoying each other’s success was the feature which was projected to the world.

Sri Lanka showed that natural skills, grit, unity and doing it our special way,can take on the best, and come out on top.

This is only the end of the beginning. There is no doubt that this victory followed by the success in the Asia Cup would spur and inspire all our cricketers to greater heights.

The passion and love of every SriLankan, in every nook and corner of the world for our cricket is indisputable. There is no doubt that with everyone focussing on the positives, we can continue to be the toast of the cricketing world. Every SriLankan could be truly proud to be a part of this glorious, memorable moment. “We have all, done it together”.

Vinothan John: Former Sri Lanka Test fast bowler, Selector, Match referee.

It was a fantastic effort to win a World Cup after 18 long years. Sri Lanka has been playing in many finals on several occasions in the last seven years, but this time they came good with an excellent team effort. The team was a well balanced one with youth and experience.

Beating India in any format is not easy, but the cricketers did that in style. It was a fitting finale for Mahela and Sangakkara who will be calling quits for T20 cricket. Sri Lanka Cricket has done a good job, specially the selectors headed by Sanath Jayasuriya who have done the right thing by selecting a talented bunch of youngsters. It will give them a tremendous amount of confidence for the youngsters when selected to play in the 50/50 World Cup to be staged in Australia and New Zealand in 2016.

Roy Dias: Former Sri Lanka vice captain and one drop batsman.

It was a great effort by the cricketers who won a World Cup after 18 years, since winning the 50/50 World Cup in 1996. I would like to congratulate the cricketers and the management for a fantastic job done. It was a great farewell to the two big’ ones Mahela and Kumar. It showed that we need both of them, but they may have decided to quit T20 cricket while at their peak.

I thought that Lasith Malinga captained the last three games exceptionally well.

The entire team supported him like the way Arjuna got the support from his teammates in the 1996 World Cup.

The Sri Lankan team were determined to win the trophy after being the losing finalist in many tournaments. It was encouraging to see the whole country going berserk after the win, lighting fire crackers and expressing their joy. I hope the win will be a morale booster for the players who will take part in the 2016 (50) Overs World Cup which will be played in Australia and New Zealand.

Anura Tennekoon: Former Sri Lanka captain and Manager.

Winning the World T20 title is no doubt a great achievement. The Sri Lanka team has been playing in many finals, since they won the 1996 World Cup. To annex the Cup this time after 18 years is really fantastic.

The team should now aim at the bigger version (50/50) of the game which will be of course played in different conditions in Australia and New Zealand in 2016.

The players who will be participating in the bigger version of the World Cup will no doubt look forward in confidence. The recent win will also make younger players to emulate their heroes. I wish the team all success in their future tournaments.

Charith Senanayake: Former Sri Lanka opening batsman and Manager.

Despite the fact that we have not won a world title for the past 18 years after being in many finals it has been a fantastic effort by the team.

There were a lot of accusations and beliefs that Sri Lanka cannot beat India due to external factors. The team won through sheer determination and proved their consistency during the tournament beyond doubt. I am truly happy as the team won through sheer consistency.

Sidath Wettimuny: Former Sri Lanka opening batsman and Cricket Administrator. It was a fantastic win. In my view the two best teams India (batting) and Sri Lanka (bowling) got the better out of it. The first four overs and the last four overs made the major difference in Sri Lanka’s win. There was a huge similarity to the 1996 World Cup as the whole team rallied around and every member contributed towards the success of the team. When the two big boys did not do well there was always some one to rescue the side. If they continue to play in this manner it will be a definite threat to the other teams in future tournaments.

Mano Ponniah: Former Ceylon and Cambridge University opening batsman.

It is a very proud moment for all Sri Lankans with Sri Lanka winning the World T20 Cup. Although I am not a great fan of T20 cricket whatever the format, it is a World Cup win which is great and memorable moment for a small country like Sri Lanka.

The players should get all the credit for this great achievement. It is a pity that most of the time players like Mahela and Sangakkara don’t get due recognition from our own people. In my opinion, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara are the two greatest Sri Lankan players ever produced in any era.

Mahela is a natural brilliant player and Sangakkara could adjust according to any situation and an intellectual and a keen student of the game.

In my long cricketing career which spans over a half a century, I feel that Mahela and Sangakkara are the two best players the country has produced.

If these two players had represented England or Australia, they would have definitely been awarded a knighthood for their performances.

Mano Ponniah is a former Thomian cricketer who opened batting for Cambirdge University and Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) in 1964 and was a member of the 1964 team that beat India on Indian soil and Pakistan in a home unofficial Test series. On both occasions, the team was captained by Michael Tissera, another Thomian. Since that win in Ahmedabad in an unofficial Test, Sri Lanka has still to beat India in India in a Test match.

Ashantha de Mel: Former Sri Lanka opening bowler and Chairman Selectors.

By winning the World T20 title, Sri Lanka has shown a remarkable level of consistency. For the past seven years Sri Lanka has been in the finals either in the T20 format or in the 50 overs World Cup finals, but were unable to win. It is heartening to see the Lankans winning a World Tournament after playing extremely well.

It is a fitting finale for Mahela and Kumar who will be bowing out from the T20 concept on a high note. I wish the team all the success in their future endeavours.

Rex Clementine Sports Editor :Island Newspapers

The Sri Lanka T20 side was basically a blend of youth and experience. Furthermore they have been playing in Bangladesh for about two months with the Test series, Asia Cup and now the T20. They had the two most experienced players Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. Beating India is something special. Sri Lanka has been in many finals during the past few years and finally pulling off a win in a World Cup is something to cherish.

S.R. Pathiravithana Sports Editor: Sunday Times

Been a man on the spot covering the event for the Sunday Times S. Ram. Pathiravithana said that it was a great win which was well planned and perfectly executed.

They were highly motivated and every player was aware as to what the challenges were.

Indrajith Subasinghe Sports Editor : Divaina Newspapers

The win was possible due to the superb team effort by the Sri Lankans.

If you analyse there has been just a few individual efforts, but the team rallied around and every member did their duty well, which is a positive sign for the future. Mahela Jayawardene and Sangakkara will not be available in future T20 tournaments. But we have the talent to replace them.

However, the personality of the duo in the field cannot be matched by any youngster. We are lucky that both Mahela and Sangakkara will be available for the ODIs and Tests. I hope the youngsters could learn a lot from these two players while playing in the other formats of the game.

Channaka de Silva Sports Editor: Ceylon Daily Mirror

Sri Lanka did fabulously well to beat India in the T20 final after losing badly to England in the pre-quarter final stage. India who maintained an unbeaten record in the tournament were favourites even before the final, but Sri Lanka came strongly to take the game away from India.

The win was a great team effort by the Lankans after having a few hick-ups before the final losing to England and a few close calls. The bowlers stuck to their job admirably and got wickets at crucial stages and restricted the scoring.

As a unit the Sri Lankans were deadly. In a press briefing prior to the match Sri Lanka coach Paul Farbrace said that in T20 cricket the form doesn’t come into account, the form goes through the window and the performance on that particular day that count most. Despite the Indian star batsman Virat Kohli’s 77 India still lost the match .

Prince Gunasekera Sports Editor :Dinamina

With Sri Lanka winning the World T20 title the entire country and the media too was delighted with the achievement. The media always shows the right path to the public in all aspects..In a media briefing that followed suit soon after the arrival of the team at the BIA Kumar Sangakkara stated that constructive criticism by the media has helped them to find the right path which is commendable statement made by the former Sri Lanka captain. I sincerely hope that Sri Lanka will win the World Cup 50 overs championship too that will be held in Australia and New Zealand in 2016.

Dammika Ratnaweera Sports Editor : Rivira

It’s a great to win a World Cup after 18 years. Sri Lana has a unique record of featuring 5 finals within seven years. They missed the T20 Cup twice, once in 2009 when they lost to Pakistan at Lords and thereafter again in 2012 at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Khettarama they lost to the West Indies.

The tournament has proved that Lasith Malinga a bowler led the country to a World Cup win which has never happened before. It was the first time that a bowler has captained Sri Lanka to win a major title. Previously it was all batsmen. The victory is also a fitting farewell for Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara who will not be participating in future T20 tournaments.

Sa’adi Thawfeeq, Sports Editor: The Nation

A splendid team effort to ensure a perfect send-off for two of the game’s batting legends Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara and bring joy to a nation that has waited patiently for 18 year long years for another World Cup success.