Sri Lanka’s T20 side has slipped 0-2 behind England, yet batting coach Vikram Rathour insists the line-up is “moving in the right direction”. Sunday’s six-wicket defeat in a rain-affected contest at Pallekele confirmed the series loss, but the hosts’ 189 for 5 – only their fifth 180-plus total since the last T20 World Cup – offered a sliver of comfort.
“I think we were better today definitely, we showed better intent, better decision against spin,” Rathour said afterwards. “So yeah, it is a work in progress, but we are getting better definitely.”
Key facts first
• England chased a DLS target of 142 in 15 overs, crossing the line with seven balls to spare.
• Sri Lanka earlier managed 189 for 5 on a pitch that offered modest pace and occasional grip.
• Pavan Rathnayake’s 40 off 22 balls was the stand-out effort, lifting the rate after a sluggish start.
Why the sixes are missing
Over the past 18 months Sri Lanka have often struggled to clear the rope. Rathour, though, attributes much of that to home surfaces.
“I would say the surfaces here are not that conducive to power hitting as well,” he explained. “Especially when you play in Colombo, it is not an easy surface to hit sixes because it is pretty slow and the ball does not come on to the bat.”
The coach breaks T20 batting into two equally valuable strands: raw power and what he calls “range” – the ability to manipulate fields, exploit gaps and collect boundaries along the carpet.
“If you are not a power hitter – the team that hits a lot of sixes – you can hit a lot of fours if you utilise the whole ground,” he said. “All of them sweep well, most of them can reverse sweep, they use their feet. That is a good thing. If you are not having the power hitting range, then if you can start utilising the whole ground, all the angles, you can make up for that.”
A timely audition from Rathnayake
Few embodied that theory better than 23-year-old Rathnayake. Coming in with a career T20 strike-rate of exactly 100, he advanced to the spinners, used the depth of his crease and peppered the square boundaries to finish with 40 in 22 deliveries.
“He is batting really well at the moment, so one of the better players as far as the using of feet is concerned, I think. I haven’t seen too many players in this generation using their feet as well as he is doing, so that is really impressive. He again batted well today, so good sign for Sri Lankan cricket I think.”
Data backs up Rathour’s optimism. Sri Lanka struck 16 fours to England’s 11 on Sunday, offsetting a 7-3 deficit in sixes. On low, slow surfaces the run-a-ball rate from boundaries can look similar; what counts is frequency, not altitude.
Shanaka’s role remains unsettled
Sri Lanka did experiment with skipper Dasun Shanaka at No.5, hope of an early launch outweighing caution. The gamble lasted six balls before Adil Rashid fooled him with a googly.
“We tried something different with him because normally, whenever he gets into bat, he is a great finisher. He is the best finisher in the team. That is his designated role. We wanted to give him an opportunity when there was no p-”
Rathour tailed off mid-sentence, perhaps reflecting Sri Lanka’s internal debate. Move the captain up to give him more volume, or keep him back for the final burst? The answer may arrive in the dead-rubber third match on Wednesday.
Where next?
Sri Lanka head for Colombo needing to salvage pride and, more importantly, nail down batting roles before the World Cup in June. England, already experimenting with combinations of their own, have promised no let-up.
What the numbers say
Since January 2025, Sri Lanka’s boundary split in T20Is sits at roughly one six to every 3.4 fours. Globally the ratio is closer to 1:2.5. Rathour’s four-heavy blueprint could work on sub-continental pitches, but an overseas World Cup will demand at least a slight uptick in maximums.
Still, the coaching staff argue that technique and intent are trending upwards. The eye test on Sunday, with brisk footwork, reverse sweeps and busy running, did little to contradict that view.
Balanced verdict
England were clinical; Sri Lanka were enterprising but a touch short. The gap, while real, is not insurmountable. If Rathour’s charges convert a handful of fours into sixes – or simply keep the fours flowing – the scoreboards may soon swing their way.
For now, the message is steady: more angles, smarter strokeplay, same commitment. And, just maybe, a little extra muscle when the pitch allows.
