Against Australia: ‘Dilscoop’ inventor gets set for parting shot

Sri Lanka’s Dilshan hoping to strike famous shot before T20I retirement

PALLEKELE: Retiring “Dilscoop” inventor Tillakaratne Dilshan has a last chance to showcase the audacious shot that bears his name when Sri Lanka play Australia in two T20Is this week.

The Sri Lankan’s cheeky ramp shot, in which he goes down on one knee and flicks the ball over the wicketkeeper’s head, has plagued bowlers and inspired fellow batsmen since he unveiled it in 2008.

Fans have a final opportunity to see the 39-year-old when Sri Lanka take on Australia in Pallekele today and in Colombo on Friday.

Australia are fresh from a convincing 4-1 victory over Sri Lanka in their ODIs, which comes after their 3-0 drubbing in the Test series last month.

After announcing his retirement during the ODIs, Dilshan did not get a chance to show off the “Dilscoop” in front of some raucous home crowds, thanks to some tight bowling from the Australians.

Dilshan has racked up 87 Tests, 330 ODIs and 78 T20Is during a stellar 17-year career.

With Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews sidelined with injury, stand-in-skipper Dinesh Chandimal said his side would shake off their ODI-series loss and come back stronger in the T20s.

“We’ll learn from these mistakes and come back stronger,” said Chandimal.

David Warner’s Australia are looking to keep up their winning momentum going into the last leg of a two-month tour of the island.

But Australia’s injury list has grown, with opener Aaron Finch and Chris Lynn joining Shaun Marsh (broken finger) and Nathan Coulter-Nile (back injury) out of the squad.

Finch broke his index finger during the fifth and final ODI in Pallekele while Lynn dislocated his shoulder during a team practice session.

With regular skipper Steve Smith and Mitchell Marsh rested, the visitors have asked wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade and ODI star George Bailey to stay back for the final two games.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2016.

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