World Cup drop was my fault, admits Niroshan Dickwella
Sri Lankan wicket-keeper Niroshan Dickwella has admitted that he blames no one but himself for his World Cup snub after a poor showing in the series against South Africa. He has also offered his opinion on his country’s World Cup chances and talked about the recent terror activities in his country.
The left-hand batsman first wore the national colours in the limited-overs format in 2016, after consistent performances with his domestic team. Since then, it has been a roller coaster ride for the 25-year-old, being in and out of the squad based on his fluctuating performances. After being on a good run of form in the build-up to the World Cup, a series against South Africa saw him score 3 consecutive scores of below 10 which ruined all his hard work until that moment.
“I didn’t get runs in South Africa, and I got dropped. That was my fault,” he responded maturely, taking the drop in his stride and admitting responsibility for it.
This is not the first time something such has happened to him after he had been initially selected in the 2016 T20 World Cup squad but was ultimately dropped due to poor performances in the Asia Cup that preceded it. Dickwella though sees his recent exclusion as a chance for him to improve and become better so that he can become a part of the team.
“The World Cup is a big event, but at the end of the day, it is just another tournament. I look at this as a learning experience. I’m confident that I’ll make a comeback and become a match-winner for Sri Lanka,” he said.
Sri Lanka is yet to win an ODI in 2019, having lost 9 consecutive matches across 3 series against New Zealand, South Africa and Scotland. However, Dickwella feels that the 1996 champions are capable of doing well considering their record in the ICC tournaments.
“We’re on a losing streak now, but we generally do well in ICC events. If we do the basics right, we can get good results,” he remarked.
However, the country is facing much graver issues than cricket currently with a series of horrific bombings in Colombo having deeply aggrieved Dickwella.
“Sri Lanka had finally found peace after 30 years of terrorism, but now we are again back to a rebuilding process. I’m really sad to see what we are going through, but I’m hopeful that Sri Lanka will soon regain its status as a country that people love to visit,” he concluded.
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