Sri Lanka head coach Mickey Arthur said his players are “shattered both mentally and physically” having been in a COVID-19 bubble for “about 250 days”, as the Islanders are gearing up for the final appearance in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 before returning home.
Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup 2021 will end on Thursday, November 4, with a clash with the West Indies in Abu Dhabi, as the Islanders have won just one of their four Super 12s matches in the UAE.
Before arriving for the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Sri Lanka played a T20I series in West Indies and England and then hosted India and South Africa before competing in three qualifying games in the first week of the tournament last month.
Ahead of the final game in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021, Arthur claimed that the team is “shattered” after spending the last 11 months in a COVID-19 bubble. However, the coach insisted that the Islanders have given their all in the T20 World Cup and want to finish on high against the West Indies.
Arthur said on the eve of the match, “The guys are absolutely shattered. They've given their all to this campaign. We've been on the road for a long time. In the last 11 months, we've been in bubbles for about 250 days. And these guys are shattered mentally and physically. But they're up for tomorrow because they want to end on a high.”
Analyzing Sri Lanka’s Super 12 campaign, the coach noted: “I think we've shaken up teams. I think we've pushed teams. We've got some very good young players who just need consistency in message.”
He concluded, “They need consistency in selection. And they need to be given a platform to go and play. I think we've allowed them wings to fly. Those seeds will start to turn into some pretty good flowers.”
(With AFP Inputs)
