Bipin Dani
DasunShanaka’s 32nd birthday proved lucky to him. The captain, who turned 32 on Saturday, had a good Asia Cup game against Bangladesh. He showed the value he can bring to the side, by simply showing intent with 24 runs, and taking 3 wickets (including a wicket of the opposite captain Shakib Al Hasan) for conceding only 28 runs, in 9 overs, proving the most economical Sri Lankan bowler.
On arriving in the hotel, the hotel management had kept a cake ready for the birthday boy. Incidentally, the captain had to cut two different cakes on the day.
The team management had also ordered a cake for the captain. “All team members had gathered to wish him in the dressing room and the cake was cut before the match”, one of the sources aware about the happenings, said to this reporter.
The strict disciplinarian team manager MahindaHalangoda does not allow the team members to apply cake on the birthday boy’s face. He doesn’t prefer the waste of the cake in this fashion.
And the captain did not forget to congratulate his team mates for the victory they brought. “Yes, captain DasunShanaka and the head coach Chris Silverwood did express their joy and congratulated the team for the 21-run victory. The team members also greeted SadeeraSamarawickrama who scored 93 runs with 2 sixes and won the Player of the Match award. Sadly, he missed a ton by seven runs. His wife was not present at the ground to cheer for him, but the birthday boy’s wife, Chevanthi Perera did witness the team victory. She is one of the players’ (and support staff members’) wife staying in the team hotel.
