Pakistan add bowling issues to their to-do list ahead of the T20 World Cup

After the first T20I, Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson said the team has plenty of room for improvement in fielding. However, Salman Ali Agha has added bowling to the same list as well, after Pakistan lost the third T20I against Sri Lanka by 14 runs.

Pakistan had a convincing win over Sri Lanka in the first T20I of the series. Naturally, they were in high spirits for the second, which was marred by rain and forced the game to be abandoned. In the third and final T20I, the visitors realised they might have more to work on than they figured after the first game.

Salman and co. could not undo the bowlers’ mess

Their bowling attack conceded 160 runs in a rain-truncated 12-over game. While the batters, particularly Salman himself, punched above their weight to chase the target, the Sri Lankan bowlers proved too good to be dominated.

“It was a great game. We batted really well, but with the ball we gave a little too many. When it comes to bowling and fielding, we need to be better,” Agha said after the game.

“I am happy with the batting unit and the way we approached the chase. It would have been brilliant if we had chased that, but that is how cricket goes. Bowling is something we need to improve, and we are working on that. We will be fine in the coming games,” he concluded.

Shanaka, the difference between both sides

Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka proved to be the turning point, as he scored 34 off nine balls. He came in when his team were 104/5 and, joining ranks with Janith Liyanage, took the total to 160.

The Sri Lankan skipper’s final 18 runs came off Pakistan’s best bowler on the day, Mohammad Wasim Jr., when Shanaka hit him for three towering sixes in a row.

“He (Dasun Shanaka) is a very good hitter of the ball, and whenever he gets going he can destroy any bowling, and that’s what he did to us. If I would have batted three to four more overs, it would have been a closer game,” he added.

 

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