Sri Lanka expressed dissatisfaction over their T20 World Cup schedule after being defeated by South Africa at Nassau County Cricket Stadium, New York on June 3.
The Asian side have faced several problems from the very beginning. Sri Lanka is one of only two teams (the other is the Netherlands) who are playing their four group-stage matches in four different venues. Even their match venue Nassau County Cricket Stadium was an hour and 40 minutes away from the Hotel in New York, while South Africa’s hotel was just 14 minutes away from the venue.
Sri Lankan Spinner Maheesh Theekshana hits out at the T20 World Cup Schedule. “It’s unfair. I can’t say the names of the teams that have got the opportunity to stay in the same place but their hotel is only 14 minutes to the ground. Ours was like one hour and 40 minutes,” Theekshana said after his team’s defeat against South Africa.
Theekshana also regarded playing each match in different venues affecting Sri Lanka not understanding of the condition well.
“All four games in four venues. It’s hard. We didn’t know anything about the conditions here. This was our first game in New York. The next game in Dallas, we don’t know anything about the conditions there. The next game is in Florida where we played two games, that’s the only plus point we have,” Theekshana said.
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One of the problems that Sri Lanka has faced most is delayed flight.”The flight we took from Florida, from Miami, we had to wait like eight hours in the airport to get the flight. And we came around. We were supposed to leave at 8 pm but we got the flight at 5 am. It’s unfair for us, but it doesn’t matter when you play [on the field].” he added.
Sri Lanka have three days before their Do-or-die meeting with Bangladesh on June 7 in Dallas. After the match, they will fly to Florida for the match against Nepal on June 12 and the last one against the Netherlands on June 16, which is another different venue in St. Lucia.
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