Experts opine on why SL’s first wicket in T20Is have never been caught and bowled

By Bipin Dani  

The rain-washed 1st T20I match between England and Pakistan at Old Trafford, Manchester on Friday saw England’s first wicket of the innings fall through a caught and bowled incident. Cricket statistician Aslam Siddiqui found out that this was the first such instance for England and among the 12 full member countries, only Sri Lanka have never lost their first wicket in a T20I innings as a caught and bowled.

 
“Usually when you are caught and bowled, you are playing slightly early or the pitch is slower than expected,” Grant Flower, the team batting coach, said over telephone.

According to former opening batsman Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lankan batsmen always play positive cricket. 
“I guess we always look to play positive cricket. If the first ball is there to be hit, we will hit it. In T20s especially, there is no time to settle down. You just have to go after the bowling,” Jayasuriya, who played 31 T20Is for Sri Lanka, added.