We have lost the winning formula, says Kapugedara

Stand-in skipper Charama Kapugedara feels Sri Lankan have lost the art of winning matches and urged his team to take responsibility and work on their weakness ahead of the fourth ODI.

"I have seen that happen to many teams. When a team is losing, even if they get close to win, they just can't go beyond that hurdle. So we have lost that winning formula. But we'll have to win just one match and go from there."

Kapugedara, however, was impressed by the progress of the bowlers and asked his batsmen to step up.

"We also talk a lot how we get this on track but I think in the last two games, we have bowled well. There was a big improvement of our bowling in the last two games. On the other hand, our batsmen also need to lift their game. If we can go for a fair total, I think we can win," he said.

The 3rd ODI was also marred by unruly crowd behaviour with fans from both sides of grass banks hurling water-bottle missiles at Sri Lankan players fielding at the boundary when India were within eight runs of victory.

Play was halted for some time and then the umpires and players left the field, only for the stands to be evacuated before they returned to complete proceedings.

This was preceded by ugly scenes in Dambulla as well where the Sri Lankan team was jeered and heckled as they left the ground after another heavy loss in the first ODI.

"Players need to go out there in the middle and take the responsibility to perform. Then only we can win. It's how we, the 11 players or 15 players, play and win games. There are weak points. That's why we're losing. Somehow, we'll have to find those weak points and make those necessary adjustments to before the next game," the stand-in skipper said.

"I don't know of what people think of it. But as far as I am concern, there's no problem in the team. We're a one unit and no problems whatsoever. All what we have to do now is to perform and win matches. Nothing else," he added.

It is the second successive home defeat for Sri Lanka in ODIs. They lost 3-2 to Zimbabwe and now must win the last two matches to salvage any chance of automatic qualification for the 2019 ODI World Cup.

"Yes, it's a big drawback. But, simply because we lose games, we just can't go home and put our heads down and dream. There are matches to come and we need to get ready for them as well," the stand-in skipper said.

"However, I think a team should be supported when it's down as well as when it performs. I mean in mentally and in every other aspect. So what I can say is please keep supporting us because we try to do our best every day. We're not that far away from winning. All are playing to win and nobody likes to lose," he added.

"There are no outside problems. But I think that the winning formula has been forgotten," Kapugedara (pix) told reporters after India took an unassailable 3-0 lead with a six-wicket victory in the third ODI