A Sri Lankan fan was spotted at the entrance gate to the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Monday with the banner “Dew, Dew go away, come another day”. After Sri Lanka decided to field first, it is likely he may have had torn the message away. The fans’ jovial mood didn’t waver, though, even when Jos Buttler and Eoin Morgan played big shots for England’s win.

Last balls have always been tricky here. People remember this venue for Javed Miandad’s last-ball six off India’s Chetan Sharma in the 1986 Australasia Cup. On Monday, Buttler reached his maiden T20I by hitting the last ball of England’s innings for a six.

Missing Malinga

Indika Batuwita, who was a consistent performer in UAE’s domestic cricket and also head coach of Be Spartan Cricket Academy, said: “Sri Lanka need consistent performers and batters like in the past. Also, there are no batsmen with confirmed positions.”

Another person stated that the team was missing a bowler like Lasith Malinga. “Dew, or no dew, a batting wicket or a bowling wicket, it never mattered for Malinga. He could dismiss any batsman,” he said.

Talk of Malinga, however, then veered off to his hairstyle and all the Malinga wigs that could be found outside stadiums on match days. No such wigs are around this time, unfortunately.