T20 World Cup 2024: “As a player, you cannot..,” Sri Lankan coach Aqib Javed on New York pitches

Sri Lanka has faced a tough start in the T20 World Cup 2024, but the challenging conditions and unpredictable pitches have played a significant role in their struggles. Despite this, there is still hope for the team to advance.

Group D has seen a series of low-scoring thrillers, with Sri Lanka’s batting performances often coming up short. Their highest score batting first, 124, has been the best in the group so far, but it highlights the difficulty of the conditions.

Sri Lankan fast bowling coach Aqib Javed noted, “People are now realizing how unpredictable the pitches are. As a player, you cannot expect anything like what we faced in New York on a new pitch.”

Javed pointed out that the Dallas pitch was one of the better ones for batting, yet even there, teams struggled. “The batters have gone through a lot. This is not the normal behavior of pitches and conditions, so I think teams will change their strategies and homework,” he added.

Despite two defeats, Sri Lanka still has a chance to qualify for the next stage if they win their next two games and if Bangladesh and the Netherlands lose at least one of theirs. However, Javed is aware that Sri Lanka’s batting must improve.

“The beauty of this World Cup is that you cannot take anything easy. We have seen some outstanding results from associate teams. On these pitches, batters need to adapt quickly and assess the conditions carefully,” Javed said.

While batting has been a challenge, Javed is pleased with Sri Lanka’s bowling. Their varied attack has kept them competitive. “I’m really happy with our bowling. We have a strong combination with the best legspinner in the world, a mystery bowler, and slingers. It’s not easy to defend low totals, but the captain and the team have shown great energy,” he remarked.

As Sri Lanka prepares for their game against Nepal, they hope to capitalize on their bowling strengths and find ways to adapt their batting to the unpredictable conditions. The next matches will be crucial for their chances to move forward in the tournament.