After the recent annual update of the ICC rankings, Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne said that the chief focus for his team is to be in one of the top four teams in the rankings.
Recently, the apex governing body of cricket, ICC updated its team ranking where the Sri Lankans lagged behind. While Sri Lanka was at number 8 in ODIs, they have managed to be placed a bit higher at number 5 in the longest format of the game.
“Rankings, Rankings and Rankings is the key word,” Karunaratne insisted. “I’d say Sri Lanka needs to be in the top four of not just ODI Cricket, but Test Cricket as well,” he added.
Karunaratne, commenting further, said that the top four teams always have a benefit in world events and if Sri Lanka manages to reach there, it would certainly have an implied advantage at multi-team events.
“That would indirectly mean semifinalists to say the least and you are perhaps two games away from the plum. There onwards, it’s anybody’s guess and if you do well on your day you could end up being World Champions, explained the Sri Lanka skipper.
I am learning from each game
However, Karunaratne admitted that he needs to improve his performance also as an individual. The Sri Lanka Skipper has emerged as most successful test opener in these years but most of the times he had failed to convert his started in big scores.
Commenting on that, the Sri Lanka captain said that he is learning from each game and he has his eyes set on individual milestones too to join the elite list of a ‘true test great’.
“I have nine centuries from 66 test matches, while many will argue that I should or could have converted some of the 24 half-centuries I scored into centuries, thus increasing my overall tally of centuries. However, I am learning from each game. Test Cricket is super supreme and it’s certainly not a walk in the park! The stretched goal is 25 centuries and a fifty-plus average, concluded Karunaratne.
Follow us on facebook for more sphttps://www.facebook.com/kyrosportsorts news & updates
