Perera says Moody among five best coaches in the world

Dubai - he Colombo-born player says he is enjoying playing under two Australians

It's not surprising that Sindhis all-rounder Thisara Perera, whose greatest cricketing moment came when he hit the match-winning six against India to give Sri Lanka the 2014 World T20 Championships title, is focusing more on his batting skills than his bowling skills in the T10 League in Sharjah.
"After all, it's a batsman's tournament," the 29-year-old Perera told Khaleej Times in an exclusive interview.
"In the Sindhis team, we have a few genuine bowlers. Their job is to handle their two overs. I am playing as an all-rounder so I have to think about getting the runs and what I have to do as a bowler," he added.
"So I get to bowl maybe only one over because we have five genuine bowlers. I have to think about how I am going to bat and contribute as a bowler in one over."
The Colombo-born player says he is enjoying playing under two Australians - Shane Watson and Tom Moody - for the Sindhis team. "Our captain Shane Watson has played cricket around the world. So he has lots of energy and experience. He has played in major leagues. He has put us in a comfortable position to play our game," the affable Sri Lankan said.
"Also, it's nice to play under Tom Moody. He is one of the best coaches in the world. I know him very well because I have worked with him in the past in the T20 leagues. I think he is among the five best coaches in the world."
But Perera, who has taken 163 wickets in 145 one-day games for Sri Lanka, admits bowlers are always under pressure in T10 cricket, the shortest format of the game.
"Everybody knows it's a batsman's tournament. So every bowler gives away more than 20 runs in an over. I think this format is completely for the batsmen. As bowler it's not easy because the wicket is so good and the boundaries are so short," he said.
"To be honest, these conditions are definitely not good for the bowlers. But I am trying to bowl my best. So we have to adapt to the format and the conditions. That's the challenge for every bowler in this format."
rituraj@khaleejtimes.com