Sri Lanka captain jokes about fatigue, focuses on staying fresh for Asia Cup opener

Dubai: Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka raised laughs at the Asia Cup captains’ press conference on Tuesday when he admitted he felt “very sleepy” just hours before the tournament’s opener. But behind the light remark lay the reality of a gruelling schedule.

“Right now, I’m feeling very sleepy. I should answer this question tomorrow, I think,” Asalanka said with a smile, quoted by ESPNcricinfo. “It’s really hard to play back-to-back games and then travel straightaway. We actually need a couple of days off. I hope the coach will give us that.”

The 27-year-old stressed that managing fitness and recovery was key, especially with the intense heat in the UAE. “It’s important to take care of our fitness. For me, it’s about staying fresh and giving 100 per cent in the first game,” he added.

Sri Lanka will have that chance, with a four-day gap before starting their Asia Cup campaign against Bangladesh on September 13 in Abu Dhabi. They find themselves once again in the so-called “group of death”, a challenge familiar from past editions.

Placed in Group B, they will face Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Afghanistan.