India v Sri Lanka T20I Series – Sri Lanka Player Ratings

The young unheralded Sri Lankan brigade caught the attention of the world cricket when they defeated a confident looking Indian side in the first T20 of the 3-match series at Pune. The Lankans started their mini tour with an impressive start dismissing India for a paltry 101 but couldn’t hold on the initial momentum that they gained. A poor bowling performance let them down in the 2nd game at Ranchi and a total batting collapse in the 3rd and the final T20 at Vizag didn’t do any wonders for the visiting side. Sri Lanka lost the series 2-1 but how did the players fare up individually? Here is the complete player rating of the Sri Lankan players in their T20 series against India.

Niroshan Dickwella – 2.5/10:

Niroshan Dickwella was roped in the side as a specialist opener but couldn’t muster any runs against the Indian bowling. He played two matches in the series and scored a total of 5 runs. He scored 4 in the first match and was dismissed by Ashish Nehra. In the 3rd game, he was dismissed by Ashwin in the first over of the match. Struggling against both spin and pace alike, Dickwella didn’t show much promise in the series and hence gets a low score of 2 on 10.

Danushka Gunathilaka – 2.5/10:

The other opener Gunathilaka was also far from being impressive. He also got two opportunities but failed to impress. He scored 9 in the first match and did hit a six but that wasn’t enough by any standards. The second game saw him scoring just 2 and that wrapped up the series for him. He became the victim of Ashish Nehra on both occasions.

Tillakaratne Dilshan – 2/10:

The experienced opener got two opportunities as well but could score just 1 run in two innings and batted for 3 balls. Making his comeback to cricket, at Ranchi, Dilshan was dismissed on a golden duck as he was stumped by Dhoni off the bowling of Ashwin. In the final T20I, he was again Ashwin’s bunny who trapped him right in front of the stumps. A total failure from the experienced campaigner gets him 2 on the ratings.

Dinesh Chandimal – 6/10:

The Sri Lanka skipper seemed to be playing a lone ranging battle in the series. He scored a run-a-ball 35 in the first T20I and set the tone for Sri Lanka’s successful run chase. In the second game, he got another 31 to his name but couldn’t convert his early starts into something big. The third match was a rare failure as he got out to Ashwin for just 8. Behind the stumps, he was reasonably efficient, having two dismissals to his name. Chandimal amassed 74 runs in 3 matches and was the leading run scorer for his side and the second among both sides after Shikhar Dhawan’s tally of 106.

Chamara Kapugedara – 5/10:

Yet another experienced player who should’ve shouldered the responsibility, failed to take his side through. He scored 25 and 32 in two matches that he played but didn’t look dangerous enough to trouble the Indian bowlers. He got the starts but never really capitalized to make it to a big one. He was excluded from the squad in the 3rd T20I. Kapugedara gets a rating of 5, largely due to the starts that he got, compared to the failure of the Sri Lankan top order.

Asela Gunaratne – 3/10:

Asela Gunaratne replaced Kapugedara in the 3rd T20I and was dismissed on 4. He was unlucky to be given out as umpire thought he had edged the ball but the replays had something else to offer. He turned up to bowl as well but leaked 22 runs in 2.5 overs during India’s easy chase of 82 runs. Gunaratne certainly needs to find more consistency as a batsman and with his fast off-spinners.

Milinda Siriwardana – 4/10:

The all-rounder had a reputation to uphold, coming in from good domestic season, but he failed to impress at the highest level. Milinda Siriwardana scored an unbeaten 21 to guide Sri Lanka to victory at Pune. He showed some promise in the game that followed, scoring another unbeaten 28. But the 3rd match saw him score just 4. He couldn’t pick any wickets in the two matches that he bowled in. But he gets a pat on the back for a couple of unbeaten innings and gets a 4.

Dasun Shanaka – 7/10:

Shanaka had a phenomenal start to the series as he bagged 3/16 at Pune, dismissing MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Hardik Pandya. But the skipper didn’t show enough confidence in him in the games that followed which was very startling. He bowled just one over in Ranchi and did not bowl at Vizag. With the bat, Shanaka had a horrid start at Pune, scoring just 3. But a quickfire 27 off 18 and a contrasting 19 off 24 followed in the next two games. His inconsistency with the bat remains a question for Sri Lanka management. He gets 7 on the ratings.

Seekkuge Prasanna – 3/10:

Although Seekkuge Prasanna bowled with an economy under 6 in the three-match series, he had no wickets to his name. With the bat, his services weren’t needed in the first match and he scored an unbeaten 3. In the 2nd match, he could manage 4 and was unlucky to be run out by the brilliance of Jadeja on the field in the third match for 9. Coming in as an all-rounder, Prasanna had a disappointing series ahead of the Asia Cup.

Sachithra Senanayake – 5/10:

The most experienced spinner in the side, Sachithra Senanayake didn’t fare satisfactory at all. He picked up a wicket at Pune and ended with figures of 1/18. But since then, he just couldn’t leave an imprint on the series. He was taken away for 40 runs in the second game though he picked a wicket there. In the third match, while Indian spinners turned the ball square, Senanayake barely got any turn from the wicket. He managed to end up with figures of 0/22 in his four overs. With the bat, he got a duck in the 2nd T20 and was unlucky to be given out in the third ODI by an umpiring blunder.

Dushmantha Chameera – 6/10:

Chameera was very impressive with the ball as he often picked up key wickets throughout the series. Bowling with sheer pace, Chameera picked up 2/14 in the first match. In the second match, when Indians were going all guns blazing, he broke the partnership by dismissing Shikhar Dhawan. He later came back to dismiss Rohit Sharma by taking an impressive return catch. In the third match, the only wicket to fall was Rohit Sharma and Chameera got his man. He gets 6 on 10. Having picked up 5 wickets, he was Sri Lanka’s leading wicket taker and averaged just 13.20 with the ball.

Thisara Perera – 6/10:

Perera claimed a hat-trick in the second match by dismissing Pandya, Raina and Yuvraj in the 19th over. Prior to that, he went wicketless at Pune. In the second match, he got 3/33 in his four overs with a hat-trick to his name. He wasn’t given the ball in the last match. Having come in with the reputation of being a big hitter, Perera didn’t hit anything big this time. He couldn’t do anything with the bat as he was dismissed for a golden duck in the 2nd match and struggled for his 12 runs off 20 balls in the last game.

Kasun Rajitha – 6/10:

Kasun Rajitha had the most impressive debut as he ripped apart the Indian top order in the first match dismissing Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, and Ajinkya Rahane. He emerged with figures of 3/29 on debut. But he couldn’t follow up his good work with another one and got a heavy beating from the Indian batsmen, particularly Dhawan, in the second match. He was taken away for 45 in his 4 overs. Rajitha wasn’t picked up for the final game, which was quite surprising. However, for his impressive debut, he gets a 6.

Dilhara Fernando – 4/10:

Dilhara Fernando made a comeback to international cricket after 3 and half years in the third and final T20I at Vizag. He got the shape and swing with the ball. He was quite impressive as he gave away just 7 runs in the 2 overs that he bowled. Fernando might have just been a tad unlucky not be picked in the earlier two games.