Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka praised Maheesh Theekshana after the reigning champions beat Namibia by seven wickets in their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Group A encounter at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Monday.

Sri Lanka cruised past the 97-run total with seven wickets and 39 balls to spare after a little stutter at the start. Sri Lanka now has a run rate of +2.607, which puts them at the top of Group A.

In the first innings, the Sri Lankan bowlers had won half the battle for their team, as the Namibia batsmen struggled against spin as well as genuine pace. Lahiru Kumara and Wanindu Hasaranga each got two wickets, with Maheesh Theekshana taking three.

“We were planning quite a lot. Want to get through this qualifying stage. All went well for us. He (Theekshana) has been outstanding). Back home, he’s been training with Ajantha Mendis. Has a lot more to offer,” said Shanaka.

“They (pacers) have been outstanding the last few months…Earlier they had pace but no execution. Going forward, you can see good things for them. Winning all three matches will give us a good state of mind because we (will) know the conditions and everything,” he added.

After taking three wickets, Theekshana was named ‘Player of the Match.’

He said: “I am really happy to represent my country. It is a huge moment for me as I’m only 21 years old. Off-break (is my stock ball). The last game I played here I was ‘Man of the Match’. It is a lucky ground for me. I would love to represent my country in more games. My plan is to take it game by game.”