Last Update on: November 9th, 2023 at 09:08 pm
Charith Asalanka oozed his class on the field as he bagged a magnificent catch in the ICC World Cup 2023 game against New Zealand. The 41st match of the tournament took place at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru and it saw Kiwis dominating it.
Despite Sri Lanka defending a low total, the intensity of the players on the field was staggering. They gave their everything and made sure to stretch the things as long as they could. Charith Asalanka was the prime example of it as he produced a stupendous effort to send Daryl Mitchell packing.
Angelo Mathews bowled a pace-off delivery that was full and outside off. Daryl Mitchell tried to loft over the cover but was early on the shot. He ended up chipping it up in the air. The ball went towards the deep point, where Charith Asalanka came sprinting and put a staggering dive to complete the catch.
Here’s the video:
Daryl Mitchell played a brutal knock for his team and scored 43 runs off 31 balls. His staggering knock powered New Zealand to win. Apart from him openers Devon Conway (45) and Rachin Ravindra (42) batted aggressively and added 88 runs for the opening partnership and gave a blistering start.
Sri Lanka picked 5 wickets with Angelo Mathews picking two and Maheesh Theekshana and Dushmantha Chameera bagging one scalp each. They also almost lost out on a spot for the Champions Trophy 2025.
NZ vs SL: Very happy to see players putting their hands up and performing – Kusal Mendis after Sri Lanka’s loss
Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis talked about the loss his side suffered against New Zealand. He admitted that they didn’t bat well. He also was disappointed with his individual performance and was happy that players took responsibility in the crunch situations. Speaking to broadcasters, he explained:
“We lost 4 wickets in first 10 overs and that’s what got us into trouble. We could have easily gotten 300 on this pitch. Madushanka bowled really well but it was tough to take wickets because we were defending a small total. Quite enjoyed captaincy, disappointed about my own performance but overall it was enjoyable. Very happy to see players putting their hands up and performing.”
To qualify for the Champions Trophy 2025, Sri Lanka would be hoping that Pakistan do some miracle and qualify for the semi-finals. It will then push England’s NRR below their own.
