Chamika Karunaratne is a’ born warrior’: Shanaka

Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka, following his side’s stunning 26-run victory in the second ODI in Pallekele, lavished praise on Chamika Karunaratne and labeled the all-rounder a ‘born warrior’. 

On Thursday, Karunaratne enjoyed a near-perfect all-round performance. First, with the bat, he played a crucial cameo (18 off 17 balls) that propelled Sri Lanka’s score beyond 200. Then, with the ball, he picked three wickets, including the gigantic scalps of Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell, both of whom were looking at ease on a very tricky wicket. Finally, almost as an icing on the cake, Karunaratne fired in a rocket throw to run Alex Carey out and all but seal the game for his side. 

Shanaka, post match, had huge words of praise for the 26-year-old.

“Chamika is a born warrior. He delivers whenever I throw the ball to him,” Shanaka said.

Heading into tonight’s encounter, Karunaratne did not have a single wicket next to his name in the tour, having gone wicketless in the T20Is and the first ODI. The right-armer broke the drought with a three-fer, and post game, he said that he’d been ‘waiting for this moment’ for a long time.

“I was waiting for this moment for a long time. I knew I could do more for the team and my 100% has come today,” Karunaratne, Man of the Match for his all-round efforts, said.

The 26-year-old got the scalps of both Maxwell and Smith with short balls, and he revealed that while bowling, he always thinks like a batsman.

“I think as a batsman while bowling. I look to bluff sometimes and it is nice when it comes off.”

Skipper Shanaka, meanwhile, despite his side’s victory, said that he wants his batters to ‘come up with the right options’ in the third ODI.

“The Australians bowled really well upfront. We were a few runs short. But when we went onto the field, I had a feeling and the trust that our bowlers would defend. On wickets like this, we knew it would turn. We didn't take the right options with the bat and we need to come up with the right options in the next game,” Shanaka said.

The third ODI will be played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, June 19th.