NEW DELHI: Sri Lanka's cricket team, led by captain
Wanindu Hasaranga
and spinner
Maheesh Theekshana
, voiced concerns over the demanding schedule they are facing in the
T20 World Cup
.
Following a 6-wicket loss to South Africa in a match that yielded low scores, the team was compelled to quickly conclude their media obligations. As reported by ESPNcricinfo, the squad had a tight timeline to return to their Brooklyn hotel, complete their packing, check out, and then proceed to the airport for a 6 pm flight to Dallas for their forthcoming match against Bangladesh.
ALSO SEE: T20 World Cup Schedule
The team's preparation for their opener was also less than ideal, with their arrival in New York delayed due to a prolonged seven-hour wait at the Miami airport.
This delay was a result of their flight being postponed, eventually taking off many hours later than scheduled.
Theekshana, in particular, highlighted the challenges posed by the necessity to travel extensively between venues as a significant disadvantage, saying, "So unfair for us, we have to leave every day [after the match] because we are playing [at] four different venues. It's unfair. The flight we took from Florida, from Miami, we had to wait like eight hours in the airport to get the flight. And we came around. We were supposed to leave at 8 pm but we got the flight at 5 am. It's really unfair for us, but it doesn't matter when you play [on the field]."
Sri Lanka are one of only two teams, alongside the Netherlands, required to play their initial round of matches across four distinct venues. This logistical demand has led to the cancellation of training sessions due to travel fatigue, with the team having to wake up early to commute to their game locations, further compounding their challenges.
Theekshana also pointed out the disparity in scheduling fairness, noting that teams stationed at a single venue gain familiarity with the conditions and have the opportunity to play practice games there, an advantage not afforded to Sri Lanka.
"Yeah, that's why. Because even from the hotel, it's one hour and 40 minutes. Even today [match day], we had to wake up around 5 am to come here," Theekshana said.
Hasaranga, during a post-match press conference, addressed inquiries about whether the logistical difficulties had affected the team's performance. He continued, "We can't say that. We had a tough time the last few days. All four games in four venues. It's hard. We didn't know [anything about the conditions here]. This is our first game in New York. Next game in Dallas, we don't know [anything about the conditions there]. The next game is in Florida where we played two games, that's the only plus point we have."
Despite the setbacks, Sri Lanka aim to secure a victory in their next game against Bangladesh to maintain their chances of progressing to the Super Six stage of the tournament.
(Inputs from ANI)
English (US) ·