Taking down Afghans – Nuwan Pradeep’s way
Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. Sri Lanka played their first two matches of the World Cup 2019 at the same venue. In the first game, they were shot down for 136 and failed to pick a single wicket. In the second match against Afghanistan yesterday, the Lankan lions collapsed to 201 all out but skittled the opposition for only 152 runs. The only difference in the Sri Lankan side between these two games was one bowler. They dropped Jeevan Mendis, a spinner, to include Nuwan Pradeep, a seamer. The move proved to be a masterstroke.
Although both the teams were playing in the blue kit, the most discussed colour in the match was green. The track at Cardiff forced the Asian teams to reconsider their team strategy. Nevertheless, Afghanistan went in with three spinners. Sri Lanka, wiser after their crushing defeat, opted to play with five seamers. The incoming man was Nuwan Pradeep. It was puzzling why Sri Lanka had not chosen him in the first place.
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Before arriving at the World Cup, Sri Lanka played a two-match ODI series with Scotland. The first match was washed out. In the following game, Pradeep recorded his career-best figures of 4/34 and earned his maiden Man of the match award in 36 matches. He had never picked a four-for prior to that game and now he has two in two.
The boy from Negombo had not bowled with the cricket ball till he was 20. Pradeep then won a bowling speed contest and shot into fame. He established himself in the first-class cricket and soon knocked on the door of international selection. At the highest level, Pradeep had not been impactful. He has been struggled to contain his injuries and always been in-and-out of the team.
Yesterday on a helpful track at Cardiff, Pradeep unleashed his best.
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By the time Pradeep stepped up to bowl his first over, the Sri Lankan seamers had reduced Afghanistan to 43/2. The threat of Hazratullah Zazai was still there; the opener had breezed to 30 off 24 balls. The first ball that Pradeep bowled to Zazai was short of length on leg stump, the opener swivelled and hooked it towards the fine leg, only to end up in Thisara Perera’s hands. Two overs later, he sent a steeply rising delivery to Hasmatullah Shahidi who could only edge it to the keeper. Afghanistan 57/4 chasing 187.
The newest side recovered and stitched together a partnership. The sixth-wicket stand was taking Afghans closer to the victory when Pradeep was called back for his second spell. He sent down short balls (including two high wides) in the first over to no avail. Next over included a boundary over keeper’s head for five wides. However, the fifth ball of that over was different.
The ball to Captain Gulbadin Naib was just short of good length and seared inwards to trap batsman’s pad in front of the stumps. The review also ruled in Pradeep’s favour. The same fate was reserved for Rashid Khan on the first ball of Pradeep’s next over, this time the ball flicked off stump after ricocheting off the pads.
Pradeep completed his full spell with the figures 9-1-31-4 (rain regulation). Malinga cleaned up the tail and secured the 34-run victory. Pradeep fittingly received the Man of the match award for the brilliant spell, his consecutive second in ODIs. Hopefully, Sri Lanka will not be leaving him out in any upcoming matches.
