Atapattu apologises for Sri Lanka's failure

Sri Lanka's batting coach Marvan Atapattu has apologised for the team's pathetic display in the first one-day international against Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Electing to bat first on an easy paced wicket, Sri Lanka's innings never took after the dismissal of skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan in the second over of the match and were bundled out for the lowest total of 131 in seven one-day internationals played at this venue.

"It's disappointing what happened on Friday and on behalf of the team I apologise to the public who came in numbers to watch us and hopefully it's a one off thing and I am sure that we do it right come Monday," said Atapattu.

An estimated holiday crowd of over 21,000 turned up to watch the first of the five-match series and were entertained by a 'Papare' band which regaled them with Sri Lankan music throughout the match.

The Sri Lankan fans outnumbered the 'home' team Pakistan in some sections of the stands but much to their disappointment the match was over as a contest even before the lights came.

Sri Lanka were dismissed in the 41st over while Pakistan raced to an eight-wicket victory despite losing opener Muhammad Hafeez before the interval. Imran Farhat and former skipper Younis Khan were associated in a 115-run stand for the second wicket stand to steer Pakistan to a facile victory.

Dilshan indirectly apologised to the crowd during the post-match presentation by thanking the crowd for their support and vowed to perform better in the next match.

“We’re preparing well and gel together well as a team but we have to do it in the middle,” said Dilshan at the post-match press conference. “When we cross the line we have to play 100 per cent our brand of cricket and now it’s time for us to put up a better show.

“We’re grooming young players but it’s up to everyone, not just the young players, to put their hands up, including myself and all the batting unit. We have to put our hands up and do a job.

“The last three or four series, we haven’t started well. Now we have another four chances (to put things right) in this series. We have to come stronger and play better cricket.”

However, Atapattu felt the batsmen were facing a confidence crisis.

"I really think it is nothing to do with the technique and application but its about the confidence which they are lacking," said Atapattu of his batsmen's failure to deliver.

"We have played so much cricket and if it happens at a stretch then its important you get out of it, when you get out for low scores, when you are not doing well as a batting unit, then its a matter of confidence," said the former Sri Lanka opening batsman.

Atapattu hoped his batsmen forget the past and come out firing in the second one-day international in Dubai on Monday.

"You cannot justify (failures) after looking at the personalities in the dressing room, its just that they come out thinking that its a brand new game and we are not continuing what we did on Friday or maybe two months ago," said the former Sri Lanka captain who denied the players were under pressure after being criticised by the chief selector Duleep Mendis.

"We have always had issues starting from the cricket board and if you are going into detail I don't think its the best thing to do and never in the past has it affected players.

"I think our job is to play cricket, entertain the crowds and do well."
 

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