Sangakkara hails team after series win by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:	KC Sangakkara, DPMD Jayawardene
Event:	Pakistan in Sri Lanka 2009

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DateLine: 4th August 2009

 

Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara paid tributes to his players after they won the ODI series against Pakistan in Dambulla.

 

A six-wicket victory gave the hosts an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series. Mahela Jayawardene lead the way with his first one-day century in more than two years to help Sri Lanka achieve this lead.

 

The skipper was delighted with another brilliant all-round performance and added that each of his players will continue to strive to improve their game for the future.

 

"In this series and the Tests we have had a few situations where we showed a lack of maturity by not really closing the door on Pakistan," Sangakkara said.

 

"But we've shown a lot of heart and hunger to come back in those situations and turn matches around.

 

"I think we have a long way to go and lots of areas to improve on. Every single player is not really satisfied that he's really there yet.

 

"But as a team, there's a really good feeling and everyone is really bonding well together.

 

"When you're winning it becomes easy and with a team that's trying really hard it becomes easier.

 

"But these are the good times and we have got to plan for the bad times and ensure we have the reserves and the mental and physical strengths to go through the bad patches as well.

 

"You can be sure they are going to come, but if we keep trying to improve we will have less bad patches and more good ones and we can achieve consistency."

 

Sangakkara paid glowing tributes to former skipper Jayawardene, whose 123 was the key in chasing down 288 as the veteran made his 11th ODI ton.

 

"Mahela always bats well when he is free to play his strokes," he said. "Unfortunately or unfairly for him we have put him under a lot of pressure over the years by losing too many wickets up front.

 

"But today he had a free hand to go out there and bat and enjoy himself and he expressed himself fully."