A varied bowling attack, a steadfast faith in their ability and the plans they had made, familiarity with conditions and the skill to best utilise that knowledge formed a vital part of Sri Lanka's World T20 triumph. Chaminda Vaas, the fast bowling coach, remembers the impact of their last World Cup win and explains to SL Pathiravithana, of Sri Lanka's Sunday Times, all the factors that contributed to repeating the feat 18 years later.
"It began three months ago. We were in Bangladesh on our ICC FTP tour. Initially in the Test matches we played some good cricket and at the same time we were getting acclimatised to the demands of the Bangladeshi wickets and the challenges that come into the game of cricket. After winning the Test series, we had two close games in the T20s, where we won by wafer-thin margins. It was the turning point. There the boys learned to take up the challenges and overcome, however hard they could be. They began to thrive in tight situations."
