Sri Lanka’s fast bowling coach Ryan van Niekerk has praised Dilshan Madushanka as a bowler who can trouble batters in different ways, after the young quick’s five-wicket haul set up an eight-wicket win over Pakistan in Lahore on Tuesday. Dilshan Madushanka warning, in effect, is that Pakistan will face the same pace and aggression again in Saturday’s tri-series final.
Madushanka took five wickets as Pakistan were bowled out for 110 in 25.3 overs at Gaddafi Stadium. Sri Lanka then chased the target with eight wickets in hand, reaching it in the 19th over.
Dilshan Madushanka warning: pace, swing and the bouncer
Van Niekerk said Sri Lanka’s bowling unit had responded well after conceding 430 runs against England earlier in the tournament. The response, he said, came from a renewed emphasis on attacking the opposition and carrying out plans with consistency.
“Yeah, I think from our point of view, we had to bounce back. It wasn’t too long ago that the same bowling unit went for 430. So from our point of view a lot of reflection, but bowling with a different intentionality,” he said.
He described Madushanka as a highly talented young bowler with a full set of skills. “Dilshan is a highly talented young bowler. He has all the skill sets. He swings the ball. He’s got a great bouncer. And I think that’s been a big part of his progression, is how to use his aggressive deliveries to make his other deliveries even more of a weapon.”
The bouncer, Van Niekerk explained, has made Madushanka’s fuller deliveries more dangerous, while his accuracy has sharpened his overall impact. “And you saw tonight, when he bowls his bouncer really, really well, it makes his front foot ball really dangerous. And at the moment, I think he’s getting wickets with his bouncer, but he’s able to swing the ball and he’s really accurate. I think we only bowled one wide in 25 overs today as a group of bowlers.”
A unit, not one bowler
Van Niekerk also praised Eshan Malinga and Asitha Fernando, saying the three quicks had complemented each other well as Sri Lanka’s pace attack continued to develop. Regular breakthroughs, he said, had helped Sri Lanka build momentum, and the bowlers had taken their chances against Pakistan.
He added a note of caution about Madushanka’s workload. The youngster is eager to bowl constantly, Van Niekerk said, and needs to be encouraged to moderate his bowling loads. That care matters with a final coming up and a longer season ahead.
On conditions, Van Niekerk said the Lahore surface had played reasonably well, although it looked slightly slower and offered more tennis-ball bounce than the Rawalpindi pitch, where dew had caused the ball to skid on.
What this means for Saturday’s final
Pakistan’s batting problems on Tuesday were stark. The side lost all ten wickets for 110, with captain Shaheen Afridi’s men unable to build a partnership of substance. Feature Pakistan has already covered the collapse in Pakistan bowled out for 110 by Sri Lanka and in Pakistan’s batting rated 70 per cent, where batting coach Mike Smith put a figure on the side’s current level.
Sri Lanka still have a league match against England on Thursday before the final. Van Niekerk said the team’s renewed focus on wicket-taking intent and consistent execution would remain central to its approach. He also urged spectators to support the tournament, saying the quality of cricket on show gave fans ample reason to attend the remaining matches.
For Pakistan, the task before Saturday is clear: find a way past a pace attack that has just dismantled them, and give their own bowlers a total worth defending.
Frequently asked questions
What did Sri Lanka’s bowling coach say about Madushanka?
Ryan van Niekerk called him a highly talented young bowler who swings the ball, owns a great bouncer and has become more accurate, adding that the bouncer makes his fuller deliveries more dangerous.
How did Sri Lanka beat Pakistan on Tuesday?
Madushanka took five wickets as Pakistan were bowled out for 110 in 25.3 overs, and Sri Lanka won by eight wickets in the 19th over of the chase.
When is the tri-series final?
The final is on Saturday, October 31, between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, after Sri Lanka’s remaining league match against England on Thursday.
