Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka had a ball last night in Pune as his all-round performance helped his side win a thriller against India by 16 runs, and level the series 1-1 with one more T20I to go.
With 21 runs needed to defend, Shanaka chose to bowl himself over the number 1 ranked ICC T20I men’s bowler, Wanindu Hasaranga, for the leg-spinner had been carted for 4 sixes in his previous over on the flat Pune pitch.
Bowling to a rampaging Axar Patel, who was on 63* (29) before the start of the over, and tailender Shivam Mavi, who had tonked 25* (12) like a proper finisher, Shanaka delivered a superbly calm over under pressure and dismissed both Axar and Mavi, giving away only 4 runs.
Earlier in the game, it was Shanaka’s belligerent finishing – 56*(22) with the help of 6 sixes – that helped Sri Lanka go over 200, and eventually proved the difference between the two sides.
Shanaka was deservedly awarded with the Player of the Match award. However, what the fans – and even ex-cricketers – lamented was that Shanaka is still without an IPL contract. In the IPL 2023 auction, the Sri Lankan skipper had gone unsold, finding no buyers even at the base price of INR 50 lakhs.
The 31-year-old Shanaka also has been doing wonders against India in recent times: in his last 5 T20I knocks vs India including today, Shanaka has smashed 255 runs while being dismissed only once at a strike rate of 205. But, the lack of an IPL contract has been a disappointing fact.
As Shanaka’s all-round show helped Sri Lanka with a tight win, fans on Twitter trolled the IPL franchises to not picking the Lankan captain.
Here are some of the tweets on Dasun Shanaka not having an IPL contract:
IPL team owners to BCCI after letting Dasun Shanaka go unsold pic.twitter.com/qIQHpzWkZJ
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) January 5, 2023
Excellent stuff by IPL owners & coaches!! Was Cameron Green worth more than Dasun Shanaka 🫡🫡👍😂!! Was Nicholas Pooran worth more than Shanaka? I guess not!! Well well!! Shanaka deserves a PSL & IPL contract ASAP! See into this @IPL @TheHBLPSL #INDvsSL #ipl #psl #dasunshanaka pic.twitter.com/Z9jvbqgSPJ
— The Sports Breakdown (@sport7breakdown) January 5, 2023
Dasun Shanaka in the last 5 innings against India in T20I:
47*(19)
74*(38)
33*(18)
45(27)
56*(22)Still he doesn’t have an IPL contract. pic.twitter.com/BDyIhMqMvK
— Dindayal Yadav (@ImDindayalYadav) January 6, 2023
Another gem of an innings from Shanaka!!!!
What a clutch player he is!!!!
And this guy doesn’t have an ipl contract, what a shame!!!#DasunShanaka #INDvsSL pic.twitter.com/N1e9rwVhqp
— Shikhar (@its_me_shikhar) January 5, 2023
Dasun Shanaka after unsold in IPL#INDvSL pic.twitter.com/RFiwEcsZul
— ලසියා 🇱🇰 (@CrizBale) January 5, 2023
Shanaka has been way better than many all rounders but he is getting neglected by IPL franchise as they think he is a mallu like Sanju Samson
— Ritik (@ThenNowForeve) January 5, 2023
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#INDvSL
Dasun Shanaka after unsold in IPL pic.twitter.com/UAd4kRlI03— Santu pratap Singh (@pratapoffial_05) January 5, 2023
Giving Shanaka an IPL contract is the only way to stop his monstrous form against India
He’s on no mercy mode against India 😭— 🐐 (@FOREVER_VK_FAN) January 6, 2023
Clown IPL franchise didn’t pick Shanaka bcoz he is srilankan player.
— Abhijeet (@King__Ro45) January 5, 2023
It can only happen in IPL, where BBL frauds will get millions of dollars contract but someone like Dasun Shanaka doesn’t even get a bit, it’s high time, this bloke gets a stint in IPL #INDvSL #CricketTwitter #INDvsSL pic.twitter.com/03kwjtlU3Z
— Yashraj (@Yashrbh) January 5, 2023
Shanaka isn’t given an IPL contract bc India know they can’t handle him 😛
— Bilaal (@BilaalMarikar) January 5, 2023
