Champions Trophy 2017: Sangakkara wants Sri Lanka to express themselves

Tags: Champions Trophy 2017, Group B - India Vs Sri Lanka 8th ODI at London, Jun 08, 2017, Sri Lanka, India, Angelo Davis Mathews, Kumar Chokshanada Sangakkara

Published on: Jun 07, 2017

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Sri Lanka will have to show some arrogance if they are to get the better of India in Thursday's Champions Trophy match at The Oval, according to former captain Kumar Sangakkara.

Sri Lanka will have to show some arrogance if they are to get the better of India in Thursday's Champions Trophy match at The Oval, according to former captain Kumar Sangakkara.

Skipper Angelo Mathews is down with a calf injury. They lost to South Africa after which stand-in skipper Upul Tharanga was handed a two-match suspension for the team's slow over rate.

"I would personally like this young Sri Lanka side to walk out at The Oval and play with the arrogance and abandon of youth," Sangakkara wrote in his column for ICC.

"They should express their talent and play a really positive brand of cricket. If they are able to do this, then they have a chance of pulling off an upset, but it will not be easy an India team that so confidently overwhelmed Pakistan on Sunday,” he further wrote.

Mathews is likely to return for the match against Sri Lanka, but Sangakkara still feels that Sri Lanka need to work on their shocking over-rate. "If Angelo, Sri Lanka's best batsman and captain, is deemed unavailable for this vital clash, it could severely hamper the team's chances of winning against India," he further wrote.

"Even if Angelo is considered fit, the threat of slow over-rate will be a major concern. Having Tharanga suspended is a huge waste. With quite an experienced and senior bowling attacked led by (seamer) Lasith Malinga, a team constituting two spinners, it is unacceptable that Sri Lanka was over by 39 minutes,” Sangakkara explained.

--By A Cricket Correspondent

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