![\"Angelo](\"https:\/\/indiansportsnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Angelo-Mathews-ICC.jpg\")
Angelo Mathews hadn\u2019t bowled a ball in an ODI for 18 months, and hadn\u2019t even bowled in the nets all tournament for Sri Lanka.<\/p>\nAngelo Mathews hadn\u2019t bowled a ball in an ODI for 18 months, and hadn\u2019t even bowled in the nets all tournament for Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n
But when the moment came he answered the call for his country and, with his very first ball, removed Nicholas Pooran in the 48th over to set up a dramatic win over the West Indies.<\/p>\n
In an enthralling ICC Men\u2019s Cricket World Cup clash in Durham, the 32-year-old former all-rounder rolled back the years to quell a West Indies fightback.<\/p>\n
Pooran was on 118 and leading what looked like being a record World Cup run chase before Mathews struck \u2013 much to his surprise and delight.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t had a bowl for a good eight months and that was the first ball. But we knew we had to make up two overs,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cPooran was batting beautifully so I said to the captain, \u2018look I have a bit of experience\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was the man we needed to get and I was quite fortunate to get him with the first ball before he clubbed me for a few sixes!<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a guy who wants to take up a challenge at any given time. I have played quite a number of ODIs before this and have got a bit of experience, playing all three formats and bowling in all three formats and in different situations. I knew what I wanted to do and I am glad I was able to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Injuries have plagued Mathews in recent years and prevented him from filling the all-rounder role he had made his own in this team across all three formats.<\/p>\n
The former skipper remains a key cog in the middle order with the bat, he made 85 not out in their win over England in Leeds, but the veteran admits he would love to get back to bowling more often as well. <\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t been bowling in the nets at all. That was the first ball after eight months,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I got injured at that time, I wouldn\u2019t have regretted it because we had the game in our hands. <\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately I didn\u2019t have the time to build the body up. I need a bit of time, the body needs to adapt.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t have enough time before the World Cup, but I\u2019m glad that I was able to help the team out and I am looking forward to bowling more moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Youngster Avishka Fernando smashed 104 for Sri Lanka in their best effort with the bat of this tournament at Chester-le-Street.<\/p>\n
Their total of 338 looked like more than enough before Pooran\u2019s late fireworks, but Mathews admits it is case of what might have been overall.<\/p>\n
England\u2019s win over India \u2013 who are Sri Lanka\u2019s final opponents on Saturday – had ended their knockout hopes before this match.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are disappointed, we had our chances throughout the tournament,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe Australia game the middle order didn\u2019t fire, we had that game in our hands after a brilliant start.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe South African game we didn\u2019t bat well. We had our opportunities but unfortunately we couldn\u2019t reach the semi-finals. If we can finish off well (against India) that will be a good thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Courtesy: www.icc-cricket.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Angelo Mathews hadn\u2019t bowled a ball in an ODI for 18 months, and hadn\u2019t even bowled in the nets all tournament for Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n
But when the moment came he answered the call for his country and, with his very first ball, removed Nicholas Pooran in the 48th over to set up a dramatic win over the West Indies.<\/p>\n
In an enthralling ICC Men\u2019s Cricket World Cup clash in Durham, the 32-year-old former all-rounder rolled back the years to quell a West Indies fightback.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":36954,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36955","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cricket-cricket"],"yoast_head":"\n