Thaindian News

Barbados, May 10 (IANS) Veteran Sri Lankan batsman Sanath Jayasuriya is hoping that his performance at the ongoing World Twenty20 would get him a berth in next year’s ODI World Cup in the sub-continent.
Jayasuriya, 40, wants to wind up his stellar cricketing career with an appearance at the World Cup.

“If I have done something special and represented my country well, and people think that I deserve the respect, then that is good. I would love to play in the 2011 (50-over) World Cup to finish up my career.”

“That has been in the back of my mind. If I perform, I could be selected,” Jayasuriya was quoted as saying in the Trinidad Guardian Monday.

“I had retired from Test matches. So, I came back to play those. Now, I only want to play 50-over and 20-over cricket. My key at the end of this year is to assess my international career overall, but I am going along, tour by tour, for now,” he said.

Jayasuriya, who opened the batting after a long time in the Super Eights match against West Indies scored 98 not out that helped Sri Lanka seal a much-needed victory to stay alive in the competition.

Asked whether he would return to Tests, Jayasuriya said: “Look, I am extremely lucky, happy and honoured to have played so much and so well for my country. I know that I helped change what an opening batsman is supposed to be.”

He recalled the best moment of his career was when Sri Lanka won World Cup in 1996.

“Certainly it was the greatest victory for Sri Lanka and we will always be remembered for that. Nobody thought that we could play such good cricket. Only after we had won that competition did our players get opportunities to play more Tests, county cricket and go overseas.”

Talking about the World Twenty20, Jayasuriya said they need to pull up their socks.

“We were bitterly disappointed when New Zealand beat us in the opening match. We made many little mistakes, which added up to a major loss. We simply cannot repeat that sort of game if we are to progress to the final and perhaps win.”