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ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP

June 1, 2019

Dimuth Karunaratne

Cardiff, Wales, UK

New Zealand 137/0 Sri Lanka 136

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

Q. Did you expect such a lively surface?
DIMUTH KARUNARATNE: I mean, no, because everyone is here to watch some entertainment. I thought day before yesterday I think they have the grass lay, but we thought it's going to be cut. They leave the same grass there.

But I think if you take like World Cup, everyone wants to, you know, see a good match, good high-scoring match. So I think hopefully we get good wickets on the next few matches. We will try to do our best.

Q. Obviously that was a very disappointing performance. What do you put that down to really?
DIMUTH KARUNARATNE: I think batting is the main concern. You know, if you are losing wickets you can't score 200, 250 runs. So we have to get some partnerships in the middle part.

I think once Thiri was lost, I think Kusal did very well. But after that, we keep losing wickets, you know -- we can't get a partnership on that wicket, so we keep losing wickets. I think that's the main reason we can't score, because of these conditions.

Q. In your mind, what do you think should have been the kind of score you should have been setting first on that pitch? Obviously 136 from what New Zealand did was a bit -- looked like it was a bit under par. When you went out there what were you looking for?
DIMUTH KARUNARATNE: I think with that pace and the conditions, you know, we can definitely say -- it's not easy to score 300. You have to capitalise and analyse the bowlers. I think in these condition, 250, 240, 250 will be a good score. You need to give a bowler also a chance, you know. 136 not enough if they have this to chase they can bat freely in these conditions. If they are chasing 136, they can easily go for it.

Q. What do you tell your team from now on? After such a performance, how do you inspire your team?
DIMUTH KARUNARATNE: I think we have another eight games to go. We need to chin up and play very well. We need to see what we have. We lose, you know, and on the back end part we need to get some partnerships, the middle part. Those are the key areas. We're looking forward to doing it.

Q. What is the decision behind having Angelo bat as low as six in conditions that are tough? Wouldn't you want his experience kind of at four? Wouldn't that have helped, especially after the partnership that you and Kusal...
DIMUTH KARUNARATNE: I think Angelo batting, if you take the previous matches, he batted really well in these conditions. I think that's why we want to keep Angelo for the later bat. Once ball shine gets off, he can go for the big runs.

So experience, we think if you take Angelo, he also played lot of matches. I think he is also good experienced guy. So we need to take that advantage. I think Angelo batted really well in these conditions.

Q. Did you feel stranded by your teammates?
DIMUTH KARUNARATNE: I think, you know, if you take this wicket, you know, you need to have a target. It's not easy. It's not a 300 wicket, so you need to have another game plan. You can't go there and hit every ball, so you have to stay calm, sometimes give them a chance, give us a chance to settle down. Once you get set you can score in these conditions. I think they bowled really well. I think all their players bowled really well, so we have to give them credit. And I think if we stay couple of overs in the middle, I think definitely this game would have been better really well, yeah.

Q. Yesterday Pakistan played its game batted first and team was really struggling. You believe that the tosses become too much of a crucial factor?
DIMUTH KARUNARATNE: Yeah, if you get wickets like that, yeah, toss will be a crucial part.

Q. Sounded like you were being booed at the end there. Was that fair?
DIMUTH KARUNARATNE: I can't...

Q. Your supporters were booing you at the end of the game. Is that fair?
DIMUTH KARUNARATNE: Oh, I don't think so, you know, everyone here to see some good match, you know. They have come from far from Cardiff and they spend their time and money and come here to see good match. I think we need to give them a little bit chance. You know, they all want us to win, so I think losing doesn't matter, but we need to give a good fight for them. I think that's the main thing. If we go out like 130, you know, there is no match. It's not a game, you know. So we have to give them a good show end of the day.

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