Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Malinga wants Sri Lanka to 'feel the shame of losing'

Written by 
Published in Cricket
Monday, 03 June 2019 10:33

Sri Lanka quick bowler Lasith Malinga was scathing in his criticism of his team-mates' attitude, saying that they have moved from one defeat to another in recent times without learning any lessons.

Speaking to the Sri Lankan press before their game against Afghanistan in Cardiff on Tuesday, Malinga said, "In the last one-and-a-half years or two years, we have been saying, 'we have lost one game, move on, do well in the next game'. You can't play cricket like that. We need to learn lessons from those defeats. There's no point in forgetting those defeats.

"I have played four World Cups and I still feel the pressure for tomorrow's match. The other players must also feel it. You can't play cricket anywhere without feeling the pressure. If a player doesn't feel that pressure, that excitement, the nervousness, then there's no chance of getting 100% from that player. They must think to themselves that if they don't deliver, they have not done justice to the team."

"We can't improve our skills at the moment. We need to become mentally tough"

In the last three years, Sri Lanka have won just 26% of their ODIs; they have lost to Scotland in a List A match, and Afghanistan beat them in their most recent contest in the Asia Cup.

In their opening match of the World Cup, Sri Lanka, who have won just four of their 21 completed ODIs in the past 12 months and lost warm-up matches to South Africa and Australia before the tournament, went down by ten wickets to New Zealand after folding for 136.

"All the players must realise their own mistakes first. We can't repeat the same mistakes over and over," Malinga said. "As a senior player and as a member of the squad, I hope everyone will have that fear of not doing their duty and feel the shame of losing. Everyone must realise that it's a must that they perform because if not our cricket will not go forward.

"At least from tomorrow, I hope everyone will have that fear because they have been selected as the best 15 to represent the country, not to be passengers. It's essential that they identify different game situations and support each other in the middle.

"I feel players need to get confidence, but we can't improve our skills at the moment. We need to become mentally tough."

Dimuth Karunaratne, leading Sri Lanka in the World Cup despite not being an ODI regular since March 2015, was the only batsman to show some grit against New Zealand, carrying his bat for 52 runs as wickets fell in a heap around him.

"I feel our top-seven batsmen have to take responsibility," Malinga said. "We need to be patient. Patience is very important.

"We know these conditions; we can have someone get 60-70 runs and some balls can still move around. Each bowler has their own method of setting up a batsman and taking wickets. So each bowler has their own ways of bowling those wicket-taking deliveries. I can't decide that for the others."

Read 498 times

Soccer

Chiesa in Liverpool squad for UCL trip to Milan

Chiesa in Liverpool squad for UCL trip to Milan

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsArne Slot said Federico Chiesa is still not fit to start for Liverp...

LAFC re-signs Carlos Vela to end of season

LAFC re-signs Carlos Vela to end of season

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsLAFC announced the return of veteran forward Carlos Vela, signing h...

Arsenal's gritty derby win, Madrid's midfield woe, Liverpool's lapse

Arsenal's gritty derby win, Madrid's midfield woe, Liverpool's lapse

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsClub football returned after a two-week international break and del...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Knicks sign Morris, Shamet to Exhibit 9 deals

Knicks sign Morris, Shamet to Exhibit 9 deals

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe New York Knicks have signed veteran forward Marcus Morris and g...

Okoro agrees to 3-year, $38M deal with Cavs

Okoro agrees to 3-year, $38M deal with Cavs

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe Cleveland Cavaliers and restricted free agent forward Isaac Oko...

Baseball

Mets' Lindor exits with sore back, to have tests

Mets' Lindor exits with sore back, to have tests

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNew York Mets All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor will have further...

White Sox end skid of 20 straight series losses

White Sox end skid of 20 straight series losses

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsCHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox won back-to-back games for the fir...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated