ICC T20 WORLD CUP 2021

October 31, 2021

Maheesh Theekshana

Sharjah Stadium

Sri Lanka

Pre Match Media Conference

Q. How are the conditions in the UAE more different to conditions in Sri Lanka? Like, is the spinning too much in the UAE conditions from the first ball?

MAHEESH THEEKSHANA: Actually, I think the wickets are very good than there in Sri Lanka because a lot of flat wickets, when you get in here than Sri Lanka. I don't think no more than that. Like similar wickets. But not unlike Sri Lanka in here. There are good wickets in Sharjah and Dubai.

Q. What do you feel -- like, which suits you more better and how can it be helpful, like bowling in (indiscernible) or bowling in slog-overs?

MAHEESH THEEKSHANA: I actually like to bowl in (indiscernible) but it's not easy, but I can get wickets in (indiscernible) and the midlows, there's already singles. So I don't think it's easy to get wickets in the midlows than the (indiscernible).

Q. In the Super 12 there's been 14 matches of which only two were won by the team chasing. Two were won by the team batting first. So far why do you see this trend in this World Cup?

MAHEESH THEEKSHANA: I think it's about the wickets, and there's a lot of things like that when we are chasing. I think that's it. No other than because when you're bowling first, I think batsmen now less try to get more runs on the board because they know there's a dew factor in here. That's it.

I don't much like that, because when we are bowling second we can win matches. But it's like of that because of the dew and the wickets get very good at the end. That's nothing that -- other than that, I don't think any of that, like.

Q. It's your first World Cup, obviously. You've played a lot of cricket in Sri Lanka. You've played a lot of club cricket. And you play for Army. How has the experience been on the world stage? Are you able to handle the pressure? What do you take back as lessons from this World Cup?

MAHEESH THEEKSHANA: It's a very good journey for me in here because I never thought I would be in the 2021 World Cup because I never had Sri Lankan -- this T-shirt. Like in 2017 and I was (indiscernible) also. And I never had the experience to play Sri Lanka. It's a very good pressure. I don't think it's bad or something. But I'm still 21, we are a lot of young players in here.

I think in the next two or three years there will be a lot more growth for us in Sri Lankan cricket. Hoping to do well as this.

Q. Your coach in the Army is a gentleman, is someone who bowls a lot like you. Have you had any interactions with him? Has he sent you any messages, given you advice towards the tournament?

MAHEESH THEEKSHANA: He always texts me after the matches. So not really in the days because I'm doing well. And he always texts me to do like this every time. And other than that, he's not giving me any tips right now because I'm in the tournament so I can't change anything like this. That's it. He gave me some advice for here in Sharjah and Dubai because he played here. So that's it.