In a rain-affected contest at Colombo, Sri Lanka faced a tough outing against South Africa as the match was reduced to 20 overs per side. Despite a determined effort from the hosts, South Africa comfortably sealed victory by 10 wickets (DLS method). After the game, Sri Lankan batter Vishmi Gunaratne spoke about the challenges of adapting to the conditions, the mental shift required after the rain delay, and her recovery from a recent injury.
The match saw an initial delay of nearly five hours due to heavy rain, and for a long period, it appeared that the game might be abandoned. When play eventually resumed, Sri Lanka had limited overs to accelerate scoring.
“It looked like the game was going to be called off, but when we found out that it was going to restart, we just had to focus quickly,” Vishmi said. “At the end of the 12th over, we had only 46 runs on the board, so we had to put something around 120 if we wanted to give a good fight to the South African team. I think we tried our best.”
Transitioning from a planned 50-over game to an 8-over finish proved to be a challenge for the team. Vishmi explained how Sri Lanka adjusted their mindset amid the changing dynamics. “Actually, it was like a T20 match,” she said. “We just focused on one ball at a time.”
The young batter also addressed her injury concerns, confirming that she is recovering well and that it was nothing serious.
“I’m feeling good,” she smiled. “It was just an impact injury, nothing serious. My doctor and physio looked at it and helped me recover. Even if it had been a normal 50-over game, I would have come to the wicket and played for my country.”
Reflecting on her recent form, Vishmi acknowledged that the tournament has been a testing one but emphasized her focus on improvement and maintaining composure.
“I had some bad periods, but I can’t control the things that I can’t control. So, I focus on what I can do and improve my game,” she said. “I always remind myself to stay focused and play a cool, calm game.”
Looking ahead, Sri Lanka will next face Bangladesh on the 20th in Navi Mumbai. Vishmi believes that the short turnaround could work in the team’s favor as they aim to finish the World Cup campaign strongly. “We are focused on it,” she said. “We have two games left, so we want to finish the cup well.”
As the team prepares to travel to Mumbai, Vishmi’s words reflect both determination and composure, key traits that Sri Lanka will hope to carry into their upcoming fixtures.
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