Ahead of Pakistan series, Sri Lanka coach says 'morale strengthened' by India thrashing

[Abdullah719]

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka cricket coach Nic Pothas said Thursday a series of thumping defeats by India had strengthened resolve and even boosted morale as the squad seeks redemption against Pakistan later this month.

The islanders were handed a drubbing on home soil against India, losing all nine games against the formidable tourists in a humiliating whitewash across all three formats of the game.

Pothas said the whitewash had bolstered spirits ahead of Sri Lanka's two Tests, five one-day internationals and three Twenty20 matches against Pakistan.

"That (defeat) actually makes morale even stronger," the former South Africa international told reporters ahead of the squad's departure to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where the tour gets underway on September 28.

The squad had been instructed ahead of the first Test to put negative publicity out of mind as Sri Lanka's press mauls the poorly performing side.

"They are writing bad stuff about you. You have a choice. That happens to athletes all around the world... If someone shoots a bullet at you, you can wimp away or say 'You are completely wrong'," Pothas said.

In July, Sri Lanka lost a three-match ODI series on home soil to bottom-ranked Zimbabwe, hot on the heels of their early exit from the Champions trophy in England.

Tempers boiled over as Sri Lanka lost the ODI series against India in August in three straight matches, with fans booing the home side and lobbing bottles.

But Pothas said the squad had bounced back and was training solidly in the run-up to the Pakistan tour.
"We have a few things in place, and of course winning games of cricket builds confidence, but this is a fantastic bunch of players who are all very, very good friends," he said.

Former skipper Angelo Mathews was ruled out of the first Test due to injury. Two uncapped players have been brought into a 15-member squad.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...d-by-india-thrashing/articleshow/60779278.cms

 

[Abdullah719]

First India = All Blacks.

Now morale strengthened by thrashing.

 

[squarecut]

Why not. Sri Lankans know that Pakistan will be an easier opposition in comparison.

 

[Specialisttailender]

When Australia collapsed they didn't throw away their wickets, their wickets were taken from them and it was pleasure to see. Sri lankan series was mind numbing, their players kept playing stupid shots and kept bowling bad balls. India was playing complacently and still won that series. This team is a minnow as of now, no wonder lost a series to Zimbabwe.

 

[Saj]

Strange statement from the coach.

Clutching at straws it seems.

 

[Buffet]

Another weird statement from Nic.

 

[troodon]

Can't get worse than the recent thrashing.

Ohh wait. It can. Lanka is at an all time low. May be Lanka might lose the Tests with over 400 run margin each time.

 

[Buffet]

Can't get worse than the recent thrashing.

Ohh wait. It can. Lanka is at an all time low. May be Lanka might lose the Tests with over 400 run margin each time.

Let's see if this is true. All time low means SL should lose all matches by a wide margin in UAE. They lost by wide margin at home. Pakistan is not exactly India, but SL will be not playing at home so it should even the factors here.

 

[backfootpunch]

Let's see if this is true. All time low means SL should lose all matches by a wide margin in UAE. They lost by wide margin at home. Pakistan is not exactly India, but SL will be not playing at home so it should even the factors here.

prediction for the series?

 

[PakLFC]

Strengthened?

 

[Shutdown Corner]

Sure it did. It strengthened from non-existant to barely measurable.

 

[mak36]

Pakistan should win but my worry is they will get complacent (Sarfaraz may have something to say about that!)

 

[Syed1]

No way Pakistan is losing this.

 

[Buffet]

prediction for the series?

SL should lose in tests. In shorter formats, I think they may surprise by winning 1-2 games.

 

[sachin100]

Pak should comfortably win both tests.

 

[sachin100]

In odis they r clearly competitive. Akila dhananjaya is a very good prospect and another chinaman bowler is also very good.

Their spin bowling with akila, herath and other left arm bowler is very good.

 

[sachin100]

The problem with sl batsmen are they play too many shots and its a matter of time u can get their wickets.

Batting is clearly talented but temperament is a problem.

 

[SL_Fan]

And I got a llama in my living room.

 

[Abdullah719]

Sri Lanka sick and tired of talking about transition, says Interim coach Nic Pothas

It has now been more than two years since Sri Lanka's legends have retired, and the team is "sick and tired" of talking about them being in transition. After their humiliating loss to India, the Lankans will take on Pakistan for a two-match Test series in Abu Dhabi.

The sentiments were expressed by Sri Lanka's' interim coach Nic Pothas.

"We are probably in an era where we are sick and tired of talking about transition."Sick and tired of about talking about it as a learning period," said Pothas as media reports suggest.

He added, "It is time to go out and perform, and that is the challenge. You are going to meet a world-class team. We have to move forward."

Pothas has urged the players to move on with their performances on the field as the team is battling with consistency since the retirement of its batting stars.

Sri Lankan team has suffered a loss in every single game against India on home soil, which included three Tests, five ODIs and a T20I. The team will now aim resurgence and regeneration as it all set to face Pakistan in a two-match Test series in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

http://www.indiatvnews.com/sports/c...ansition-says-interim-coach-nic-pothas-403393

 

[Rayyman]

Hope Pakistan perform a clean sweep in all formats.

 

[ToeCrusher2]

I like this lankan coach

 

[Abdullah719]

Well... he was right?

 

[LastManstanding]

SL is welcome

 

[Talented]

Happy to help.

 

[ToeCrusher2]

Once you have face the best team team in the world, every other team will feel like a cake walk, especially a 6th ranked team, you are welcome lanka

 

[Buffet]

Nic hit a home run here with that comment.

 

[Abdullah719]

Once you have face the best team team in the world, every other team will feel like a cake walk, especially a 6th ranked team, you are welcome lanka

Understandable why you are enjoying these proxy 'wins' as last time around there was a direct confrontation with this '6th ranked team' (or rather 8th), you went missing for six weeks.

 

[ToeCrusher2]

Understandable why you are enjoying these proxy 'wins' as last time around there was a direct confrontation with this '6th ranked team' (or rather 8th), you went missing for six weeks.

We also beat you without any proxy a few days before that defeat, we don't need proxies but proxy wins are enjoyable too

Upsets are more common in the shorter format but in the purest form of the game, the better team wins

 

[squarecut]

Why not. Sri Lankans know that Pakistan will be an easier opposition in comparison.

Told you so.

 

[sachin100]

Understandable why you are enjoying these proxy 'wins' as last time around there was a direct confrontation with this '6th ranked team' (or rather 8th), you went missing for six weeks.

Man why is this constant obsession of ct final in every post.

Its an upset because in the previous 5 matches pak has lost all matches.

Upsets do happen and no team is invincible

 

[sachin100]

Even herath and chandimal told in press conference that it is a series between number 6 and 7 and sl has a very good chance to beat pak.

 

[Abdullah719]

Man why is this constant obsession of ct final in every post.

Its an upset because in the previous 5 matches pak has lost all matches.

Upsets do happen and no team is invincible

My point was about the poster, not the CT final.

 

[DRsohail]

i think the indian posters are just letting their frustartion out after CT>..

 

[DRsohail]

but let remind them.we have lost to SRilanka not india,..

 

[ToeCrusher2]

i think the indian posters are just letting their frustartion out after CT>..

Nope, we are just rejoicing in the victory of our neighbors ( I mean the lankans )

 

[CanadianG00se]

SL is welcome

I came here just to post this.

haha

 

[sachin100]

but let remind them.we have lost to SRilanka not india,..

U misunderstood indian fans. Its other fans who started celebrating india loses long before indians started.

In the last t 20 wc semifinal loss of india ptv sports host dr Nauman celebrated like anything.

U know mushfiqur do as well.

Compared to others indian players and fans r far better in that aspect

 

[DRsohail]

Nope, we are just rejoicing in the victory of our neighbors ( I mean the lankans )

but i dont see any comment showing rejoicing srilanka victory..,
,if pakistani were trolling indians after CT win that was acceptable to some extent but i will never troll someone like this.
there is a famous saying in our mother tongue which says that u should never be happy on the loss of ur enemies and if u do it shows ur caliber ```` .though there is no enmity in sports...but just saying..

 

[DRsohail]

U misunderstood indian fans. Its other fans who started celebrating india loses long before indians started.

In the last t 20 wc semifinal loss of india ptv sports host dr Nauman celebrated like anything.

U know mushfiqur do as well.

Compared to others indian players and fans r far better in that aspect

basically i even enjoyed some of the posts here but thinking process is what i really hate no matter who does it...and as i said u should not copy a bad habit.....
yes pakistani does it but honestly i was not expecting indians to do it i mean a little bit but all of them are busy...let me enjoy it but i will never do it back..

 

[sachin100]

but i dont see any comment showing rejoicing srilanka victory..,
,if pakistani were trolling indians after CT win that was acceptable to some extent but i will never troll someone like this.
there is a famous saying in our mother tongue which says that u should never be happy on the loss of ur enemies and if u do it shows ur caliber ```` .though there is no enmity in sports...but just saying..

Dr u r good and u don't post such kinds of comments and not all people r like that in real world.

 

[DRsohail]

Dr u r good and u don't post such kinds of comments and not all people r like that in real world.

by the way i have been a big big fan of the man u have pf name...i rate his 98 against pak in 2003 wc highly than any knock he played against us.....that was gem of an innings..and his 136 in a losing cause on day 5 pitch in chennai.

 

[sachin100]

by the way i have been a big big fan of the man u have pf name...i rate his 98 against pak in 2003 wc highly than any knock he played against us.....that was gem of an innings..and his 136 in a losing cause on day 5 pitch in chennai.

There are so many superb posters from pak who r very mature and don't post troll posts like mamoon, slog, u, dr bassim and many others and u see there are trolls also.
Take it as banter

 

[DRsohail]

There are so many superb posters from pak who r very mature and don't post troll posts like mamoon, slog, u, dr bassim and many others and u see there are trolls also.
Take it as banter

thanks..accepted..

 

[Dingolfy]

thanks..accepted..

The crux of India-Pak rivalry is this banter.As long as it is good,clean and doesn't involve references to anyone's female relatives, I say bring it on.

 

[Mp812]

And I guess now they( SL) plan to give the same moral strengthening to Pakistan ). They are 1-0 up so halfway there.

 

[Tusker]

but i dont see any comment showing rejoicing srilanka victory..,
,if pakistani were trolling indians after CT win that was acceptable to some extent but i will never troll someone like this.
there is a famous saying in our mother tongue which says that u should never be happy on the loss of ur enemies and if u do it shows ur caliber ```` .though there is no enmity in sports...but just saying..

This is mainly in response to the Trolling by Pak fans in the past after loss to Aus in 1st Test and then troll threads like "Do runs against SL count" ... and many more.

 

[Specialisttailender]

And I guess now they( SL) plan to give the same moral strengthening to Pakistan ). They are 1-0 up so halfway there.

Sri Lanka just lost 9-0 to India in a series, Pakistan lost 1-0. Is one game enough for moral strengthening ?

 

[squarecut]

Sri Lankan coach has been proved correct that losses against India has actually helped them in their matches against Pakistan.

 

[sachin100]

Sri Lanka just lost 9-0 to India in a series, Pakistan lost 1-0. Is one game enough for moral strengthening ?

Absolutely. If paks morale hasn't strenthened after that loss they will lose again