- What really happened to Dasun Shanaka?
The title itself might provoke many fans of Shanaka, but it is what it is. There is no more sugar coating. There are no more excuses. Facts are on the wall and Shanaka could have played his final game as the captain of the national side.
How it began
To understand the situation in the best possible way, we need to go back to the 2019 Pakistan tour. T20I skipper Lasith Malinga and ODI skipper Dimuth Karunaratne, along with former captains Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal, Suranga Lakmal, Thisara Perera, Akila Dhananjaya, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Perera, and Niroshan Dickwella, refused to travel to Pakistan citing security concerns.
One cannot blame these players, after what took place during the 2009 tour. What resulted was a hammering in the ODI series and the beginning of a cult hero Dasun Shanaka.
He bagged the opportunity to lead the side after the seniors backed out, and delivered with the first ever whitewash in a T20I series in Pakistan.
Several new heroes were born. The emergence of Bhanuka Rajapaksha and even Wanindu Hasaranga took place during that tour against Pakistan. But what Shanka did as a leader was etched in the hearts of many Sri Lankans.
However, upon arrival, the captaincy was given back to Lasith Malinga for the T20’s. The team suffered a 3-0 drubbing against Australia in the land down-under. Shanaka was even dropped for the third game. Under Lasith Malinga, Sri Lanka lost 3-0 to Australia, 2-0 to India, and 2-0 to West Indies at home.
The reins were handed to Dasun Shanaka after the defeats, but unfortunately, in his second series in charge of the T20 team, he had to wait out in Sri Lanka due to a visa delay. Angelo Mathews was named as stand-in captain, but Sri Lanka lost the series 2-1.
After these massive losses, Pramodya Wickramasinghe led the selection committee to decide to go ahead with the Youth Policy. They dropped both Dimuth Karunarathne, Angelo Mathews, and Dinesh Chandimal to let several youngsters in the team. The captaincy was given to Kusal Janith Perera, while Karunarathne remained as the Test skipper.
However, a 2-1 series defeat against Bangladesh in the ODIs and a complete whitewash against England saw the whiteball captaincy given to Dasun Shanaka, this time on a permanent basis.
It goes well at the start
Shanaka couldn't have asked for a better start to his captaincy career. Winning in Pakistan with new players, and after he was confirmed at the helm, he managed to beat India, albeit a second string Indian team, 2-1 in the T20I series. But the ODI series was lost 2-1.
However, Shanaka managed to turn it round to lead the team to a 2-1 win over South Africa in the ODIs before conceding a series whitewash (3-0) in the T20s. In the 2021 T20 World Cup in Dubai they finished fourth in the group with two wins. It was a decent tournament for Sri Lanka, where they were competitive against the big teams.
2022
The year begins well for Shanaka with a 2-1 ODI series win over Zimbabwe, but the team gets a 4-1 thrashing against Australia in the shortest format. However, one match went to a super over, and the opening fixture should have been won by Sri Lanka after restricting Australia below 150.
The tour of India in February was by far the best tour for Shanaka personally, but the series was lost 3-0.
He followed up with another great series against Australia where he managed to single-handedly win the final game in the T20 series, and follow it up with a 3-2 series win over the Aussies in the ODI series.
Then came the pinnacle of his captaincy career in September. The Asia Cup was tailor-made for an India-Pakistan final, but Shanaka’s men spoiled the party. It was classic underdog win, just like in 1996. Sri Lanka was thrashed by Afghanistan in the opening game, but then turned it around to lift the cup, beating both India and Pakistan in the final.
Coming back from an Asia Cup Triumph, Sri Lanka were expected to do well in the World Cup later that year. But injuries and scandals overshadowed the disappointing campaign.
The year ended with a 1-1 series draw against Afghanistan in the three-match ODI series.
2023
Shanaka was once again at his best in India despite losing the T20 series 2-1. The team was whitewashed by India in the ODI series. His last T20 series was also lost 2-1 against New Zealand. In the same tour, Sri Lanka lost the ODI series 2-0 and was forced to play the CWC 2024 qualifiers.
Before the qualifiers in June, Shanaka’s 13-match winning streak began against Afghanistan, where they came back to win the last two games to seal the series 2-1.
Personal performance as captain
In ODI’s, in 36 innings he has only scored 673 runs, with an average of 20 and a strike rate of 87. He has two centuries and a 50 to his name, and all these three scores have come in losing causes. He has five scores over 30, and out of those five scores, only three have come in a winning cause.
In T20I’s, in 44 innings, he has 859 runs at a strike rate of 132 with three fifties. Out of those cameos, 13 of them have had a positive impact on Sri Lanka’s performance.
What makes him special?
The facts and stats are there for everyone to know. The stats don't really paint a picture of a national icon, but why does the general public rally behind him? It’s a question that baffles many. But it boils down one simple trait.
Shanaka is a people’s man. He took charge of the team when the seniors refused to travel to Pakistan. He took on the baton when Sri Lanka’s selection committee decided to scrap the seniors and invest in younger players. He is probably the nicest guy you will find on the pitch, and even probably out of the playing field.
Shanaka was brought in at a time when there was literally no one lined up for a leadership role. With all seniors sacked from the side, Shanaka was the only man with captaincy experience – and some sort of experience – under his belt. He was the saviour Sri Lanka had at that time.
He was probably the only power-hitter Sri Lanka produced after Thisara Perera. But just like Perera, Shanaka’s weakness was exposed by the rest of the world. His consistency was lacking and his power game was slowly declining as well.
On top of it, as an all rounder, his reluctance to bowl was highlighted as well. In 48 T20I matches as captain, he has only bowled 36 overs. In 41 ODIs, he has only bowled 118 overs.
What unfolded before the World Cup this year, with regards to his captaincy, was in the making for sometime. The decision to change captaincy before the World Cup was taken, but for some reason the decision was overturned overnight before the squad was announced. How this debacle affected the team and Shanaka, no one will ever know. But it is time to seriously assess the situation and put in place a strategy for the next cycle before the 2027 World Cup.
Mathews and Chameera to join CWC Squad
Shanaka was ruled out of the tournament before the Australian game. He returned to the nets yesterday and was doing some drills which looked to be a part of his rehab. The question is, why is he still part of the squad if he’s ruled out of the tournament?
With both Angelo Mathews and Dushmantha Chameera flying out today to join the squad as travelling reserves, it seems like injured Matheesha Pathirana is not recovering from his shoulder injury. In case Pathirana is ruled out, Mathews is most likely to be drafted into the side.