Team work was the key to our success, says Dasun

Everyone in our team wanted to prove that we are a better side than before the qualifiers and came up with the best performance, said Sri Lanka white ball skipper Dasun Shanaka after the World Cup qualifying tournament final victory in Harare.

However only concern was injuries (two pacemen Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara and opener Dimuth Karunaratne were injured during this tournament). Apart from that we had full control in every game and in every situation said skipper Dasun Shanaka who was leading the side with good commitment. Actually our top order, middle order and the bowlers performed well throughout the tournament. As a skipper I have been playing with them for a long period so I know the time when to use them said skipper Shanaka .

Our head coach Chris Silverwood and consultant coach Mahela Jayawardena were there to support us and all supporting staff gave encouragement to come forward. . Even in the World Cup next October, they will play a big role for Sri Lanka.

There was pressure but the management, or myself allowed the pressure to come to the dressing room . That was the best thing. The environment was really good and it helped us to come up to this level added skipper Shanaka.

The highest wicket taker of the tournament Wanindu Hasaranga said before we came to Zimbabwe we had a good series against Afghanistan at Hambantota. Actually our bowlers bowled really well and they carried that momentum into this tournament. We saw when we batted how the wicket was behaving. As a bowling unit we always tried to bowl accurately and I tried to do the same as well. I want to take this momentum into the world cup in India. Our bowlers have played a lot of games in India in the last couple of years and we know how the wicket behaves. Actually this qualifier tournament has helped us a lot and it was a good opportunity for us, said champion leggie Wanindu

Meanwhile Sri Lankan cricket head coach Chris Silverwood said “Our first goal was to qualify and we did it. Second was winning the qualifying tournament and we have done that as well. We can go home happy. Our game plan was to move forward, and managed to build on that. The confidence that we have shown in this tournament, can be taken to the World Cup said Silverwood.