Asia Cup 2023, BAN vs SL: Dasun Shanaka’s men win with MS Dhoni’s personnel | Cricket News

It is a scene that played out repeatedly during the Indian Premier League, of two special young Sri Lankan bowlers playing a stellar role in Chennai Super Kings’ march to the title. Even the conditions at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium at times resembled what Maheesh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana had encountered at Chepauk in April and May, wearing the famous yellow jersey. For a Sri Lanka team ravaged injuries ahead of the Asia Cup, the duo provided the lift they desperately sought in their bowling, as they set up a comfortable five-wicket win over Bangladesh on Thursday.
This win should serve a reminder, rather a warning, to the rest that in these slow conditions, overcoming the hosts, though depleted the absence of four first-choice players, won’t be an easy task. If anything, the conditions on offer — thanks to the tired pitches as the tournament comes barely 10 days after the Lanka Premier League ended – make for an even contest as batsmen found it extremely challenging to score in the front of the square. When Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan won the toss and chose to bat, despite dark clouds hovering above, it did come as a surprise. But you could see why he wanted his batsmen to have a first go on this pitch that only got slower as the evening progressed.
It was a well-thought decision though, where if Bangladesh managed a score in the region of 240-260 they stood a strong chance of spicing up Group B, which also includes Afghanan. With Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan Madushanka – three pacers who can clock in the mid 140s – and champion leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga missing the tournament with injuries, and potent spinners in their armoury, Bangladesh started as the top dogs.
Special talent
Enter Theekshana. When Dasun Shanaka threw the new ball to the mystery spinner to bowl the second over, it was evident that Sri Lanka would use their two trump cards – the other being Pathirana – judiciously. With Hasaranga not around, Sri Lanka needed Theekshana’s guiles badly. Although he had played a crucial role in CSK’s title triumph, his fitness was a major talking point, which according Theekshana prompted even MS Dhoni to say he had to focus more on his training and fielding next season.
It was in this backdrop he joined Jaffna Kings in the LPL. Like IPL, he wasn’t their leading wicket-taker, but an economy rate of 6.83 showed Theekshana remained effective. But there is enough evidence to suggest the 23-year-old is putting enough work behind the scenes. “He is actually beginning to play a lot of cricket,” Mario Villavarayan, the assant coach at Jaffna Kings, told The Indian Express. “To be honest, playing back-to-back matches helped a great deal as the conditions (climatically) were extremely challenging and there was a phase where we played four matches in five days. So more than the training, he has been on the field for long periods and has been sending down a lot of overs in the game and in the nets,” Villavarayan added.

From the time Theekshana broke into the scene, he has remained a special talent, but he has had to work a lot on his fitness. For someone who was well over 100 kg not so long ago, Theekshana is beginning to get fitter. But alongside fitness, Villavarayan says, his cricketing acumen too is improving rapidly. “When we took him in Jaffna in 2020, he was so raw that he was not even part of the draft despite being a mystery spinner. Thereafter, every season he has been showing maturity. But this time when he came back from the IPL, he wanted to set a few things right. He realised the next three months are crucial to him because we have the Asia Cup, followed the World Cup,” he explained.
The words of Dhoni helped. “So he has taken it on himself to train better and thanks to the time he spent talking to Dhoni, his game awareness has improved big time. He has always had the skill, but at the top level, it is all about using your mind and this is where Dhoni’s role is visible. The game awareness has improved along with the understanding of the situation,” Villavarayan said.
After removing debutant Tanzid Hasan in his first over, he ensured Bangladesh remained in check in the first powerplay, giving away only nine runs in his first three-over spell before Shanaka saved him for latter stages bringing on Pathirana. With the “Podi Malinga” causing enough damage himself, Theekshana came on for his second spell only in the 28th over and sent down three more overs giving away only six runs.
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With the pitch providing enough help, he didn’t mix his variations and instead just focussed on attacking the stumps with Sri Lanka’s fielders in the ring giving him enough protection cutting down tight singles. Of his third and last spell, he castled Najmul Hossain Shanto who fought hard for his 89 as Bangladesh folded soon after for 164 in 42.4 overs with Pathirana picking up four wickets.
Younger than Theekshana three years, Pathirana announced his arrival at the IPL and since then has been growing from strength-to-strength. He was a bit expensive to start with, but when he found the radar, troubled the batsmen with pace and variations, which were hard to pick for Shakib, Mushfiqur Rahim, Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman.

Though a target of 165 seemed easy, on a slow pitch Bangladesh caused enough hiccups for Sri Lanka, but thanks to half centuries from Sadeera Samarawickrama (54) and Charith Asalanka (62 n.o), the hosts recovered from an early wobble to reach home the target in 39 overs.